FIRST DRIVE: Lotus Emira With AMG Power! | Top Gear

Say hello to Lotus’ entry-level Emira. It uses the same turbocharged 2.0-litre ‘M139’ four-cylinder lunatic of an engine that powers AMG’s hottest hatch. Except, whereas it makes 415bhp in the A45 S, here it’s reined in to a sensible 360bhp.
But, despite being entry-level, it is not a cheap and cheerful door to Lotus ownership. Right now Lotus will only sell you a kitted out ‘First Edition’ model, and it’s priced from a chunky £81,495. That’s £4,500 less than the adjusted pricing for the V6 ‘First Edition’.
It’s gone from dicing with the basic, brilliant Alpine A110 to asking well-seasoned Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0 money. You could buy a BMW M2 manual - or the car that the Emira owes its engine to - and save £10,000.
So, is this the Emira to have? Top Gear Magazine’s Ollie Kew finds out.
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WATCH MORE TOP GEAR:
First Looks: bit.ly/TGFirstLooks
First Drives: bit.ly/TGFirstDrives
American Tuned ft. Rob Dahm: bit.ly/TGAmericanTuned
Chapters
00:00 Emira Intro
00:45 Emira i4
01:36 Engine
03:45 A45 S Drive
06:22 Emira Drive
07:24 Numbers
10:50 Gearbox
11:20 Controls
13:10 Rivals
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[@bfife22]

Couldn't imagine wanting this over the manual V6

[@Cheesecake433]

If it came in manual I would take it over the v6 just for the tuning capability as its much easier and safer to get high horsepower in this rather than the v6

[@olivergriffiths4445]

@@Cheesecake433 Why do you say that?

[@sheeshman9713]

​@@olivergriffiths4445Perhaps because it's true?

[@danevans3333]

Honestly same, to me the point of a lotus is the drive, I wouldn't want to lose a manual box in that at all

[@85priesty]

I am so bored of watching reviews with Merc AMG engines...first it’s the 4.0 V8 twin turbo that’s in just about everything. I find the fact they use a manual supercharged Toyota V6 more interesting. Maybe 5 years and everything will be using the same engine in every sports/supercar unless it’s Italian or BMW.

[@cheekychappy1234]

On Harry's channel he managed to get that i4 engine cover off and it isn't pretty in there.

[@brianiswrong]

It certainly wasn't as ' pretty' as the A45 Bay was it.

[@MattDiffey]

The theory of it makes sense, or at least did when it was announced at sub £60k and was punching with the base spec Cayman S. Now that they've upped it to £80k it's up against a pretty nicely specced Cayman GTS and I just don't see many people looking at the V6 Emira, a specced Cayman GTS and the I4 Emira and going "I'll have the 4 cylinder for more or less the same money".

[@rbarbetta1978]

Porsche is everywhere where I live. I see 100 per week. I'll take the Lotus just because it different and much more beautiful. The Cayman is better when you start nit-picking, but owning and driving a Lotus is a special experience.

[@1183newman]

the launch edition has full options list at 80k though, fully optioned cayman s can go over 100k.

[@MrPainfulTruth]

@@rbarbetta1978 Thats a nice thought but how far is their next service point?

[@TheHesK9]

Incorrect. The First Edition was never going to be £60k. That price was for the Base Edition, which hasn't been released yet

[@rbarbetta1978]

@MrPainfulTruth What do you mean exactly? We have a local Lotus dealer here, so taking it in for service is not a big deal for me. And the supercharged Toyota V6 is very reliable. I had a 2016 manual Lotus Evora S with a BOE intake and Plack exhaust, and it was so much fun. I sold it 2 years ago. I would drive an hour down to a local track day... cane it all day and then drive it home. Loved it. No major service issues. The clutch is expensive to change, but I shifted it responsibly and didn't launch it from a dig, and I never had to replace the clutch.

[@Driven-Productions]

I bet the 4 cylinder turbo with an 8 speed dual clutch is faster, but like I’m sure many will comment as well, rather have the supercharged V6 and a 6 speed.

[@iamtherealzombie]

If you wanted what was faster, you likely wouldn't buy an emira with a 4 cylinder, would you?

[@chrisharris4223]

I tested the Emira V6. Great car, steering absolutely fantastic, manual gearbox was really nice and the engine sound was lovely, nice whine from the SC as well (like the Elise SC which is still my fave). I also liked the variance in sound between comfort and sport mode. In the end though my head won the day and I got the Cayman GTS. The steering is not quite as crisp and the looks are not as exotic but.. The engine feels stronger (IMO), gearbox and drive ability are absolutely on par with Lotus plus it is far more useable but it’s the peace of mind (dealer network, residuals, build quality) that won me over. I am pleased with my decision but I do LOVE the Emira in my heart and if I was a bit more care free about such an investment that’s what I’d have bought.

[@ago7212]

On a dealer list for the Emira and they just called to tell me I can place my order now. Unfortunately, after test driving the Lotus a month ago, and having a highly modified C6 Corvette Z06 as a benchmark, the Lotus is nice, but not exciting enough for me. It's a beautiful car that looks great, just not impressed with the motor, size of the footbox or interior and the exhaust sound does not make me grin. Oh well, time to call the dealer to take me off the list. Despite my feelings, I think Lotus has done a great job with this new design and I wish them success going forward.

[@monte0704]

@@ago7212 If a highly modified C6 is on your list, the 2GR in that Emira can do almost 450HP NA with built heads and cams and all that jazz. Stick a supercharger on that, and well.... You could def have a 600hp Emira for probably a 10-15k investment in the motor.

[@StandingUpForBetter]

I will take the supercharged V6 with the manual, and that Toyota reliability over this high-strung 4 cylinder AMG variant. After watching the video, I do have a better appreciation of this AMG engine though. Well done Top Gear. All in all, it looks like this is one of the few cases where the best option was launched first.

[@Funktastico]

yeah gonna pay premium for german parts/repairs/maintenance on that m139+8spd dual clutch... maybe mitsi evo x 4b11t would've done the same job with 280 to 440hp stock out of factory from the same 2 liter 4cyl turbo config.

[@StandingUpForBetter]

@@Funktastico Agreed. You get it. For the last gas powered car, you want to make sure it is reliable and not a lemon so you can spend more time driving it rather than repairing it.

[@MasterChief37]

@@FunktasticoMitsubishi never had 440 from the factory, the UK only FQ models were tuned by Rampage Tuning, Owen Developments, and Flow Race Engines.

[@michaelscott7498]

the 4cylinder amg is more reliable than the modified v6 toyota engine

[@StandingUpForBetter]

@@michaelscott7498 OK. I have not heard that but then again I have not really done a lot of research on the topic comparing the 2 engines. I do know that Lotus has been working with Toyota and that V6 since 2009 with the Evora so they have had time to iron out any kinks over the years. The fact that Lotus continued to use that powerplant from Toyota is a testament to its reliability and quality.

[@skittlesgarage]

The very first exotic I ever bought was a 4 cylinder Lotus Esprit 19 years ago. I modified it to Sport 300 spec and was able to ring out almost 100 HP more than stock thru chip tuning, custom turbo, intake and improved cooling. I test drove and considered a manual Evora GT. It’s a brilliant car but didn’t excite me. The appeal of this AMG Emira is going to be its tunability and dual clutch. But if I get one, it’ll be the manual supercharged Toyota engine version.

[@francisgomes9976]

Lol Lotus isn't really an "exotic" sports car.

[@aidanalexis2079]

it is but ok@@francisgomes9976

[@AxelBitz]

​@@francisgomes9976No? What is it, then?

[@francisgomes9976]

@@AxelBitz new Emira competes with Porsche Cayman, Corvette stingray. You telling me Cayman and Stingray are "exotic" too?? Lmao Lambos Ferraris McLaren has entered the chat 😂

[@hl236]

How will it be great for tuning if the gearbox is locked and cannot be remapped?

[@TimWells]

It would be great if he spent the video talking about the Lotus Emira in a Lotus Emira video. Just saying.

[@almac9203]

Did you not enjoy the Mercedes review?

[@TimWells]

@@almac9203 🤣

[@inuit2winit]

As a one time emira deposit holder, I can't help but think lotus have totally dropped the ball. Too expensive and too many quality control issues. It's gone from a bargain supercar killer to... A very expensive lotus

[@keithjackson4985]

Agreed... Great looking with great compromise.

[@TheHesK9]

I don't think you can really blame Lotus for the price, considering what has gone on around the world in the last few years

[@MegaRockeman]

Pulled my deposit too. Always been a Lotus kind of driver, but today I'm glad I went with something else that turned out to be a better choice...still feels dirty though.

[@karlvanginderdeuren4009]

they are selling in decent numbers though...

[@inuit2winit]

@@karlvanginderdeuren4009 and I'm very glad that they are, I love to see lotus doing well but I'm very glad I got my deposit back personally. The emira doesn't seem good value at all right now

[@karlvanginderdeuren4009]

Solid presenting work Ollie! You developed your own style that is very genuine

[@davisflyer]

V6 manual. Sound. No turbo lag. Sound. Stick. Sound.

[@baggszilla]

Wow! So having the 4 Cylinder Lotus isn't a bad thing! I would say it's a great street/track weapon! I always loved Lotus! Cheers!

[@Beer_Dad1975]

Until it starts pouring oil onto your driveway, and costing you a fortune for timing related issues - like all German shitboxes do.

[@lukiejames]

@@Beer_Dad1975Never had a single issue with my Mercedes, or bmw or Audi. All European… had some gearbox issues with Volkswagen and they fixed it. You shouldn’t generalise sometimes you just get a lemon.

[@Beer_Dad1975]

@@lukiejames Worked on tons of them - they always start leaking oil sooner than they should, and, with a lot of exceptions, usually have some fundamental engineering flaws that make them difficult and expensive to repair when things go wrong. You can see this reflected in vehicle reliability surveys, where BMW usually ranks highest out of the Germans, but still fails to reach the industry average - whilst Mercedes usually languishes towards the bottom of the pack, usually not doing much better than truly terrible brands like JLR. They are lease only cars now in my opinion - keep em for a few years, return them to the leaser at the end of the contract and then they are someone else's problem.

[@TheNorville2]

That was uncalled for.@@Beer_Dad1975

[@TheNorville2]

Or stopped being a lemon. @@lukiejames

[@5.14_editz]

Just a simple MASTERPIECE 🤘

[@IhabFahmy]

_Geely ownership is so good for Lotus. More of this type of car, please._

[@barryrodgers3039]

The manual V6 is the way to go. In the US, if I'm limiting myself to a dual-clutch transmission, I would get a Corvette over this for the sound alone. It would be cheaper too.

[@KingdomAuto]

Anyone else missing manual gearboxes? Nice that Lotus is offering the option with the V6 at least

[@michaelkyriacou7026]

That was lit Ollie,enjoyed it immensely!! 👍🖤

[@tobiasmccallum9697]

Lol those A45 engines can go A LOT higher than 360, that's a very gentle tune. Seeing one of these with 450+ will be really cool, like a classic Ferrari F430 etc

[@Stratboy999]

After the price hike I'd sooner go with the Cayman.

[@eddieg6436]

….Caymen is SO BORING

[@nightshifted]

Good to have this option for markets where the additional road/registration tax of the V6 approaches the value of the car itself.

[@TheNorville2]

Brilliant, made me smile, the best review yet....

[@exotic9514]

The AMG 4-cyl still suits the Emira's personality.

[@brianiswrong]

At £65k + a few options it would be a king amount prince's At £80k + a few options you really need to want the lotus badge They look good,but when you drive it you can't see the outside.

[@piercelawless2654]

When u drive it u can see the price is justified

[@briangreen6602]

Buy it for the car, not the badge. Get a Porsche if the badge snobbery is an issue.

[@almac9203]

​@@briangreen6602Porsche don't make bad cars. There is more to Porsche than just the badge.

[@briangreen6602]

@@almac9203 I didn't say they made bad cars. You've invented this claim

[@OldManOnTrak]

When the Emira was launched I went to a dealer to see one, and nearly put down a deposit, based on the fact they were touting a price tag of "a little over £50,000". I do think 360bhp is perfectly adequate though, in a car that size and weight

[@Captain_Vimes]

Really wanted one of these. At £60k with 420bhp I was sold. But… at £80k and with power chopped to avoid stepping on the toes of the V6? No thanks. Ordered a GR86, which I’m collecting in 4 weeks…

[@HK.Builds]

Great purchase, congratulations!!

[@user-kr9fx7xt9q]

U r very wise for your age. I would follow your trail. Cheers

[@paultune1696]

Sadly the £60k price tag was never going to stick with the global economy and inflation as it is. The GR86 is a great car, but as someone who still has a slightly modified GT86 and has just bought an Emira, I think the Emira is in a completely different class than the Toyota, as it should be at twice the price. Both are about the best driver's cars out their though. Congrats on your purchase.

[@kevinparker461]

lift the bonnet on most cars these days & its like looking at the back of a microwave. Lift the bonnet on my old RS Cosworth & it was a treat for your eyes every time. That north / south layout the legend on the red cam cover, the double row of injectors the turbo all easily admired, now, plastic & a lot of it.

[@UTubeSL]

Such a beautiful car!

[@bradsmith7502]

Ollie you are such a hunk! Love your reviews!

[@DanDoesGame]

Im do excited for this car!!

[@BlitzFD7]

Knowing Lotus' history with Toyota's supercharged V6 and the wonders they do together, the I4 Emira just isn't right. The Emira needs the V6. Such a stunning design and Lotus' last ICE car. The sounds from the V6, and the manual transmission stuck with the V6. Its what Lotus stands for, driver focused experience

[@Shaxzara]

I might actually by a lotus emira v6 manual (used) in the near future 😎

[@dj_paultuk7052]

I think you will find the Emira has the previous A45 engine, the M133DE.

[@SpeedCafeGarage]

The Emira is over 200k AUD driveaway for the V6 manual, and 190k for the AMG models, which is most definitely just under Porsche Cayman GTS money over here as well. Crazy to think anyone would opt for one these over a New Cayman GTS or a used 991 Carrera S. Still, no denying how awesome these Lotus' are

[@daveparky]

Cayman are so boring though… more refined yes but way less exotic. The Emira would be my choice.

[@paultune1696]

I have an Emira, I pulled in next to an Aston Martin at a petrol station recently, complimented the owner on his car, he was equally complimentary about the Emira. We both walked in to pay for our petrol, past a new Cayman, neither of us even mentioned it.😂

[@vindevhunta4905]

The one with the TOYOTA motor plz ... Overall though this is one damn good looking car

[@rbarbetta1978]

Imagine if Lotus and Porsche could ever get together. A 500-650hp mid-mounted flat 6? Yes please!

[@getthecats]

Porsche don't need lotus. Lotus needs porsche

[@rbarbetta1978]

@getthecats Well yeah. And Porsche would not supply its engine to a direct mid engine sports car competitor to its Cayman. That's why I said "Imagine"... 🤣

[@ricardodiazrodriguez1812]

Now we Need an emira spider

[@colinjeffreys7833]

What a brill review😎

[@TCrimson05t]

Finally. The good one.

[@EricGonzalezM]

1:12 That shift delay tho

[@albertayars]

I wish you could get the amg i4 engine with the manual transmission

[@mattmanley7118]

The Emira is so damn beautiful I hope it comes to the US soon after the delays.

[@benpenagonzales6014]

I waited for this as growing up as a kid with Bond in a esprit turbo, was hoping it tickled a couple of onions 🧅

[@JohnNguyenVincent]

I've been waiting for the v6 here (with a $3,000 deposit) in the USA for a year and half. With price increase and more delays. I went for the Second Generation NSX and I can't be happier. Lotus production and QA has been terrible.

[@popguy2815]

Weight weight weight, the key to Lotus.

[@willryan5508]

Imagine a larger turbo and mods, 500hp, bit lighter, will be a modern Toyota MR2, even better looking and supercar fast!

[@dansutherland70]

It can't be modified. Lotus had to detune it to keep it cool, and they really struggled. any more output and it goes bang. that engine is designed to benefit from passive cooling in the front of a car, so in the back it just overheats.

[@mtnman1984]

It's not any lighter than the V6 car.

[@willryan5508]

@@dansutherland70 just upgrade the cooling, turbo, injectors, exhaust and chip

[@dansutherland70]

@@willryan5508 it’s not that easy. Lotus have tried, the engine was designed to be in the front of the Mercedes A45 and cooled by airflow through the front of the A45. But there’s no passive cooling in the back of the lotus, and the capacity of that block to handle additional cooling is at max. It doesn’t matter if you fit bigger radiators, there’s no way of getting the extra cool water through the block.

[@yota8325]

Toyota should partner with lotus for the new mr2 it would be so good

[@kentbeitel9966]

I wish we got the a45 amg in the states, I would have bought it over my mk7.5 golf r

[@almac9203]

The Mercedes is way more expensive. It is BMW M2 or Audi RS3 money.

[@dapperAaron]

The Toyota reliability of the V6 version will be the best choice now, In 10 years when they become used and slightly more affordable and in 20+ years when the v6 are still running and amg is well... Probably not

[@MM-xr6tz]

For £80+k I'd go used AMG GT S premium.

[@benlecluyse]

Insane Emira !! 💙💙

[@ryshask]

Once you retune the engine you'll have a VERY responsive engine without much turbo lag. It will be especially awesome if you have two tunes.. One for cruising through city and one for back roads.

[@user-te6gn5um4f]

I really loved the four round tail lights. In the next full model change, please change to 4 round lights.

[@benjzh]

Volvos also have an annoying auto gear lever requiring two pushes to go into reverse or into drive, as well as left/right manual shifts i.o. forward/backward. Lotus being owned by Geely just like Volvo, I wonder whether they have shared parts here, or whether that‘s just a coincidence.

[@blazefreak.]

They shared parts in the interior.

[@gaycha6589]

Wouldn’t normally say it, but the AMG engine is far more modern and focussed engine than the aging Toyota V6…..shame they couldn’t OEM the Toyota 3 pot GR engine for a lightweight track special Lotus, in the Elise sprit.

[@ALMX5DP]

Toyota mill is relatively old, but it’s still a sweetheart of a thing. Weird to say, but it probably has more emotion when rowing through the gears.

[@gaycha6589]

@@richardbirkenwald811 fair enough, but the Toyota V6 is never going to be mentioned in the legendary 6 pots history, as is say the Alfa V6, and that was the point. The AMG 4 pot is a mighty engineering achievement and does have a real pedigree, anodyne sound or otherwise. it will be remembered for its specific and factory warranty output.

[@ALMX5DP]

@@gaycha6589 what pedigree are you referring to? The engine or just AMG who built it? The Toyota GR V6 has pedigree on track. Variants of that engine have raced in various series across the globe, and a derivative even competed in the 24 Hours of LeMans. I’d say it’s a pretty legendary engine, even if it may not have the most recognition.

[@blazefreak.]

​@@ALMX5DPthe V6 is also in super gt mated to a Prius. The Prius is a screamer.

[@gaycha6589]

@@ALMX5DP I am not hating on Toyota - I drive a GR Yaris, whose bespoke engine is deffo in the 'interesting' dept. I think that the hand built AMG unit is a feat of capacity/output - of course zero racing pedigree. Its a very modern engine Plus to warranty >200hp/L in a road car is amazing. Its the skunkworks thing for me. I do not deisre any AMG products BTW. I did check on the V6s racing history too. The Toyota 2GR-FSE started life powering Land Cruisers and min vans. As far as I know the Le Mans/WEC V6 engines H8909 are a completely different design with a 90 degree rather than 60 degree V that the Lotus and various Lexi uses. It's highest accolade seems to be on reliability. As for Super GT racing, the Prius GT300 had a V8 engine. The MR2 GT1 car was also V8 and the Super Gt cars all 4 pots, I was unable to find any racing history for the Emira/Toyota V6. thanks for reading

[@ralphgascon7337]

Im convinced that this is AMGs experiment if their engine would be good on a SWB sports car to compete with the cayman and m2.

[@michaelfraser5723]

Elvington is looking all secure and grassy and ferny, same as it always was.

[@carspear]

Nice Ollie, I like the lotus but its very Cayman'ish

[@CraigStCyrPlus]

Couldnt imagine watching Top Gear without Clarkson's crew. Why am I even subbed.

[@nastygopher6776]

Let’s hope the future editions eliminate the shortcomings.

[@tanner1ie]

They surely will, when the manual gearbox is added to the V6 at least! 😯😂🩲😀🤘

[@iyee318]

Lotus makes some head scratching decisions. Most enthusiasts like their smaller displacement engines coupled with a manual and higher power cars coupled with a dct for maximum lap performance(for those that track), it seems they did the opposite with this car. Head-scratch*

[@Random_Person600]

Bring back the old top gear!

[@Boterberg]

I thought the voice was the one of Tiff Needell at first 😂

[@wesa101mapena9]

I like both

[@JacesOwnWorld]

I would rather keep the manual V6 supercharged. It’s about the drive. But more importantly, if I ever wanted this car with an engine swap, it wouldn’t be a 2.0T from AMG lol. It would be a B58, S58 in-line 6 TT, or a V8.

[@reubentan4675]

would u be able to fit an I6 in a MR layout that easily?

[@Vincent_Stevens]

@@reubentan4675 displacement is lower in the engines he had mentioned and BMW engines aren't that massive tbh. Engine spacers in and it should be just about fine

[@ahemgee9542]

​​​@@Vincent_Stevens there's no way an i6 b58 etc would fit in this car either transversely as the current ones are, or longitudinally. Both would require a major redesign of the chassis and rear suspension. A in line 6 is still MUCH longer than V6, and there is not ONE car where that B58 engine is mounted transversely. Unlike the AMG M139 and Toyota V6 - both are mounted transversely in their donor cars also and are much shorter than an i6.

[@reubentan4675]

@@Vincent_Stevens sorry not convinced. You still have the boot that sits right behind the engine bay. A pretty tight fit for a 6 even in V config

[@yota8325]

The v6 can be modified to make all the power you would ever need. And certainly would be cheaper than completely redesigning the chassis to make a i6 or v8 fit

[@nicmoreira4383]

I'm confused. Does that Lotus have the A35 engine or the A45. Does anybody really know?

[@g0fvt]

Quite an appealing car but so heavy, heavier than a Vectra estate. A totally different scene from the old Lotuses.

[@deltabeta5527]

This guy is much better at reviewing cars then those three old geezers.

[@johnnygreen5642]

Maaaan this is what a car sounds like after its been Neutered more and more ive been appreciating old school muscle as these new cars get there balls clipped

[@Theprofessor1212]

I know they want to have cargo space at the back but man this car plus the S58/ZF8sp combo would have been so much nicer.

[@xkv8rop]

Am I the only one that thinks this guy sounds like Tiff Needell?!

[@simoningate2056]

Wasn't this supposed to be £60K?? Cayman S has 350 bhp and more storage for £61K - £81K is expensive.

[@almac9203]

The price has crept up like everything these days

[@simoningate2056]

@@almac9203 33% is some creep

[@jamesaron1967]

A car like this deserves the full AMG treatment. At least 400hp. The new C63 S E engine is almost double the output of the Lotus, granted that model is AMG's top four-cylinder offering.

[@jackthehatphoto]

Ironically, the parts that are most likely to give the owner any trouble in the future are the German bits. Not something you could have said 25 years ago. The Toyota V6 with manual gearbox is bulletproof.

[@dansutherland70]

It can't be modified. Lotus had to detune it to keep it cool, and they really struggled, which is why the I4 is so delayed. Any more output and it goes bang. That engine is designed to benefit from passive cooling in the front of a car, so in the back it just overheats.

[@FranciscoSousa-ux5bd]

Source ?

[@TermlessHGW]

​@@FranciscoSousa-ux5bdcommon sense...?

[@rbarbetta1978]

That would make sense. I've seen the ducting under the body work of the Lotus Evora and it looks very obvious that it would not cool nearly as efficiently as a big front mounted radiator set up. I owned an Evora S for many years and the fans would kick on in the summer even when the car was off. You could tell the car was struggling to cool the V6. The glass hatch would get molten hot. That AMG motor with the big turbo tucked in on the hot side of the engine seems like it would be a problem. Much like when they changed to 4G63 Evo 9 motor to the Evo X motor... The Evo X moved the turbo to the hot side and experienced cooling issues under stress. It's better for emissions that way, that's why they do it. But terrible for performance.

[@TCrimson05t]

I could have swore he literally just said in the video it could be tuned to 400 horsepower because that's exactly what they're going to do for the china market lol

[@rbarbetta1978]

@TCrimson05t He did say that. That's the plan. We'll see if it actually hits the market. The OP raises a good point. If the 400hp version does hit the market it will be interesting to see how they solve the inherent cooling issues. Maybe they'll get rid of the glass lid and put a vented lid like an Exige...

[@garrettstupperware3754]

How does he not mention how delayed the manual paddle inputs are?

[@MarMPB]

That would be my choice since the launch! The Supercharged V6 is already available for many years in previous models from Lotus! And the DCT transmission is a excellent match for the AMG engine! You may be missing a pedal but you won’t be missing anymore gears due to the terrible Lotus old manual transmission! 😉

[@yota8325]

Terrible? Most people have said very good things about the manual 6 speed

[@annonymously331]

In the past, when AMG was mentioned, a V8 would spring immediately to mind…

[@jorgezuni2818]

What year is this lotus ???

[@B4R0N.]

This one always struck me as the better engine of the two. Cheaper, lighter, and likely much more powerful than the V6 after a quick ECU flash.

[@manuelpiston]

How old are you 12? Can you even drive?

[@vivekh7662]

They should have given the I-4 400 horsepower and the V-6 closer to 435. That would have made it more appealing and pulled more people from brands like Porsche.

[@user-ws2nx6gj9e]

Love this car just wish it would go spyder.

[@jayaychare7318]

Enticing but price point is a balls up, suddenly into serious car category

[@doitwithproperstyle]

If you want to go all Dom Toretto and use the gear lever, you buy the manual 😂. I also loved the bit about "out go the Japanese bits..." Translation: out go the reliable bits and in come surprise electrical problems and ten grand, or more, in overnight parts from Germany 😅

[@siemprebmw3284]

the hood or bonnet of this lotus looks like it was in a front accident. and hood when up .

[@gurneyforpresident2836]

I am seriously considering a Emira. I really would rather have AMG power but the Automatic transmission makes it a non starter.

[@user-io4sr7vg1v]

Interesting move from lotus. The lighter version is their premier vehicle.

[@KayAnderson888]

Cant imagine lawful owner with 2 yrs deposit cant get neither info or delivery date, while worldwide car medias seems has one of their own in every channel

[@milktucker405]

Mitsubishi Team did wonders on the AMG engine.. the agreement between Mercedes and Mitsubishi did bear some fruits 😂😂

[@ahemgee9542]

If it wasn't for the weak Toyota gearbox, the manual V6 could be a lot more powerful and torque. As it stands both cars are compromised, but the V6 is more appealing.

[@caseymurray7722]

I think that for a track oriented model the i4 is the better choice. More cooling ducts and vents would allow them to get the full power out of it.

[@CLSTRN911]

So weird hearing a lotus emira that sound like the A45 ..

[@brysewilson2740]

Does anyone know what watch that is?

[@KarelBeelaertsvanBlokland]

Entry Emira which is more nimble, more agile and even faster than the V6

[@justinxwest]

the prices are too close for this to make sense over the V6

[@benjzh]

In certain countries the difference in CO2 emissions will make a big price difference overall due to taxes. In France, for instance, the Emira V6 tops the scale of the „malus écologique“, with a €50‘000 penalty (no typo). According to Lotus‘ website, the i4 emits 208g/km, resulting in a €29‘070 penalty with the 2023 scale (may change in 2024), so that‘s close to a €21‘000 difference. Btw 208g/km is a disappointment because at launch Lotus had announced emissions of the i4 below 180g/km, which would have resulted in an eco tax of below €9‘550 which would have been easier to stomach. So in France, people cannot really consider the Emira, especially with the Alpine A110 being an excellent car, with an eco tax of currently around €2‘000 - €3‘000 depending on the version.

[@ScOOrK_]

First drive of Lotus Emira - Driving Mercedes - i really miss old Top Gear.

[@chen-yu8888]

Is there a version with V6 automatic transmission?

[@magnustan841]

Yes there is, but I'm not sure how that would get along because its a slush box auto, not a snappy DCT like this one

[@vlajster]

The last ever WHAT?!?!

[@artlorddavis5836]

Didn’t mention the fan that is right next to the seats at the back that makes a hell of noise. I mean yh we love the turbo sounds but mixed with that fan always whooshing and being annoying, it can easily get uncomfortable compared to the v6. If you want to get an automatic version of this car, get the v6 automatic instead. I know this is supposed to be “lighter” and have a DCT but honestly you’d be more comfortable with the v6 in auto than this one

[@JurisKankalis]

Great video - and although I'll never own this car (current GT86 might be more.... compatible let's say) - I've so far seen three videos on this Lotus done by Smoking Tire, Harry's Garage and this one from TG - all of them in a matter of few hours - everyone seem to have different takes on it yet describe the car in similar terms. Also - I think this dude might be the favourite from the current baboons (excluding the legendary one - Chris Harris) - and this one's much more factual than any of the baboons of the old Top Gear. The video also speaks about an Evo lurking somewhere - which is what the video from Harry's Garage spoke of - the highly turbocharged nature of the four-popper. Thanks for the honesty and objectivity, despite the baboon, apparently, and the car, both being made in the same country. Would very much enjoy hearing more about reliability of this mighty beast of a two-litre, but I guess we would all have heard by now if at least the basic reliability wasn't there. By the way - an interesting fact - this engine, as far as I can tell, has much of its roots as far as the previous-gen (overall third gen A-Class, the W176), which started back in 2013. Two generations (including the current one, W177) use this engine in their high-power versions - which means the engine must be AT LEAST decent. We could even call this engine the highlight of these last two A-Class generations. What was the highlight of the second gen (W169) A-Class, which our family happens to own? (No one needs to ask what the highlight of the First Gen W168 was, because of course - ELK). I think EVERYTHING was the highlight of the second gen - it was seriously over-engineered (spawned its own little... well, slightly larger buddy - the B Class), apparently, even had Tesla involved in the design - the car had no sills and is seriously high - not because of the greens, but because of batteries that were planned in the floor - and if anyone has researched how engines are located in second (and first for that matter) generation A-Class - it's pretty bonkers. Still transverse - but bonkers. Air filter and EGR assembly are the first to be noticed opening the hood - and the alternator/air conditioning pulleys are right underneath the passenger seat. YES. UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. Either way - hoping Merc isn't outsourcing its engines to Renault with this one - thanks for the review, greetings from Latvia.

[@jimmyjt16]

I hear that AMG engine is having issues with the cylinder head. I’d be weary about going for that option.

[@DonLee1980]

Paying some 80k to get a detuned engine from a car that costs considerably less. I'm gonna get a Cayman/Boxster GTS 4.0 over a 2.0 I4.