The Lotus Emira is the British sports car maker's last hurrah for internal combustion engines. But don't let that fool you into thinking it's a dinosaur. The Emira is a stunning, modern, and thrilling machine that can go toe-to-toe with some of the best supercars in the world. And it costs less than $100,000.
What Is the Lotus Emira?
The Lotus Emira i4 is the successor to the Elise, Exige, and Evora models that have been around for decades. It's also the first all-new Lotus car since 2008. The Emira is designed to be a more accessible and practical sports car than its predecessors while still retaining the core values of Lotus: lightness, agility, and performance.
The Lotus Emira i4 comes in two flavors: a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 sourced from Toyota that produces 400 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque or a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four sourced from Mercedes-AMG that produces 360 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The latter is called the 2024 Lotus Emira i4, and it's the focus of this article.
The 2024 Lotus Emira i4 is expected to weigh around 3,100 pounds, which is about 500 pounds heavier than the Elise but still lighter than most of its rivals. It can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 180 mph. Thanks to its mid-engine layout, double-wishbone suspension, hydraulic steering, and sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, it can also handle corners like a dream.
The 2024 Lotus Emira i4 offers a choice of a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Both are rear-wheel drive only. The manual has a mechanical limited-slip differential, while the automatic has an electronic one. The automatic also has launch control and paddle shifters.
How Does the Lotus Emira i4 Look and Feel?
The Lotus Emira is a stunning car to look at. It has a sleek and muscular body that draws inspiration from the Evija electric hypercar. It has sharp LED headlights, large air intakes, sculpted side skirts, a prominent rear spoiler, and a diffuser with dual exhaust tips. It also has some retro touches, such as the round taillights and the black roof panel.
The Lotus Emira is available in seven colors: Hethel Yellow, Shadow Grey, Magma Red, Nimbus Grey, Dark Verdant, Seneca Blue, and Essex Blue. It also has four trim levels: Base, First Edition, GT Line, and Sports Line. The Base model comes with 19-inch wheels in silver or black, while the other trims come with 20-inch wheels in various designs.
The interior of the Lotus Emira is a big step up from its predecessors. It has more space, comfort, and technology than ever before. It has leather or Alcantara seats with contrast stitching, a flat-bottomed steering wheel with metal spokes, metal pedals, and carbon fiber accents. It also has a digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker KEF sound system, and a wireless charging pad.
The Lotus Emira also has some modern safety and convenience features, such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, keyless entry and start, and a 360-degree camera. It also has a decent amount of storage space, with a 5.3 cubic-foot trunk and a 7.7 cubic-foot front compartment.
How Does the Lotus Emira i4 Compare to Its Rivals?
The Lotus Emira i4 is a unique proposition in the sports car market. It's not quite a supercar, but it's not quite a regular sports car, either. It's somewhere in between, offering a blend of performance, style, and exclusivity that few cars can match.
The closest rivals to the Lotus Emira i4 are probably the Porsche Cayman and the Alpine A110. Both are mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seater coupes that offer excellent handling and driving fun. However, the Lotus Emira i4 has more power, torque, and presence than both. It also has more features and more practicality than the Alpine A110.
The Lotus Emira i4 is also cheaper than both of them. The Porsche Cayman starts at $61,250, while the Alpine A110 starts at $69,000. The Lotus Emira i4 starts at just $85,000. That's a bargain for a car that can compete with some of the best supercars in the world.
Why Should You Buy the Lotus Emira i4?
The Lotus Emira i4 is a car that appeals to both the head and the heart. It's a car that delivers exhilarating performance, stunning looks, and everyday usability. It's a car that honors the legacy of Lotus while embracing the future. It's a car that offers supercar thrills for sports car money.
If you're looking for a car that can make you smile every time you drive it, look no further than the 2024 Lotus Emira i4. It's a car that will make you feel alive. It's a car that will make you fall in love with driving again.
It's a sports car that you can actually afford.
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