Emira Road Tests & Reviews

[C8RKH]

19 hours ago, r3nault said:

But to be fair, they've reached the limit of the manual gearbox fitted anyway, haven't they?

No. I believe the limit for the gearbox is 450nm, and certainly KomoTec has proven in the Evora and the Exige it can take 475bhp. Lotus did quote in an interview that I cannot be bothered searching for, that the gearbox was good for 450bhp and this was mooted as a future option at one time.

So the main issue for the gearbox on the V6 is torque, not BHP.

[C8RKH]

I don't see the Emira getting a "tuned" V6 engine to be honest, not enough to 430 spec.  I think the lighter and hotter "cup" type versions will be tuned I4's.  I have no issue with that and see no reason why you could not get a "tuned" 450bhp I4, with carbon loveliness, and stripped back non essential luxuries to reduce weight for £100k. That would be a car I would be very interested in. An Emira GT4 no less

The more I have seen of the Emira, the more I am convinced the absolute PICK of the range that we know of, is the Base I4 built to your own spec from £59k.  It's practically a bargain but I suspect once specc'd to your spec the price will be low £70's which would still be very good for your perfect Emira.

[Matt W]

9 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

No you are not! Why do people keep coming out with this crap?

It's been years since the law was changed on this. Whilst this was originally a result of the EU (Block Exemption Rules) it is still in force in the UK, and indeed, the UK Government is considering renewing the rules/law to continue to provide the protection.  https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/motor-vehicle-block-exemption-regulation

 

As long as you can prove (receipts and stamps - get the independent to specifically list the make/part# of every part/fluid used to ensure it is as per OEM) that your car was serviced to the manufacturers specifications (including parts used and fluids as per mfrs recommendation ) then your warranty will remain valid and in force.  So a good, reputable, established Lotus independent should be able to service your car for you if you have one locally and provided it is done to the correct schedule your warranty protection remains if I understand the law correctly.

If you do require recall/warranty work done then of course Lotus can stipulate the "dealer" has to do it.

No I stand corrected, quite right.

 (Lotus main dealers, apart from B&C it seems, still suck though. 

I'd absolutely LOVE to hear someone on here contradict me and say "No, I've had fabulous aftersales service from JCT600 Bradford..." ) 

[C8RKH]

I have heard very good things of Oakmere. Bell & Covill and Hoffmans - all of which were main dealers when I was hearing good things. Indeed, hear in Scotland, Murrays as the Scottish main dealer was legendary - until their Service Manager (Craig) left them and started up his own outfit - he did my 4 year service today on my Evora, including the belt changes which many don't get done and ALL fluids being refreshed. A superb job and a very nice (well about 50% of what the main dealers quote) price too and superb service and good chat.

No idea re JCT600 and the others so not fair for me to comment at all on them.

[jimichanga]

Hoffman’s and Silverstone have very good reputations. Hendy Performance in Eastleigh were very good outfit before they became Lotus main dealers, see no reason for that to change. In fact they’ve been a lot more active organising meets snd events than Snows ever were.

[Matt W]

Oakmere were the dealer that couldn't fix my issues so I went independent, as I say I'd not go back. I don't believe Hoffmans are still official are they? 

Edited June 10 by Matt W

[rudolphwolven]

34 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

The more I have seen of the Emira, the more I am convinced the absolute PICK of the range that we know of, is the Base I4 built to your own spec from £59k.  It's practically a bargain but I suspect once specc'd to your spec the price will be low £70's which would still be very good for your perfect Emira.

* * * * *

After the somewhat disappointing test results of the new Emira their lovers / believers tend to shift their attention / hope now to the updates for the V6 in the future and the arrival of the i4.

However accelerating noise-  and environmental restrictions in the next years is not on their side. I fear that finally it will not lead to what we hoped the Emira would be........

In the meantime the i4 was / is hyped so much as the better / last chance for the Emira that it can only disappoint in it's own way like the V6 Emira.
Nevertheless I believe that the Lotus team successfully performed the greatest achievement in Lotus history.
However the price is high........the loss of their identity.......

Edited June 10 by rudolphwolven

[Mctaff]

Somewhat melodramatic.

car give it 5 stars, top gear were very excited about driving it. I can’t wait and glad I’ve canned the Cayman gts deposit 

of course it’s not perfect… if perfect means being like Porsche I’d prefer imperfect!

Lost identity? They’ve chosen to change their identity because bare bones cars with questionable finish at times don’t suit most people

Edited June 10 by Mctaff

[C8RKH]

21 minutes ago, Mctaff said:

They’ve chosen to change their identity because bare bones cars with questionable finish at times don’t suit most people

Or they just decided they would go down the "Me Too" route, so people like me who would never have seriously considered say a Porsche will go and have a look at one as a Daily, and I'll keep my Evora Sport 410 for when I want to have fun - no bare bones and questionable finish even in the stripped out Sport 410 as far as I am concerned.

[Mctaff]

I considered an evora but the level of finish wasn’t right for me. I’m the cup holder brigade I’m afraid.

[Gadzooks]

13 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

Or they just decided they would go down the "Me Too" route, so people like me who would never have seriously considered say a Porsche will go and have a look at one as a Daily, and I'll keep my Evora Sport 410 for when I want to have fun - no bare bones and questionable finish even in the stripped out Sport 410 as far as I am concerned.

Mctaff is very much in the majority.  There are circa 25 people in the UK who think that the 410 Sport is acceptable (well acceptable enough to actually buy one)!

[jimichanga]

And only about 25 people have actually driven one. The carbon panels are as well finished as anything you’ll find on an Aston Martin or McLaren, they are all supplied by Prodrive. In this place the 410 should be revered as the Evora with added lightness. If that’s not acceptable then you’re in the wrong website. It’s 1486kg for 2 seat sports car that should be unacceptable here.

[C8RKH]

40 minutes ago, Gadzooks said:

There are circa 25 people in the UK who think that the 410 Sport is acceptable (well acceptable enough to actually buy one)!

I doubt I will ever sell mine to be honest. I have two people to thank for me making the great decision to buy that car, @The Pitsfrom here, and Aimee from Silverstone. I have never once regretted buying it.

There is just nothing that would not cost me an extra £40k+ that would give me the same experience.  And even now, 4 years old and owned from new, it makes me giggle every time I see it and the amount of looks it gets when in public is just smashing. And yes, less than 25 nutters have one (a couple still for sale) and they do seem to be the bastard ginger haired child as based on age and mileage they seem cheaper than a comparative 400 which I personally just don't get. So they are a relative bargain!

I suspect you are right re new Emira owners but I also suspect that many of them will be trading in their First Editions within a year for the next new shiny must have. But that is the driver Lotus is now catering for.

I think the general view of the road tests for the Emira is that it is a "main stream" Evora for the masses. High praise indeed for the 2009 and on car!

A base I4, to my spec, for £65k-70k could well be the daily driver to sit beside the Evora 410 Sport. But then my current DD, an E Class Convertible, provides a lovely GT / Cruiser alternative to the sporty Evora AND with the benefit of a soft top.  So I do keep asking myself why an Emira.  Maybe a nice Aston Vantage Volante instead. Each to their own.

 

[au-yt]

Interesting Jethro isn't happy

 

[C8RKH]

Evo is only ever happy when Porsche wins. Sorry but the bias is string in the Evo Empire.

Edited June 11 by Bravo73

[au-yt]

It always seems to me that EVO always turn up with a GT4, yes the price is similar however to me the customers the EMIRA target is not just GTS, but a specked up Cayman because by the time you add any options to any Porsche the price sky rockets.

The other thing Jethro didn't mention the car in the teat was pre production.

[AK70]

Speaking of perfect cars:

For me, that would be the Emira design, with Touring setup on Michelin PS4S with GTS Engine and manual Gearbox with shorter gearing plus the interior with analog rev counter and Apple car play.. 2+0 but with frunk.. 350-400 PS, 1400kg max. and not more than 185cm wide.

Easy actually… 😉

 

PS: I think those who buy an Emira won‘t be disappointed. Those who (like me) that have an Evora will most likely keep it 😉

[Mctaff]

Well I for one will be keeping the emira many years…

just got my hard copy Car. Their review vs A110 and GTS is very positive, although they put it second overall. Not wishing to be too full on fanboy, but a few interesting quotes…

“The lotus is the more exciting car”

“it’s total immersion. You’re involved and engaged, at any speed…”

”a draw for the best soundtrack”

”a McLaren for 70k”

Gearbox noted as needing care to shift.

 

15mpg!!

Edited June 11 by Mctaff

[simonb]

13 hours ago, C8RKH said:

No you are not! Why do people keep coming out with this crap?

It's been years since the law was changed on this. Whilst this was originally a result of the EU (Block Exemption Rules) it is still in force in the UK, and indeed, the UK Government is considering renewing the rules/law to continue to provide the protection.  https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/motor-vehicle-block-exemption-regulation

 

As long as you can prove (receipts and stamps - get the independent to specifically list the make/part# of every part/fluid used to ensure it is as per OEM) that your car was serviced to the manufacturers specifications (including parts used and fluids as per mfrs recommendation ) then your warranty will remain valid and in force. 

So a good, reputable, established Lotus independent should be able to service your car for you and provided it is done to the correct schedule your warranty protection remains.

If you do require recall/warranty work to be done, then of course, Lotus can stipulate the "dealer" has to do it.

Have Mercedes still got their bespoke OBD system that can only be read by bespoke kit sold at considerable cost to MB service centres (and presumably Lotus ones)?

[C8RKH]

30 minutes ago, Mctaff said:

Well I for one will be keeping the emira many years…

Pleased to hear this. I'll be keeping my Evora for many years I'm sure too.

The Emira is in no way a "bad car", and if the Journo's were being honest, truly honest, and Lotus were not so bloody naive as to hand out "pre-production" cars at this stage (come on, let's be honest, Lotus want to play against Porsche so do you really think Porsche would hand over "pre-prod" models to journo's for such an important "first test" - of course not, Porsche would have been all over every one of those Journo cars, at least twice to make sure they were perfect in every way and no doubt slightly "tweaked" to provide the optimum performance) - then I think the order would have been reshuffled in favour of the Lotus.  Can't help but feel that after the launch of the Evora, with the Emira, Lotus are still amateurs compared to the rest with this stuff.  I believe (needs to be confirmed) that for instance one of the cars delivered by Lotus had the sports suspension setup but the Goodyear tyres. Surely a compromise for on track testing?

7 minutes ago, simonb said:

Have Mercedes still got their bespoke OBD system that can only be read by bespoke kit sold at considerable cost to MB service centres (and presumably Lotus ones)?

Yes. But what is your point?

The question was over servicing and warranty. 

MB, BMW, Lotus, and many others all have bespoke diagnostic system and software that they use - but they do have to allow access to 3rd parties (non franchised dealers) but it is up to them, as a commercial business, how much they charge for that access or the conditions for access that they impose, as long as, they prove they are not operating a cartel arrangement.

As ever, where this a market people will innovate - https://www.eclipse-tech.co.uk/products/car/eclipse-edis-car-package/

[simonb]

20 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

Yes. But what is your point?

The question was over servicing and warranty. 

Just that I doubt there will be many independents for the i4

Edited June 11 by simonb

[C8RKH]

There are plenty of MB tuners and independents out there who can, do and will work on the I4. So it can be done.

Edited June 11 by Bravo73

[Bruss]

I think the problem is likely to be integrating any engine tune in to the Lotus/Bosch control electronics, just as it has been with the Evora.

 

 

 

[Evotion]

2 hours ago, Mctaff said:

“The lotus is the more exciting car”

“it’s total immersion. You’re involved and engaged, at any speed…”

”a draw for the best soundtrack”

”a McLaren for 70k”

Yeah, this what WE as enthusiasts actually want, it is mad,

The Cayman might be the better car in little ways here and there but, as an experience, it really won't match the Emira. Still, Porsche will outsell it by ridiculous margins as it will always be the safe bet.

[Gadzooks]

13 hours ago, jimichanga said:

And only about 25 people have actually driven one. The carbon panels are as well finished as anything you’ll find on an Aston Martin or McLaren, they are all supplied by Prodrive. In this place the 410 should be revered as the Evora with added lightness. If that’s not acceptable then you’re in the wrong website. It’s 1486kg for 2 seat sports car that should be unacceptable here.

Preaching to the choir as I have bought 2 (well same one twice). BTW had trouble with quality of carbon boot but fixed under warranty.