We're going to miss that supercharger whine when the EVs finally take over.
It may not have the size or budget of other sports car manufacturers, but Lotus has remained one of the most important influences on the automotive world since 1948. Though the company is in the process of embracing the fully electric future, Lotus isn’t entirely done with gasoline just yet. The Lotus Emira is the first new sports car to come from Hethel since its acquisition by Geely, bringing a more refined experience than its fan-favorite Evora GT predecessor. Thanks to TopAutoNL on YouTube, we now have a chance to watch some acceleration testing of the potent V-6-powered model.
Like the Evora GT before it, the Emira V-6 employs a 3.5-liter 2GR-FE V-6 engine sourced from Toyota. Thanks to some tweaks and the addition of a supercharger, the engine is good for 400 hp and 317 lb-ft. Customers of the V-6 can option either a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual gearbox, the latter of which is fitted to the test car we see in the clip below. Lotus says the Emira is capable of ripping off the 0-60 mph sprint in just 4.3 seconds with the manual equipped, before continuing on to a top speed of 180 mph. The test car in this clip doesn’t quite reach those speeds, but we do get to see how the car handles speeds of over 160 mph.
The testing starts with a gentle roll in second gear from just under 25 mph. With a wave of supercharger whine, the Emira quickly cycles its way through third and fourth gear without any drama. Things change a bit as the driver goes for fifth gear, where the Emira really starts to lose some steam. In fact, the performance of the car is dramatically different above 125 mph. The driver keeps their foot pinned, slowly creeping their way up to 162 mph before letting off. Of course, no Lotus has ever been too concerned with outright speed, instead opting to provide a true, corner-loving sports car experience. Lotus customers might just be willing to sacrifice some top-end speed for that aural pleasure regardless.
The Emria isn’t only offered with a V-6 engine. A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder sourced from Mercedes-AMG is also on offer, which comes mated to the German’s own 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox. That powertrain provides 360 hp and 316 lb-ft of torque, which isn’t far off of the performance of the larger V-6. That said, the exhaust note found in the clip above is reason enough to consider the larger powertrain. The manual gearbox option doesn’t hurt either.
Keyword: The Lotus Emira V-6 Sounds Fantastic at Speed