The 2.0-litre Emira, the first Lotus with a DCT, goes on sale next month - watch out Alpine A110...
As we all know, Lotus has a spectacular history with four-cylinder sports cars, whether using engines it has helped design or pinching motors like the Rover K Series and Toyota 2ZZ for the Elise and Exige. So we’re expecting great things of the 2.0-litre Emira; the V6 prototype has already proved itself even better than expected, and the engine itself is AMG’s M139, which is brilliant in an A-Class. With 360hp, it has more power than the earlier versions of the supercharged Toyota V6, too.
But we knew about that. And we knew about the eight-speed DCT, also from AMG, which might finally banish memories of sub-par Lotus autos. It wasn’t known, however, when the world could get a four-cylinder Emira - now we do. It’ll go on sale from April 8 as a First Edition, like the V6, priced from £71,995. That’s £4,000 less than the 3.5-litre car. is much like it was for the V6.
Also included with the first Edition are option packs likely to prove popular when the standard four-cylinder car goes on sale. They are the Lotus Drivers Pack, which brings a Track Mode for the ESP, a choice of Tour or Sport suspension, Goodyear Eagle F1s or Michelin Cup 2 tyres, the Convenience Pack - with rear camera, front sensors and auto wipers - and the Design Pack, with privacy glass, branded mats and sports pedals.
With the First Edition now on the Emira configurator and sales commencing in a matter of weeks, Lotus says the first ones will be with customers by the end of 2022. By which point we’ll know about the rest of the Emira range, with specifications set to follow in the summer for the £59,995 entry-level 2.0-litre and equivalent £64,995 V6. We can expect those cars to launch early in 2023.