Set to roll into production in the third quarter of next year, Lotus’ latest sportscar, the Emira, is rapidly approaching. And the British automaker has decided to let us see what it will look like when it’s rapidly approaching, leaving, and sliding through corners in a new video.
The car was driven by Gavan Kershaw, the company’s director of attributes and product integrity, who explained just what the company was looking to achieve when it designed its latest model.
“With the 3.5-liter V6 configuration and the supercharger, you start an acceleration from as low as 1,500 rpm and the car just pulls and pulls and pulls, getting stronger and stronger as the revs increase,” said Kershaw. “This is what a real sports car feels like.”
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Filmed at Lotus’ Hethel test track, the video sees the Emira tackling tight chicanes, long sweepers, and everything in between. As you’d expect, it’s well-equipped to take on any corner.
“When you turn the car, the car stays really flat to the road and it gives you a sensation that the CMG is very low,” Kershaw explained. “Makes the car very enjoyable to drive, very responsive, intuitive to drive.”
And with four drive modes, it’s as adaptable as you could ever hope for. In Tour mode, it gets maximum stability control, whereas, in Sport, the Emira sharpens throttle response and allows itself to step out of line a little more. In Race, the digital instrument layout changes to give you a performance rev counter and yet more slip angle is allowed.
Finally, Fully Off turns off all of the stability control systems to put the car completely in the driver’s hands. Even in this mode, and indeed in every other mode too, ABS stays on to ensure maximum braking capability no matter how much you want to hoon.
This model, an Emira V6 First Edition, features a mid-mounted 3.5-liter supercharged V6 that, in U.S.-spec, makes 400 hp (298 kW / 405 PS) and up to 317 lb-ft (430 Nm) of torque. A six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmission are both offered, with the latter allowing the car to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standing start in just 4.2 seconds. Prices for the Emira are set to start at $93,900 when it comes Stateside.