2022 Lotus Emira revealed: Brand’s first and last new petrol sports car in a decade goes official
Lotus' long-awaited successor to the Elise, Exige and Evora family is here, with Evija-inspired styling and a little help from its German friends.
Meet the first all-new petrol-powered Lotus in a decade, and what's billed as the brand's last: the 2022 Lotus Emira.
Riding on an all-new 'Elemental' sports car platform, the Emira will not only serve as the indirect successor to the outgoing Elise, Exige and Evora models, but will be the final new Lotus model launched with a combustion engine, as all new models from here on will employ electric power only.
A choice of two petrol engines will be offered for duty behind the Emira's cockpit: one familiar to the Lotus brand, and one not-so-familiar.
The first cars to roll out of the Lotus factory next autumn (March to May) will be limited-run 'First Edition' models, powered by the 3.5-litre supercharged Toyota-derived V6 that saw use in the Exige and Evora.
Mid-2022 will see the introduction of Mercedes-AMG's 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine – as used in the A45, CLA45 and GLA45 models – which benefits from new air intake and exhaust systems to fit the Emira's mid-engined, rear-wheel drive layout.
While specifics remain thin on the ground, Lotus promises power outputs "across the Emira range" of between 269kW and 298kW, with maximum torque in the fastest variants pegged at 430Nm.
Buyers will have a choice of manual, torque-converter automatic and dual-clutch automatic gearboxes – with the AMG four-cylinder paired to the German brand's eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the supercharged V6 understood to employ the manual and 'regular' auto options.
The British car maker claims the Emira range will be capable of a 0-100km/h sprint time under 4.5 seconds, towards a top speed of over 290km/h. CO2 emissions will start below 180g/km, to help comply with increasingly-stringent European emissions rules.
Those figures put the new car roughly on par (if slightly behind) the final Evora variant to be offered, the GT410, which extracted 306kW/410Nm from the 3.5-litre V6, pushing it to 100km/h from zero in 4.2 seconds, a top speed of 300km/h (with a manual), and a CO2 emissions claim of 235g/km.
In its lightest form, the Emira tips the scales at 1405kg (DIN kerb) – up to 44kg heavier than the outgoing Evora GT410 in its lightest Sport manual guise,
Underpinning the new Lotus is an all-new platform, though it still employs the brand's bonded extruded aluminium technology first pioneered on the Elise in the late 1990s.
Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport tyres, hydraulic steering and the 'Tour' suspension tune are standard-fit, with an optional Lotus Drivers Pack adding stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, launch control and a stiffer 'Sports' suspension tune.
On the styling front, the Emira draws cues from the larger, all-electric Evija hypercar – evident up front in the smaller car's twin-blade vertical LED headlights (standard across the range) and adjacent cooling vents both inspired by its bigger brother.
A set of 20-inch alloy wheels fill the arches, while a sculpted cut into the side doors helps flow air into a pair of cooling intakes for the mid-mounted petrol engine.
'LOTUS' branding stretches across the rear end, flanked by C-shaped LED tail-lights and air exit vents behind the wheel arches. Dual exhaust tips and a large diffuser also feature.
There's no active aerodynamics to speak of, unlike its bigger sibling, as Lotus says the Emira is the "only model in its class" to create passive downforce that's balanced between the front and rear axles at all speeds.
The model measures in at 4412mm long, 1895mm wide (with mirrors folded) and 1225mm high, riding on a 2575mm wheelbase – 37mm longer, 50mm wider and 15mm lower than the Evora, with an identical wheelbase (though Lotus assures the two cars are unrelated).
Inside, the Emira blends Lotus' famed stripped-out, driver-focused cabins of old with the technology expected of a modern sports car.
Front passengers sit in unique sport bucket seats – offered with four-way or 12-way electric adjustment – while the driver grips a flat-bottomed (and flat-topped) steering wheel trimmed in Alcantara on First Edition models, as pictured throughout.
They're joined by heritage-focused details including manual shift lever positioning said to be inspired by the iconic Esprit, semi-exposed manual gear linkages in the centre console (from the Elise and Exige), and a red cover over the start/stop button not dissimilar to that seen in a modern Lamborghini.
A 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite navigation features in place of the Evora's notably aftermarket-like 7.0-inch touchscreen, while a configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster sits behind the steering wheel – with the software for both units of Lotus' own design.
A focus has been placed on cabin storage, with two cup holders between the occupants, a phone storage slot, door bins capable of holding 500ml bottles, a glovebox, 12-volt and USB ports, and a console net.
There's 208 litres of space on offer behind the seats, or an additional 151 litres behind the engine – claimed to be enough for a carry-on suitcase or set of golf clubs.
A premium sound system designed by the UK's KEF is available, along with an array of convenience touches keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers, power-folding door mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, stolen vehicle tracker, and curtain airbags.
A range of active safety systems are available for the first time, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic-sign recognition, driver fatigue detection, and a speed limiter.
Six exterior colours are available at launch – Hethel Yellow, Shadow Grey, Magma Red, Nimbus Grey, Dark Verdant and Seneca Blue – plus seven interior colours, five wheel options and four brake caliper hues.
First deliveries of the new 2022 Lotus Emira will commence in the northern spring of 2022 (March to May), with production to occur at a new manufacturing facility in Lotus' home town of Hethel, UK.
Australian pricing will be announced closer to the car's local arrival, though UK prices are slated to kick off from under £60,000 (AU$110,000) – a little less than an outgoing Exige Sport 390 Final Edition, which costs £64,000 (AU$118,000) in the UK, or $149,950 before on-road costs Down Under.
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