Lotus details Emira pricing for Oz

LOTUS has confirmed local pricing for its new Emira sportscar, launching here next July in First Edition spec from $184,990 (plus on-road costs) and powered by a Toyota-sourced supercharged 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine developing 298kW/420Nm.

This makes the latest Lotus relatively affordable in the Australian market compared with its native Britain, where it commands similar money to a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 that costs from $206,600 before on-roads here.

Seven interior colour combinations are available in leather or Alcantara and the exterior can be finished in a choice of five paint colours offered on the First Edition.

A choice of leather or Alcantara sports steering wheel with coloured 12 o’clock marker is a $999 option, and a GPS vehicle tracker adds $1199 to the build sheet.
Locally, the Emira First Edition will be offered with five option packs.
The Lower Black Pack includes front bumper air blades and splitter, extended side sills, and a rear diffuser. The Driver’s Pack adds Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport tyres, Sport or Tour suspension tunes, or Micheline Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres with Sport suspension only.

Lotus’ Design Pack adds privacy glass, sports pedals, black headliner, painted brake callipers, and branded floor mats, while the Convenience Pack adds front parking sensors, a reversing camera, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming mirrors, and a cargo net.

Finally, the Extended Black Pack adds a satin black finish to the roof, mirror scalps, rear badge and exhaust outlets.

The First Edition is offered with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, the latter upping torque output to 430Nm for a $4000 premium. Both options feature launch control.

Manual versions will accelerate to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds, the automatic slightly faster at 4.2. Both list a top speed of 290km/h.

The Emira – which rides on an extruded aluminium chassis design that the company pioneered for the Elise – utilises hydraulic-assisted steering to maintain the brand’s characteristic analogue road feel, but otherwise dishes out the latest in driver assistance and safety technology.

Adaptive cruise control, AEB, driver fatigue monitoring, lane change assist, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and road sign information are all standard issue. Front, side, and curtain airbags are also fitted.

Technology offerings include a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, the latter with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. The audio system, supplied by British brand Uni-Q, features 10 speakers, 340 watts of power, and USB connectivity.

Meanwhile, the First Edition rides on 20-inch alloy wheels and is braked by two-piece Lotus branded callipers. It includes power-adjustable heated seats, climate control, cruise control, keyless entry with push-button start, and satellite navigation.

The Lotus Emira offers 208 litres of storage behind the front seats and an additional 151 litres in a small compartment behind the mid-rear mounted engine.

Built on the Lotus Sports Car Architecture, the First Edition will be the brand’s last to offer a six-cylinder engine and manual gearbox.

The longstanding Toyota engine is being retired owing to tightening global emissions regulations. It will be superseded by the Emira Launch Edition, due in 2023, which will feature a four-cylinder Mercedes-AMG engine derived from the Mercedes-Benz A45 S and paired exclusively to a dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Tipping the scales at 1405kg, the Emira – which will rival the Alpine A110 and Porsche 718 Cayman among others – is a strict two-seat proposition. Its lightweight bonded aluminium body measures 4412mm in length, 1895mm wide, and 1225mm high, and rides on a 2575mm wheelbase.

“The Emira is the most accomplished Lotus ever made. To celebrate and reward our keenest early customers, we want to make the first cars extra special to own. The features have been carefully selected by our design team to make for a truly special and distinct First Edition,” said Lotus Cars managing director, Matt Windle.

The Lotus Emira will be the last pure petrol model to be sold by the British marque in its 73-year history. All next-generation models will be hybridised or fully electric powered. The brand recently announced electrified four-door coupe and SUV models for release from 2023, alongside its upcoming hand built all-electric Evija hypercar.