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Lotus Emira 2023.

Lotus Emira: specifications and prices announced.

Lotus Cars launches its latest model with an internal combustion engine — the Emira rear-wheel drive mid-engine coupe.

The sports car is offered with two engines to choose from — Toyota (406 hp) or Mercedes-AMG (365 hp). All future models of the British brand will be electric only.

The official premiere of the Lotus Emira took place last July: the compact mid-engine coupe plays in the Porsche 718 league and offers about the same level of dynamic qualities.

Lotus Cars expects the Emira to outperform the discontinued Elise, Exige, and Evora combined in sales and help consolidate the business of the company, whose controlling stake (51%) belongs to the Chinese Geely holding company.

The debut First Edition «in full stuffing» is available only with Toyota compressor 3.5-liter V6 engine (factory index 2GR-FE), which produces a maximum 406 hp, 420 Nm, and is combined with a six-speed «manual» or six-speed mechanical «automatic», and in the version with automatic transmission torque increased to 430 Nm.

Acceleration to 60 mph (96.56 km/h) on «manual» takes 4.3 seconds, on «automatic» — 4.2 seconds. Maximum speed in both cases — 290 km/h.

The Emira First Edition costs from £71,995 and the coupe with the same engine in basic configuration from £64,995, but if the First Edition coupe can be ordered now and received at the end of the year, the basic V6 coupe will not be available until the summer, with deliveries scheduled to start in January 2023.

The Emira with Mercedes-AMG’s M139 2.0-liter turbo four will be available to order in the summer at prices starting at £59,995, but deliveries will have to wait until spring 2023.

The M139 motor is already familiar to our readers from the Mercedes-AMG A 45 / CLA 45 compact models, where it produces up to 421 hp and 500 Nm — the most powerful production four-cylinder motor in the world.

Alas, it has been cut down to 365 hp and 430 Nm in relation to the Emir and only an eight-speed automatic transmission with two clutches is paired to such an engine.

Acceleration to 60 mph takes the same 4.2 seconds as the coupe with a V6 motor and «automatic», but the top speed is lower — 283 km/h.

The Emira’s suspension is sprung on double wishbones, and you can choose a standard (Tour) or stiffer (Sport) setup when ordering.

The body is made of aluminum alloy, carbon fiber options are not yet available, but they are sure to appear in the future. The base wheels are 20-inch.

Emira — not only the latest gasoline model in the history of Lotus, but also the most comfortable: it offers two trunks (208 + 151 liters), modern electronic driver assistants, climate control, heated seats with twelve electric adjustments, 340-watt 10-channel audio system KEF, rearview camera, multimedia system with a 10.25-inch touch screen (supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and 12.3-inch insist virtual dashboard.