Lotus has launched the Emira, what it calls the “most accomplished Lotus ever made”.
“The Emira is an all-new, mid-engined premium sports car that perfectly embodies the ongoing transformation of the Lotus business and brand,” said the company.
Lotus said the car features a striking design and thrilling dynamic performance – providing the “best-in-class ride and handling”.
Key statistics of the Emira are listed below:
- Engine – 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol, or 3.5-litre V6 petrol
- Transmission – Manual, automatic, and DCT
- Power – 268kW to 298kw
- 0-100km/h – Under 4.5 seconds
- Top speed – 290km/h
- Kerb weight – 1,405kg (lightest option)
Everyday use
Lotus stated that in addition to its high-end performance, the car will be more than suitable for everyday use.
Priced at less than $83,000, the Emira is set for delivery from mid-2022 and will help Lotus ramp up volumes at its production site in Hethel, England.
“The Emira is a game-changer for Lotus,” Managing Director Matt Windle said. “[It’s a] milestone on our path to becoming a truly global performance car brand.”
With the Emira, alongside a plan to build electrified SUVs at a new plant in China, Lotus is making progress on expanding its business from selling just a handful of cars each year that appeal to racing fans.
SUVs will be a major shift for the company that’s known for agile, well-handling models like the Elise and the wedge-shaped Esprit favoured by James Bond.
Moving to electric cars
To finance the push into EVs and gaining scale, China’s Geely Holding Group is weighing an initial public offering of the iconic British brand, people familiar with the matter said in April.
A listing could value the business at more than $15 billion, the people said.
Lotus plans to roughly triple production from around 1,600 cars annually in the U.K. and add a new plant in China with capacity to make 10,000 vehicles.
The Emira, which Lotus previously said will be its last petrol-only model, will come with a choice of two engines, a 2.0-litre turbocharged motor from Mercedes-AMG, as well as the supercharged 3.5-litre V6 from Toyota that also powers existing Evora and Exige models.
Lotus is also developing an electric hypercar, the $2 million Evija that’s billed as the world’s most powerful automobile.
Lotus Emira
Reporting with Bloomberg
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