We spent some time with the Evora GT Replacement.
The 2022 Lotus Emira will be the last internal combustion engine-powered vehicle from the automaker. Although the Emira takes some styling cues from the all electric Evija hypercar it retains the same lightweight, mid engined formula that made its Evora predecessor so beloved. The Emira was a pleasure to meet in private. It’s even more beautiful in person than the photos.
It’s smaller than it looks, which is not surprising considering it’s shorter than the Evora overall. It’s slightly wider too, with a wheels-at-the-corners stance wholly appropriate to a compact sports car. The Emira’s styling, however, is more mature and thoughtful than the slightly smaller. Evora is a boy-racer Beautiful curves from the Evija make it possible. We love the Evija’s boomerang-shaped side intakes and hood vents. The full-width LED taillight panel is a great addition to the car’s elegant rear haunches.
The Emira will be equipped with a 3.5-liter supercharged carryover V6 that produces around 400 horsepower (298kW). This engine was sourced from Toyota. It is mated with either six-speed manual or automated transmissions. A turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 with 360 horsepower (268kW) will be available. However, we think that this number is underrated considering the Mercedes CLA45 engine produces 382 ponies. The only transmission available with this engine will be a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox.
Lotus is aiming for a curb weight around 3,000 pounds. This is impressive considering the Emira’s extensive list of standard features. Geely borrowed a digital instrument cluster and a tablet-style touchscreen display. The interior fit and finish seem much better than the Evora. The days of Lotuses with exposed aluminum floors and thinly-padded seats are gone, that’s certain. However, the exposed shift linkage is an admirable tribute to minimalism. The Emira will include a wide range of optional active safety equipment such as adaptive cruise control and automated emergency braking.
We were not allowed to drive the Emira during our brief encounter. However, we did see Formula 1 World Champion JensonButton race around Laguna Seca. He seemed to enjoy being behind the wheel and commented on its stunning performance and beautiful sound. The V6’s powerful sound is unsurprising considering the Evora’s stirring soundtrack. It’s great enough to drive for an F1 champion (and Lotus coachbuilder), it’s also good enough for us.