Emira

Make
Lotus
Segment
Coupe

Lotus is undergoing a resurgence and the Emira is one of the models responsible for that. Last month, the Emira arrived in America with a VIP launch party in New York City as it began a cross-country trip that included stops in Los Angeles, Austin, and other cities.

Besides its sporty styling, the Emira comes with the option of a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 that sounds fantastic. To continue introducing the car to the public, Lotus has now released a short film of the Emira V6 First Edition being pushed hard at the Hethel test track. As expected, the Emira looks thoroughly at home in this environment, and in Fully Off mode, it requires a skilled driver behind the wheel.

Fully Off mode is one of the Emira's four driving modes whereby the stability control system is completely disengaged. This won't get you to set the quickest lap times, but the extra slip allows for maximum entertainment. Gavan Kershaw, Director of Attributes & Product Integrity at Lotus, is the lucky man who demonstrated what the Emira is capable of at Hethel.

"With the 3.5-liter V6 configuration and the supercharger, you start an acceleration from as low as 1,500 rpm and the car just pulls and pulls and pulls, getting stronger and stronger as the revs increase," he said. "This is what a real sports car feels like."

Besides Fully Off mode, the Emira can also be enjoyed in Tour, Sport, or Race modes.

Tour mode gives the driver the most control and stability, Sport induces extra body slip and improves throttle response, and Race loosens the electronic nannies even further to go along with a unique display on the instrument cluster.

"The whole package is tuned to give you maximum reward and confidence. It's 'For The Drivers'," concluded Kershaw.

Adding to the fun is the available six-speed manual gearbox, paired with the V6 that churns out 400 horsepower which can see the Emira get to 60 mph in under 4.5 seconds. Although the First Edition V6 starts at over $90,000, there is a cheaper version with an AMG-derived four-cylinder - due to arrive in 2023 - that will begin at $74,900. That's significantly less than a base Porsche 911 and similar to a Cayman T. As the final gas-only sports car Lotus will make, the Emira is a fitting farewell to an unforgettable era.