2024 Lotus Emira vs 2021 Lotus Evora GT | This Was Unexpected…

[@Hapkin]

Thanks for reviewing my car! Fyi, the lithium battery positively changes the handling at the limit for the better from my track experience. 31.55 pounds saved off the rear so it makes it incrementally more mid-engine feeling. Also, the Milltek with setting three is essentially as quiet as stock for low HP cruising. Lastly sorry for the last legs original Cup 2's. The mid corner feel is much better with fresh Cup 2's. Lastly Syvecs swap in ECU with Jubu tuning will bring the redline back to 7200rpm and 440hp.i will likely do it if Lotus doesn't come with a factory upgrade. Great meeting you!! Love your reviews.

[@GTC4cam]

Those vents on the GT vent the pressure out of the front wheel wells. Same purpose as the ones behind the rear wheels. On the throttle for the GT, it seems to ignore a kick to the pedal, as if it was a mistaken input , so the key is to rev it up, rather than kick the pedal, which is stupid, they should have fixed that, but it is what it is. Evora is an old school car made in tiny numbers on a shoestring budget, with all the good and bad that comes with that. If you prefer older cars, as I do, Evora will appeal to you. If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t get why people like old sports cars, Emira will be your preference….until something better comes along. Lastly both cars suffer from the same annoying malady, which is the main one, which is every knucklehead with a masters degree in automotive knowledge from Top Gear university has a very very funny joke they need you to hear, about what L.o.t.u.s stands for. It’s hilarious, wait til you hear it.

[@jubbalandcars]

they're fake vents - no holes

[@lewbarrett]

Not so. They are real vents, just as is every vent on Evoras. They are however baffled so that rocks and stones are not spit onto the topside paint. GT and 400 are red lined at 7200 in sport mode so that 400 extra RPM is the gift you get in exchange for the learning curve you have to endure to get a proper mid-shift blip. What you are feeling respecting shift feel are car to car variations. Emira has identical linkage as the 400 and GT, and the same brake components as the Evora. There may be differences in the hydraulic components (master cylinder perhaps) but the actual hardware from AP is identical. Much of the differences are due to adjustment of the cables. There is no hardware difference. There are a lot of car to car variations with Lotus vehicles, some being built in by dint of minor production changes as Lotus updates their processes, but many being the result of adjustment, especially with shift feel but also as respects other control feedback by virtue of age, tires, etc. The Emira is definitely more refined but I wouldn’t call the Evora raw, rather more connected, but it’s an earlier generation of the Eagle chassis and it feels it. Here’s the challenge: drive three different but equally spec’d Emiras and you will learn that none of them feel the same. This is true for Evoras as well. And to a lesser or greater extent, it’s true of every car on the road. But with low production numbers and the type of processes small manufacturers like Lotus have to use, those differences seem magnified. Just the way it is.

[@computerhelpcc]

? Back seats Evora compensating vs Emira for us 911 owners who really use back seats with our young teen children? I have 911 manual and Boxster PDK, and yes the 911 back seat is usable for 10-14 school delivery

[@joelseff]

​​​​@@jubbalandcarsthey actually vent hot air from the fenders and they're angled so your hand may have hit the back of the vent but if you look you can see through it to the bottom of the car... How effective they are? Not sure 😂

[@GTC4cam]

The idea with them, as I understand it, is that in motion positive air pressure develops in the wheel cavity, which resists outside air flow. By venting the wheel wells, it allows fresh air to flow through the cavity for brake cooling and such.

[@reedarce]

Perfect road to review both of these cars, makes me miss living on the west coast. I agree the Emira can sometimes be loud with the valves fully open (I also have the same setup as the one in this video), but the beauty is you can just go back to OEM mode and it becomes very civil. I love the dual nature of the car that the valve controller provides.

[@DrPittenstein]

Wheel arch vents are NOT fake with the Evora GT, look closer! Definitely prefer Evora's analogue interior which will also age much better. Fit and finish is not better with Emira owners report far more faults than Evora owners ever did but glad you're happy with your choice but so am I with my Evora. Lotus still have a way to go with the Emira to surpass the last Evoras as driver's cars. Still no sign of faster, lighter Emira yet but it will need 450bhp to match power:weight of Evora GT. I doubt we will ever see an Emira with that power, manual box can't take it and AMG four makes 420bhp max in the Merc A45.

[@Hapkin]

I prefer the Emira fit and finish. That's my car in the film and while I appreciate the analog Evora GT. It is a bit inconsistent with materials and fit and finish. I plan on the Syvecs ECU which will get power to 440-460. Also lithium ion battery swap saved 31.5 pounds so not that far off the Evora GT. I weighed mine after the lithium at 3122. Not bad.

[@GTC4cam]

The good doctor knows the score. Dr P am I making this up, or was your avatar previously Captain Chaos.

[@DrPittenstein]

@@GTC4cam no you are correct about ‘him’ 😀

[@GTC4cam]

😂 well done

[@DrPittenstein]

@ ‘he’ prefers the Evora too! 😆

[@levik12]

Great comparison video, very detailed and tailored for the Emira owners! Hopefully soon I will be to do a first hand drive of an Evora myself, it must feel more old school and analog feet to it. Thanks!😎🙏

[@justaddafan]

What a road! I'd love to see a manual parking brake and manual seats in the Emira.

[@paultune1696]

I have an Emira, for the life of me I can't understand why they have put the electric handbrake where they have. Surely if it HAS to be electric, then put the button next to the gear stick! Silly design. But I still love the car!

[@justaddafan]

@paultune1696 congratulations on the car. Mine is being built this winter. I never warmed up to the Evora but the Emira is beautiful from every angle. It should be a nice, more sedate compliment to my Elise.

[@Tifosi5716]

I wonder if rewriting the throttle map on evora can fix the Inconsistent throttle response

[@171rossi]

The Evora GT was only available in the US initially, but Lotus introduced about 20 US spec cars to the UK at the very end of the cars life. The UK had the GT410 sport which was slightly stiffer but still a good ride, a higher rev limit 7k rpm. Sport mode also had more slip on the diff. 30% as opposed to 20%. It also looked different with the carbon clamshell, and different bonnet with the single carbon air scoop at the front and at the back. It also had different seats and some other bits and pieces. Fantastic car! It wasn't perfect but bloody good to drive and the standard stainless steel exhaust sounded fantastic.Always keeps you on your toes 👍💪

[@simplylotuswi]

With regards to the inconsistent throttle on GT (and really all S1/S2 evora). This is a behavior of the fuel cut tied with the clutch position sensor. It was terrible on my S1 Evora, removing the clutch position sensor completely resolved that issue (trade off being no cruise control). S2 I believe requires the sensor to start the car so would require a bit more work to bypass but 100% that issue detracts from everything else that is great about the car and is enough of an annoyance to look elsewhere. Thankfully, the Emira doesn't have this annoyance.

[@Steven-iv1ie]

Let's be honest, the Emira is an Evora in a very pretty dress with the sharpest edges rounded off in an attempt to appeal to a wider market. If it's not a daily car then I'm taking the Evora GT every time (or better still an S3 Exige, though I don't think you got those in the US).

[@strmshadow8411]

Hey, I like the pretty dress ( and wider hips 😉). To his point though I think the Emira is a better (refined) car and has more potential once modded (more grip). But I'd take a S3 Exige everyday over both, and we only have the cup cars here in the US 😢.

[@Hapkin]

You should drive it. The dynamics are better with Emira. Emira has much better throttle response at the low end, heel toeing is a non- issue whereas it's inconsistent and annoying on Evora GT. Lastly there is more mod corner grip on track on Emira due to wider front track. I test drove both cars in the video at about 20mph faster than the film (locals advantage with the corners) and the Emira was much more composed.

[@nickb-]

If you talk to the guys at the Lotus factory they will tell you that the Emira consistently outperforms the Evora on their track. So it's not just a beautiful car, it's a genuine step forward in handling.

[@EvoraGT430]

@@nickb- Doesn't even come close to the GT430.

[@Steven-iv1ie]

@@nickb- considering it has the same engine (in a downtuned spec compared to several Evoras that can be purchased for thousands less), more weight and is very similar in every other area, I'm not sure how that would be possible. To paraphrase Christine Keeler, they would say that, wouldn't they?

[@computerhelpcc]

Emira being worth it for real-life, canyon drives and likely touring for 2-3 days fits my suspicion. However, back seat in my 911 manual is VERY handy. Soooo, if canyon runs, kid transport for 10-15 min, and 6-7 hour tours to nearby places as intended use, will Evora be good enough or just go Emira and use other car for short kid transport? I have spare sedans. Track is just to initially learn limits, not repeat experience....

[@Tifosi5716]

I wonder what makes two car sounds so different. same engine, similar chassis. does single mid vs dual exhaust towards the end make that much difference?

[@stevemartegani]

The GTS 4.0 starts at over $100k now btw

[@jubbalandcars]

Wow I remember when it was around 90

[@stevemartegani]

@jubbalandcars Every 718 went up $4000-5000 this model year :(

[@paulhayes5793]

Great video. With the Emira I like the fact we get all power at 6500rmp which is where I change up.

[@martinriedel1911]

Funny with the throttle response, I drove an Emira back to back to my Evora GR410 Sport with Larini Headers (no pre cats!), and the throttle response is MUCH better in the Evora. Think the headers really free up the engine. The overall impression is the the Emira is a very muted car, compared to the Evora.

[@patricsteele]

No Way! It's Happening ! Been waiting for this one and it was well worth it. Would you have to drive the Evora GT back to back with a 997 GT3 to compare ride firmness? I realize the 997's nose is going to be wiggling around a bit more on less than smooth roads without the double wishbone suspension.

[@andrewdearnley1642]

The price difference is going to be a lot more than 20K. The EMIRA is depreciating at an accelerated rate. The EVORA has had 80% of its depreciation and was not made it large enough numbers to continue to tumble. Appreciate the EMIRA is an evolution of the car... but your money is just not safe there.... go EVORA and enjoy the fact you wont lose your shirt over the next 3 years. To add context... in the UK - a main dealer provided a finance deal on a new EMIRA which predicted a 90K new car to be worth 45K after 3 years, with minimal usage.

[@Slowster]

Really like the light colored interior in the Emira. Very classy

[@Docinaplane]

I was under the impression that you cannot do a third cat delete in California being the only state that requires this. I could have either car, but I went with the GT. Mine is dyno tuned to 504bhp and 403RWT and has the full carbon fiber kit plus 3rd cat delete and cold air intake. I wanted the more raw analog driving experience. The GT has better aero, those vents are not fake. If the Emira came with a convertible top, I might have gotten one, but I recently got a Porsche 718 Spyder for that. I live in Florida. In track mode my redline is 7200 because of the tune. 7000 in sport. Also, the tune etc gives immediate consistent throttle response.

[@GTC4cam]

Believe you are correct. Here in CA, my understanding is the only emissions mods that are legal are replacing existing components with certified ones of like kind. My understanding is a cat delete would be an illegal mod and would fail at the next smog cert (assuming the inspector was aware and followed CA law).

[@Docinaplane]

@@GTC4cam Thank you for that information, Sir. Best!

[@stevemartegani]

New cars in California do not get a smog test until they are 8 or 9 years old. The warranty is the bigger issue.

[@macnlz]

The modification itself is likely illegal, and wouldn't pass visual inspection if noticed. That said, even with 2 cats, it will pass emissions testing. The 3rd cat is (supposedly) there to compensate for the normal deterioration of the first two cats, as the car ages over time.

[@kaashiradnan3557]

I think another thing we should also consider is the Evora is a gt variant. And the emira doesn’t have a gt variant?

[@jubbalandcars]

Excellent point

[@ryshask]

I miss driving on these roads...

[@Tifosi5716]

I love Evora's look ever since it came out. It just doesn't look serious, it's a fun car with a childish look, and I love that vibe. But Emira is objectively a better car. I think Emira are gonna hold their price like old JDMs. Do you think lotus will make a more aggressive emira? like emira s?

[@allenyao552]

I never thought I would buy a Lotus since I couldn’t live with the interior, until I saw the Emira.

[@craigyirush3492]

That tablet stuck on the dash is hideous.

[@allenyao552]

@@craigyirush3492 Not the best integration but it does everything I need just fine.

[@SereneSpeed]

This is the review I was looking for. Thanks. My extra 2c: I prefer my interiors with real gauges 🕕🕧

[@dus10r]

Evora heal toe…have to be hard on the brake and you have to be progressive with the throttle jab. Can’t just tap it like a kick drum. That’s not inconsistent thats just the nature of the beast. It behaves almost like an old school carbureted car. If you hammer the throttle too fast it’s like it floods and bogs it. But if you start slow and speed up the press of the pedal it will do what you want. Good drivers just adapt to whatever a car is doing or not doing. Porsche has done a great job of building cars that respond and behave to most people’s expectations of how they should drive. So if you drive a 911 and then hop in an Evora you’re gonna notice a couple things instantly. The Porsche brakes always feel the same no matter the speed. The push of the pedal feels the same at 30mph as it does at 130 mph. Lotus behaves more like a race car, have to vary pedal pressure accordingly. The throttle response in a 911 is instant, blip the throttle and it revs exactly as your brain expects. The Evora have to be more methodical and progressive. The steering in the 911 doesn’t hold a candle to Evora / Emira. Probably the best steering feel outside of Mclaren. (Hydraulic vs Electric). The chassis’s…I think the Evora has the advantage. Very light and very stiff and very strong. All of my 911’s eventually became squeaky and rattly. My Evora was seemingly better in that dept. Except on a really cold day and there was one tiny area where the dashboard would squeak ever so slightly against the windshield until the interior of the car warmed up. 911’s were squeaky all the time. I put 80k miles on my last 911 and I put 50k miles on my last Evora so I had a descent amount of time in each. Porsche was definitely better with fit and finish of materials on the interior but not by as huge a margin as some might think. Had some delaminating issues and some button breakages in the 911. Evora had Dash leather slightly delaminated in a small area but it was like the glue came loose in one area and the leather popped up a small amount instead of following a contour, very hard to even notice. Never had leather shrinkage though, like ive seen in some very expensive Aston’s. Hell my R8 even has that problem in a small area. Overall I enjoyed the Evora more than the 911 for sporty driving. I drove both 911 rwd, and Evora year round. Snow tires on both. Both did great in the snow. Evora actually a little better because less pendulum effect when cornering in snow/ice. The Evora always had me grinning like a little kid when driving it hard. It’s suspension and steering are just mind altering.

[@craigyirush3492]

That screen tacked on the dash in the Emira is hideous.Also prefer the analogue gauges in the Evora.

[@christianr772]

It’s unfortunate that the Emira is/was so plagued with issues. I don’t think I could tolerate going to the dealership hours away, repeatedly for stupid stuff that should have been worked out.

[@jubbalandcars]

Haven’t had any issues with mine so far 🤷‍♂️ Delivery March 2024 in Nevada

[@Hapkin]

Mine is bullet proof tbh. 2024 models are what you need

[@_Ben4810]

Emira is/was most definitely NOT plagued by problems whatsoever. 🙄 A completely untrue statement the source of which is no doubt the few whingers making YT content about a few niggles only. 🙄🙄🙄

[@TheRealMacSavage]

The exhaust closing when you press the button while in sport mode is designed to be used on tracks that impose heavy sound decibel limits like parts of the nurburgring. Its actually quite a well thought out feature!

[@jubbalandcars]

The purpose isn’t the issue. The inversion of the button is. They should have lit up the exhaust button when you hit sport automatically, and then have the driver touch it to turn off the light and close valve. Having a single button light mean opposite things based on the mode is terrible UX

[@Zuffenhouse]

Evora GT by far. For emira money you can get a 718 GTS 4.0 which is much faster, doesn’t understeer, doesn’t have a clunky gearbox, has an oil temp gauge, has analog gauges, has a round steering wheel, etc etc etc

[@jubbalandcars]

Emira vs GTS 4.0 is another comparison I’ll be doing in the future. Each has pros and cons, I wouldn’t say GTS 4.0 is the better car for every person

[@SSRstudio]

Yes its faster, have shitty suspension, screaming at unsafe level and not very pleasant engine, and not as comfy for a long cruise as evora or emira and its understeer as also p do and all cars do, you just need to know how to drive it ;) cheers

[@Zuffenhouse]

⁠@@SSRstudiobad suspension? Chris Harris said it’s the best handling Porsche made today and one of the best sports cars ever made.

[@jeanpaulvissepo5062]

Try shifting into the next gear ! It helps a lot!!!

[@jubbalandcars]

How tho

[@65hi863dhyu]

Emira is an Evora in a fat suit.

[@Hapkin]

Nope..drive them. More dynamics development work on Emira. I drove these two cars back to back same day (it's my Emira in the film). It's clear the Emira is more stable. More throttle response, better front end with more grip. Also while yea there was a slight bit more weight sensation in the Emira, it was only noticed in back to back driving .the Emira in a vacuum feels light and alive, very fun and more engaging than any Cayman short of a 4RS which I have also driven.

[@65hi863dhyu]

@Hapkin same hardware. Would come down to damping & spring rates/tire wheel sizes. + another 200 lbs & no proper handbrake. Only the I4 has a different, lighter and lower subframe. Evora owner that canceled my Emira after a test drive. Lighter steering. More insulation as well. Had a 993 & 997. Much prefer the Evora to 987 + Caymans and 991 + 911s.

[@nickb-]

Uh, no. The Emira is definitely a step forward in handling and throttle response. It's also better looking and the interior is a huge step forward. There's a reason why they've sold more Emiras in just two years than the entire Evora sales.

[@65hi863dhyu]

@nickb- it's literally the same chassis and hardware. You offered no proof otherwise. Same bonded aluminum chassis & suspension. + front & rear subframes. Only one that differs is the slightly lighter & lower I4 with a different subframe. You can actually see it when you open the door and look towards the air intake. Literally wearing a fatter suit. Uh, yes.

[@macnlz]

@@65hi863dhyuNot the same chassis, just very similar. The Emira has a wider track width. (Evora GT: 61.6" front, 62" rear; Emira: 64" front, 63.3" rear)

[@mrporsche4236]

You make it sound like porsche has good built quality. Im a porsche expert. Built quality on 99% of porsches is terrible. Reliability is terrible too. Many things are terrible on porsches. Its the most overrated car brand ever. Thats not an opinion but fact

[@jubbalandcars]

Username does not check out

[@SSRstudio]

P knows at perfection how to sell cheaper things with a premium 😊

[@Alex-dz6xw]

You are a clown mate

[@Mx5pro]

Idk c8 ruined this whole car market by punching above its class for 80k

[@jubbalandcars]

C8 is super capable, but lacks the feel and input balance I enjoy

[@SH57578]

C8 is numb. Great straight line speed and limit handling (especially with z51), but there is little to no feedback. Even the z06 lacks feel substantially compared to the Evora at least (haven’t driven an emira). I’ve tracked all but the zr1 variant of the c8.

[@dino_will_win]

With all these Evora owners stating that theirs is the best car ever built, I was expecting to hear "Damn! I made a mistake with the Emira!" But alas, we were being deceived yet again!

[@jubbalandcars]

LOL

[@fzr1000981]

70k yes (Emira)...105k is crazy. 2025 M2 would run down both for 68k. Not a fan of supercharged engines in general, that thing has an annoying sound. Evora sounds better

[@65hi863dhyu]

2025 M2 weighs 3900 lbs. Yuck 🐘

[@fzr1000981]

@65hi863dhyu haha that's what Lotus guys always say, but my point stands 320 hp vs 485 on a dyno....yuck

[@65hi863dhyu]

@fzr1000981 power to weight ratio. Macpherson struts vs all around double wishbones. Unibody vs aluminum bonded monocoque. You have an undesteering overweight sedan. You're bragging about Lizzo at a Yoga instructor's conference. Yuck x2 because inertia is a b....

[@Hapkin]

M2 is faster but Emira is way more fun. This coming from a F87 M2CS and Emira owner

[@fzr1000981]

@Hapkin love my G87 portimao blue with silver wheels Let's race...anywhere