Lotus Emira 420 Sport Adds Lightness, DownforceLotus (Lotus)The Emira 420 Sport is 55 pounds lighter than the standard Emira (with the optional Lightweight Handling Pack) and produces 55 pounds more downforce.You can remove the glass roof for even lighter performance.The starting price is $122,900.Lotus has come up with an even lighter version of the Emira with even more downforce. The new model is named the 420 Sport. (No connection to the universally acknowledged hippie slang for the devil’s lettuce—maybe the Brits don’t have that term in their vernacular?) (Actually, if you look it up, 414 mechanical hp equals 420 metric hp. Okay, issue solved. But still kind of funny.)The Emira 420 Sport is 55 pounds lighter than the standard Emira (with the optional Lightweight Handling Pack) and produces 55 pounds more downforce, though Lotus doesn’t say at what speed.Lotus (Lotus)Output from the AMG-derived turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder sitting behind the two seats is 414 hp. Torque is rated at 369 lb-ft, routed through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission “for faster acceleration and more immediate in-gear response.”AdvertisementAdvertisementThe new model is “the most powerful, lightest and most aerodynamically capable Emira ever built,” Lotus says. “The Emira 420 Sport sits at the apex of the Emira line-up and has been designed specifically to deliver even more performance both on road, and on track. It reinforces Lotus’ commitment to preserving its DNA by delivering greater agility, response and driver engagement.”Indeed, the Emira 420 Sport accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 186 mph.Lotus (Lotus)There’s also a removable tinted glass roof panel for the Emira, available now across the full model range, but no word on how much lighter the car would be once you took that roof panel out. A typical glass sunroof weighs between 30 and 60 pounds, let’s say, so removing that weight, especially from the top of the car, would likewise improve handling. The panel is designed for quick removal and stores behind the seats in a protective bag, allowing drivers to switch easily between coupé and open-top configurations. The underlying architecture ensures dynamic performance remains unchanged, Lotus says.The Lightweight Handling Pack includes two-way adjustable Multimatic dampers, a titanium exhaust, a lithium-ion battery, carbon-fiber components, and an app to measure and record lap times.AdvertisementAdvertisementUpdates to the exterior of the 420 include a new front splitter, revised front vents, extended side sills, larger air intakes, a lip spoiler, and a louvered tailgate. Lotus says those changes increase airflow to the outboard radiators by 15 percent and to the central radiator by 14 percent, improve brake cooling by 10 percent, and boost exhaust-valve airflow by 30 percent.Ride height is lowered by 5 mm, or about two-tenths of an inch. That, combined with revised suspension settings and high-performance tires, enhances control and feedback, Lotus says.“The bonded aluminum chassis and double wishbone suspension deliver the blend of ride comfort and handling precision that defines the Emira,” Lotus says, while electrohydraulic power steering provides detailed feedback to the driver.Lotus (Lotus)Inside are 12-way adjustable seats, a driver-focused layout, and what Lotus promises are intuitive controls. There are even carbon-fiber gearshift paddles and updated haptics for “added responsiveness and engagement.”AdvertisementAdvertisementOn top of all of that, you can get an optional exterior carbon-fiber pack that includes the front splitter, side sills, wheel arch vents, side pods, rear spoiler, and diffuser surround. Again, no mention of how much weight that package may save.There are nine wheel designs and finishes too, including a new set of 20-inch 15-spoke forged alloy wheels finished in satin dark gray.In all, there are 16 color choices, including the Emira 420 Sport’s Tangelo Orange, “a vivid and expressive colour that continues a long tradition of Lotus Orange paints.”U.S. pricing starts at $122,900. Is it worth it?“Emira is globally renowned for its ride and handling—it has been tuned to absorb, settle and communicate, working in harmony with a steering system that remains pure,” said Gavin Kershaw, director of attributes at Lotus Cars. “With the 420 Sport, we’ve taken that foundation and pushed it further. Adjustable dampers, increased downforce, sharper responses, reduced roll—every detail obsessively engineered to put the driver more in control.”So, yes.
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