Regret buying a final edition?

[Matt W]

Short answer for me is no having now seen the spec that's available. 

I appreciate the post title is a bit provocative, but having now seen the Emira, and very pretty it is too, I'm no less looking forward to getting my FE - if it ever turns up! 

For me the choice was about the pure driving, and quoted Emira figures of "under 4.5s to 60" and PtW of 289bhp/ton compared to 359bhp/ton just won't provide what I'm after at the moment. I've driven a Cayman GT4 and though it was good, didn't provide that Exige experience. 

Incidentally, with a weight of 1405kg "in its lightest form" that'll mean the Emira kicking out over 500bhp to match the 390FE p/weight. Though I appreciate these are just numbers. 

Until a cup version appears with more focus on performance, I'll stick old school analogue. 

But then I think I'm pretty much a has-been lotus owner who isn't part of the new marketing regime or part of the new-lotus future, though I absolutely wish them every success. 

[delta3]

i'm in the exact same boat as you. i commend them for going hydraulic steering instead of the mainstream epas, and i'm sure it'll still handle great, but 1400kg+ is just, dare i say, heavy.

[Bibs]

The Emira is firmly aimed at the daily/frequent spots cars driver (hence the weight) and the Exige is a weapon of mass pleasure aimed at those who want a race car on the road (and the track!). The Exige experience is much more visceral and raw whereas the Emira will handle like an Evora and then some, eg a refined Lotus. Matt said in the TLF interview than they've taken the Evora handling as a benchmark and refined it and made it better for the Emira but it takes a certain amount of commitment to daily an Exige so if that extreme performance, feels like you're doing Le Mans on a b-road Lotus is your dream, you've done well ordering an Exige.

[Jcx]

In the words of Rio Ferdinand, “100-trillion percent!”

in my own, the Emira looks like a stylish multi-tool whereas the exige is a scalpel. 

I think my exige is irreplaceable. 

[Techyd]

Having had the pleasure of owning an Evora and now currently an Elise, I have to say for me, the Evora is the better driving car on the road, it has a handling finesse and stability that the Elise does not have - but both are absolutely at the top of their game, even if that sounds contradictory.  The Elise is exhilarating to drive and really comes alive on the track.  On the road its fun at any speed but it is exhausting; the Exiges I've driven even more so - scalpel is spot on though, they are incredible drivers cars.  Where the Evora succeeds it though, is on the road, the chassis is far more accomplished, its more malleable and far less exhausting.

I think the Emira is going to be sensational.  It succeeds the Evora yes, but does not replace the Elise.

 

[CocoPops]

The fact I’ve placed a deposit to buy an Emira ALONGSIDE my Cup250FE (still delayed) is an indication that it’s an every day sports car, not the track toy the Elise is.

[Jcx]

@TechydI get you regarding the road manners of the elise and the effort required to drive it.  The Evora is so much more composed and way less exhausting. 

Here's another perspective; i sold a 911 turbo to buy my exige 410.  'wont you miss the power?' people asked.  The exige feels faster everywhere - although in a striaght line drag race it isn't faster.  'you will regret the build quality' they said.  Yes my exige creaks but i don't care.  I have it for the thrill.  Porsche don't make anything that competes with the exige in terms of thrill.  I suspect the Emira will compete strongly against Cayman and 911.  But so far Emira wins the beauty contest.

[Inversed]

I also don't regret the decision, while I love the looks of Emira and I think I would drive it probably more than Exige. But if I wanted car like that I would probably buy Cayman before Emira was even announced. Man, I would regret that decision now

[Matt W]

There's a lot of vitriol in other forums about change so it's good to read so many positive comments. 

Thinking a bit more, electrification of cars is inevitable, I'll miss the roar for sure, but if the future is Emira styling and truely ludicrous levels of torque I'm all for it. Maybe I'll just stick with the Exige, skip the Emira, and in a few years go for whatever is after, I'm sure Lotus are planning something spectacular! 

[Jcx]

What vitriol @Matthew Wright?  Why are people annoyed and what are they saying?

[C8RKH]

5 minutes ago, Jcx said:

What vitriol @Matthew Wright?  Why are people annoyed and what are they saying?

Some people just like to rant 

[Jcx]

🤣 I prefer to drive

[PhilT]

11 hours ago, Jcx said:

I think my exige is irreplaceable.

You just have to have both...

10 hours ago, Jcx said:

Here's another perspective; i sold a 911 turbo to buy my exige 410. 

As Bibs said, the Exige is a scalpel. I took a guy with a 911 GT3 round Silverstone on a track day (we were in the same garage) he was quite talkative until Stowe corner...

[390ja]

I’m very pleased for lotus with the Emira, I think they’ve nailed it for market position. Their sales tag could be “it’s not a Cayman...”

While I’m happy in a way it’s not really an Exige/Elise replacement so should prop up my cars value, I’m also disappointed in there is now no Exige/Elise equivalent. Unless someone is lined up to carry on making them... 🤔

Back to the topic, I have no regrets, I’m very happy to suffer the compromises of my 390 while I’m still fit enough to do so, an Emira is quite a likely prospect if or when my bones can’t take it anymore.

[KennyN]

The way the Emira was described to me today by Scott Walker (UK Sales Manager)...

"Your current Exige is like a stunt plane, the Emira is like a Learjet."

If I miss the raw edge of the Exige, I will pick up another one and enjoy the Emira as a daily.

[Jcx]

3 hours ago, PhilT said:

You just have to have both...

As Bibs said, the Exige is a scalpel. I took a guy with a 911 GT3 round Silverstone on a track day (we were in the same garage) he was quite talkative until Stowe corner...

🤗 I think it was I (not Mr Bibs) who first applied the term scalpel above. But I stand by it and it appears a few of you agree. 👍

[TTim]

I don't regret ordering mine. What was even more surprising was when I showed my wife. I expected her to be like "why did you order the exige when you could have that for the same money" but she actually supported the exige purchase with the logic that the emira is more an every day sports car which isn't the reason I bought the exige. 

Edited July 9 by TTim

[Matt]

Love the look of the new car and was obviously interested in what they came up with but as soon as it came out I knew I’d done the right thing for me.
The Exige is everything I wanted it to be so far.
Just driving fun. 
Went out fly swatting in it yesterday

from bewdley to Aberystwyth it’s first real run out to see those 1000 miles off 😁

200 plus miles in traffic but also on great roads with nothing in front and also in towns where all you get are smiles no bad reactions so far.

I’m upto 750 now 😬 and giving it a bit more 🦶🏼as I was told to do 😁

it’s a bit awkward to get in and out but no different to my old Elise.
the stereo is pointless not turned it on 🤣

 

driving around town 30mph is not a problem it always feels quicker  I look down and I’m only doing 28🤣

 

In every way it’s awesome for me 

and I’ve been driving mine almost every day   

As long as I can get in and out the thing it’s a keeper 😍

Any excuse for pics 😬

 

 

 

[Wilbert Camshaft]

I 'am happy that Lotus developed such a beautiful and amazing car as the Emira - smart move and if my Exige would be damagend or stolen and no comparable Exige would be available I would seriously consider an Emira as replacement if KomoTec could prepare it for trackday use.....

For now there's just nothing left to be desired with my wonderful Exige 350 (EX460) Vivid Green - the most fascinating thing I ever owned, every time I see and drive it I'am just exited that such a wonderul thing is really mine!!

The picture was taken before I left for a Pistenclub trackday at the Nürburgring GP circuit yesterday - next week I will drive with friends at the wonderful circuit in Zandvoort - to be followed by Bilster Berg and Circuit de Charade near Clermont Ferrant in August .....

[David Standing]

I took over a dealer stock Exige 420 Final Edition build slot on 19 May, it was far enough in the system that I just scraped in with a spec change to my spec, and it is scheduled for imminent build.

As I want it for a second/fun car, I don't believe I made the wrong decision.

In fact, as it will be a long term keeper, I believe I made exactly the right decision! 😁

The Emira will no doubt be a great car, and is exactly what Lotus needs to build to up sales to where they need to be, but it isn't what I want.

[John Torr]

I have an Exige 390 Sport FE arriving next week..  I am absolutely blown away with the Emira and have put my name down on the waiting list as a possible replacement for the Exige in 2 years time..  However, I absolutely don't regret ordering the Exige and may very well end up just keeping it..  it will all come down to how I feel when I test drive the Emira.. If the Exige is twice as much fun to drive, I'll keep it.. but if it is only 25% more fun then I may be tempted to trade it in.  I'm just glad Lotus are back on the map in a big way.. such a great car company and they deserve to be hugely successful with the Emira.

[Matt W]

That's what I'm thinking as well. Hopefully in a couple of years they'll announce a track/Cup version, so the timing could be perfect. 

[Sam Downey]

Actually the Emira convinced me to go nuts and try to stretch to get a final edition Exige. Depending on ability to finance and waiting on the answer now. Obviously kicking myself I didn't pull the trigger when the final editions were announced but there are still some nice new dealer stock options around.

The Emira looks great, but is a very different car. In a couple of years time a potential Emira 450/500 CUP (or whatever) will be very interesting. It will be interesting to see how much weight they can get out of it when making a stripped out version that is more like an Exige inside. But I think it will still ultimately be the usual deal with newer cars: more capable, more refined not as raw, and who knows if that will happen with the V6 or only the 4cyl.

[David Standing]

On 10/07/2021 at 15:50, David Standing said:

I took over a dealer stock Exige 420 Final Edition build slot on 19 May, it was far enough in the system that I just scraped in with a spec change to my spec, and it is scheduled for imminent build.

As I want it for a second/fun car, I don't believe I made the wrong decision.

In fact, as it will be a long term keeper, I believe I made exactly the right decision! 😁

The Emira will no doubt be a great car, and is exactly what Lotus needs to build to up sales to where they need to be, but it isn't what I want.

 

 

I am told build has now slipped from July to September 😒

 

 

[Evotion]

I am an Emira fan but the Exige keeps pulling me in. Awesome car and amazing visceral and engaging. It was also kind of too much BUT I realise now, that is a huge bonus as it keeps it interesting.  I have a feeling I might get one if I do not get the 4cyl later in 2022.

I would have fancied an FE or 4xx Cup but was surprised at the prices! Blimey. Makes it even harder to pull that trigger.