Lotus Emira Will Be Automaker's Last Combustion Creation
No electric or hybrid systems will be available for the Emira, the legendary British marque's last hurrah of internal combustion.
A Shakeup
A shakeup to the Lotus lineup is on the horizon, with the manufacturer replacing all three of its current models with a single sports car. The Elise, the Exige, and the Evora will seize production this year and Lotus will be focusing all of its efforts on the upcoming Emira. The company has put out teasers for their newest product, but full details will be revealed in July.
Capturing a Wider Audience
With the Emira, the British make plans to capture a wider audience than it has been in the past. The goal with the new sports car is to offer more usability. Matt Windle, Lotus's new managing director spoke on this objective. "I think Lotus in the past has maybe been a bit guilty of engineering something it thought people wanted and then putting it to the market," he remarked. "Now we're trying to engineer something that people actually want."
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Hints of Evija DNA
Despite the cryptic nature of what Lotus has shown so far, there are several hints that suggest the Emira will have much of the Evija hypercar concept's styling DNA. The vignette of the car's front view certainly strongly resembles that of the Evija. And when the company's design director speaks on the Emira's styling, he provides clues that suggest it will have been inspired by the concept car.
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ICE Power
The Emira will be available with a 4-cylinder engine capable of over 300 horsepower and a V6 motor similar to the Evora's power unit, producing well over 400 horses. Pricing will start at around $60,000 for the base model. The higher trim levels, culminating in the R trim will likely cost just over $100,000. The 4-cylinder version is available only with a dual-clutch transmission, while the V6 will have a manual option available.
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End of an Era
Expect the Emira to have a more luxurious and user-friendly interior design. Though the engineers have done their best to make sure the signature sporty feel of the Lotus still remains. The Emira will reportedly mark the end of an era for Lotus, being the final internal combustion-powered vehicle they will ever produce.
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