The Lotus Emira has been confirmed to be the final ICE the Hethel company produces before going all electric. From what we’ve see so far, it’ll be a spectacular final chapter for the Norfolk based company, writes Ryan de Villiers.
Colin Chapman’s race-bred company has been building their current crop of cars for a good while now, and as special as they may be, there’s no denying that they’re a little long in the tooth. We reported last year on the end of production of the Exige, Elise, and Evora which have all been put to rest as a result of the firm heading toward an all-electric future. The Emira will be the UK-based manufacturer’s last ICE vehicle with Evija and Type 132 SUV on the way, as well as a slew of new products. From what we have seen thus far, the Emira is shaping up to be quite the swansong.
Cars that cost anywhere from R2 million to R3 million (could be the price range of the Emira based on estimations) usually pack a punch when you decide to club foot the accelerator, doing so in the utmost comfort and style. The Emira will be no exception. At first glance, the Emira resembles a softer version of the firm’s upcoming electric hypercar, the Evija. The Emira’snterior is exactly what you’d expect from a car in this segment – a huge step up from Lotus products of yore. Leather here, Alcantara there, shiny buttons, and premium audio, Lotus have pulled out all of the stops here, and it shows.
Both variants of the mid-engine First edition Emira boast some impressive power and torque figures. The first model to enter production will feature a Toyota-sourced 3,5-litre supercharged V6 pumping out 298 kW 420 N.m of torque, directly to the rear wheels managed by either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.. The second powertrain configuration will feature the esteemed M139 sourced from Mercedes-AMG’s A45 model. The little German motor is a turbocharged 2,0-litre four-cylinder brute, however power and torque figures have not been confirmed for its application in the Emira.
Production has just started on the First Edition V6 Emira’s with the first local units making landfall in July. Production of the i4 model will likely start in Q1 2023 and we can expect to see those in SA shortly after that.
Words: Ryan de Villiers
