Lotus Unveils Its Final Petrol Engined Car, The Emira

• Engine options include a supercharged Toyota 3.5-litre V6 and a turbocharged Mercedes-AMG 2.0-litre inline-four motor.

• The Emira can reportedly push between 360PS and 400PS, sprint from 0-100kmph in less than 4.5 seconds onto a top speed of up to 290kmph.

• Looks like a mini Evija, with vertical LED headlamps and a nicely sculpted exterior.

• Features include a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, ambient lighting, and sports seats.

• Will be Lotus’s only internal combustion engine model on offer after the Elise, Exige and Evora production ends at the end of 2021. 

After a barrage of teasers, Lotus has finally taken the wraps off the Emira mid-engine sports car. This unveiling is crucial for Lotus as the Emira will be the last pure internal combustion engine model coming from the British carmaker. At a glance, the Emira, with its capabilities, certainly seems to be a fitting send-off to petrol-powered models. 

Let's start with what’s under the hood of the Emira. The sports car can be specced with either a supercharged Toyota 3.5-litre V6 engine (that already does duty in the Evora), or a turbocharged 2.0-litre inline-four motor sourced from Mercedes-AMG (and also offered in the A45 hot hatch). Go for the Toyota-sourced powertrain and you get the option of a manual and automatic transmission, whereas the AMG-sourced motor exclusively receives a DCT gearbox.

While the carmaker hasn’t yet given us clear technical details of either of the two engines, the Emira will produce between 360PS and 400PS of power and up to 430Nm of torque that’s sent to the rear wheels. The fastest Emira can do the 0-100kmph sprint in less than 4.5 seconds with top speeds of up to 290kmph. Pretty impressive numbers for a car weighing 1,405kg. 

Add the optional Lotus Drivers Pack, and the Emira gets a stiffer suspension setup and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres in place of the standard Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport tyres. In fact, 2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button had a go at the sports car and gave it his seal of approval for how it handles.

Performance aside, the Emira looks drop dead gorgeous, with a design philosophy more in line with its more potent sibling, the Evija hypercar. The similarities to the Evija are clear at the front, with vertical LED headlamps featuring a twin-blade design. Sculpted lines all over are complemented by contoured scoops that all feed air into the mid-mounted engine. While there aren’t any active aero bits, the body is nicely shrink wrapped, which should aid aero efficiency. 20-inch alloy wheels round off the athletic design. 

The cabin is where the Emira is truly a step up from its more aged siblings. You’re greeted with four-way electronically adjustable seats, with the option of sports seats with 12-way electric adjustment. The other sporty aspect inside is a flat-bottomed sports steering wheel with integrated controls.  

It's also loaded with features such as a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 10-speaker sound system, ambient lighting, twin USB and 12V charging ports.  

Passenger safety is covered by rain-sensing wipers, rear parking sensors (with front sensors as an option), curtain airbags, launch control (as part of optional Lotus Drivers Pack), and a stolen vehicle tracker. There’s also Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) such as adaptive cruise control, anti-collision system, fatigue alert, road sign information, vehicle speed limiter, lane departure warning, and lane change assist.

Not only will the Lotus Emira be the carmaker’s last pure internal combustion engine model, it will soon be the only petrol-powered model on offer once production of the Elise, Exige and Evora ends at the end of this year. And Lotus will go straight to the all-electric route for future models instead of fiddling around with hybrids.  

It will make its public debut this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (8-11 July), with first deliveries commencing in 2022. How much does it cost? Well,prices start at 60,000 pounds (around Rs 61.82 lakh), which should put it around the likes of the Porsche 718 Cayman.