All-New Lotus Emira Debuts At 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed
The Lotus Emira is the legendary British automaker’s last ICE-powered vehicle, but it looks worthy of carrying that distinction.
Since the late 1940s, Lotus has been building lightweight performance cars for the masses. Sadly, at least for fans of the internal combustion engine, the legendary British automaker will soon convert to electric power, making this – the all-new Lotus Emira – its very last ICE vehicle. As the successor to the Evora GT, the Lotus Emira is one heck of a sendoff for purists, however, pairing one of two engine choices with an available manual transmission to provide what promises to be a sublime driving experience.
Revealed at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Emira will join the all-electric Evija hypercar in part six of Goodwood’s legendary hill climb in the “Supercars and First Glance” category. It will represent the public’s first look at the new Emira, which will be available with one of two powertrains – a turbocharged 2.0-liter Mercedes-AMG four-cylinder that produces 360 horsepower, or a supercharged Toyota 3.5-liter V6 with 400 ponies on tap. The former is exclusively mated to a dual-clutch gearbox, while the latter can be had with a traditional automatic or manual transmission.
As is the case with everything Lotus produces, the Emira will focus on the joys of driving, and that’s perfectly symbolized by the car’s lack of electric power steering. Instead, it uses a hydraulically assisted system for better feel and feedback, something that we enthusiasts can appreciate. That theme carries over to the interior, which is rather simplistic yet upscale in nature, with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster providing the driver with all the information they need at a glance.
While the Emira mostly keeps with Lotus tradition in that sense, it does differ from previous products in that it also comes equipped with an array of optional driver-assist features, including Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane-Departure Warning, and Adaptive Cruise Control. The Emira will enter production later this year, though Lotus hasn’t revealed pricing for its very last ICE-powered car just yet.
Those attending the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed can get an up-close look at the Emira twice a day in the hill climb alongside an Elise 240 Sport Final Edition and an Elise S1, as well as during the “Lotus Moment” parade that takes place each day at lunchtime. Both the Emira and Evija will also be on display at Lotus’ dedicated space during the weekend, along with the Elise Sport 240 Final Edition.
Photos: Lotus
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