Poll: Lotus Emira Discussion
- Thread starter Mysterae_
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Soldato
I think it was a quote on the Carfection video that it was faster round Hethel than the Evora 430 not the Exige 430.
Yeah can't remember where it was I heard it or if it was on the phone with the guy from Lotus.
My guess is the Emira will be easy to map to 430 by Komotec with just a remap which is £800-£1600 reading around, owners of Evora 400/410 claim it can be felt. Then guess the other option is the 460 package which will probably be around £5000 on an Emira.
I've found myself looking at Exiges and trying to figure out how they all differ, 350, 380, 390, 410, 420, 430, 20th edition, final edition, cup edition. Apart from headline number and the earlier 350/380 models have a charge cooler am I right in thinking they are all pretty much the same or do some of the models make quite a nice leap on?
75-80k gets you into an Exige 390 or 410 quite easily, the 390 is a final edition, the 410 just a 410, apart from 20HP whats the difference? Or spend a few grand more and your into a 420 final edition, spend a lot more and your in a 430 cup which is easy to see is different with roll cage, more stripped out at few more horses.
Think short term Emira values will do well, maybe some 90-100k overs opportunities and a year or so later no doubt be a few about so around 60-70k second hand, but the current fleet of Exiges my guess is from here the values will hold or maybe even increase as the Emira won't offer the rawness in feel/drive or outright performance of an Exige running 400+
Soldato
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You and me both
Even a 350 at £45k (or £60k for a 2020 almost new one) is a lot of 'fun car' for the money
You also get to varying degrees, carbon body panels, plastic windows, proper aero, bigger brakes. I think some might have adjustable ARBs aswell as Nitrons/Ohlins depending on the year? Harness bar and harness is one thing that is easy to retrofit.
If they did a DCT Exige I'd have one, as it stands the 4C is a great alternative if not quite as refined an experience. I think a 380/410 Sport is about the sweet spot, also you get canards which is just awesome
Yep the prices are up a lot compared to 12-18 months ago for those models, but I don't see them dropping back as its curtains now for the Elise and Exige which are truly lightweight special, though Emira is Lotus building three cars into one its clear to see the Emira hits the Evora hardest and their values will be hit hard because who would want an Evora when you can have an Emira. The Elise is like 900kg, the Exige around 1100kg they are proper hardcore sports/track cars so can see the prices holding or even moving up.
I'd like to think Emira will be truly special but its going to drive like the Evora which though excellent is a little lacking in outright pace and urgency/rawness, but those who have early Emira's are no doubt safe buys as can see them selling for overs and one could then go and buy an Exige very easily.
I think I will go with the Emira, if it don't blow me away just move it on, even better if their is a strong overs market and then put that money into something like an Exige 410 or 420, as from what I can work out those seem the two models to have, the 410 been better value for money.
You also get to varying degrees, carbon body panels, plastic windows, proper aero, bigger brakes. I think some might have adjustable ARBs aswell as Nitrons/Ohlins depending on the year? Harness bar and harness is one thing that is easy to retrofit.
If they did a DCT Exige I'd have one, as it stands the 4C is a great alternative if not quite as refined an experience. I think a 380/410 Sport is about the sweet spot, also you get canards which is just awesome
The 380 has the canards I think, but those are not charge cooled, so 380 is the limit I think unless you want to spend big money, the 410 is charge cooled so maps to 430 easily or cost a lot less to take to 460 compared to a 380.
Why would you want DCT though in an Exige? Surely the attraction is the manual as its not so crazy fast that it needs DCT. Can you get automatic in the Exige? I've heard people say good things about it in the Evora that even though its not DCT box its still responsive and fast for a traditional torque converter automatic.
Soldato
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Yeah, theres a dealer with a grey manual and matching grey auto on the forecourt.
Auto exiges must be very rare id have thought
IMO anything around 4s to 60, 350-400hp is a bit much for a manual. A manual 4C would honestly be terrible, it's too frantic. Porsche get away with it as their gearing is so long and the power curve so linear, but anything turbo or short geared is imo a bit much. Also prefer it for track driving.
Did you watch the full video?
He says in the end that they both lap similar times at Silverstone, the Exige is faster on straights, the Evora faster in high speed corners. Exige is dramatic, engaging and a workout, the Evora pretty much just as fast but far easier, engaging but less so and not such a workout.
If Lotus are saying the Emira is quicker than a GT430 that is extremely promising considering its 100kg heavier and down on power. But for thrills, drama and a workout you won't beat an Exige.
Well if the Exige gearing is same as Evora, its not short in the 410 I drove the manual was absolutely fine and too long geared for my liking and its a 4s to 60 car, to be honest it would be better with 450-500HP and keeping the manual or Lotus dropping in shorter gearing, I am normally keen for DCT but having driven the Evora 410 the manual suits it great and its also a superb manual, easy to use and clutch is easy too, my only issue was rev matching, supposedly an issue many have encountered with Evora's whereas Exige less so, but is just a learning curve supposedly. If your using as a daily then I can see the need maybe for a DCT but the clutch/manual is quite a joy to use.
Soldato
I am going through the motions of buying an Exige at the moment although I keep deciding to go ahead and then deciding to wait so I'm not fully committed yet, no deposits down or anything. Interesting to see the Exige comments here although also annoying in some ways as clearly there are a lot of people thinking the same thing which is why a few candidate cars I've looked at have gone and the number for sale generally has decreased by about 10% since I started my 'search' a few weeks ago.
@Gibbo I replied to your PH thread but I'll repeat here the bit about track days, the 410 is definitely far too loud to get on track at most places in the UK. There is a guy on YouTube/IG with a blue 410 who cooked up his own silencer solution which scrapes by the noise tests but it looks ugly as hell.
Edited to add that the automatic Exiges are cheaper to tax but also have a much reduced rev limiter and while functional are supposedly not as snappy as you might want in a car like the Exige...
@Gibbo I replied to your PH thread but I'll repeat here the bit about track days, the 410 is definitely far too loud to get on track at most places in the UK. There is a guy on YouTube/IG with a blue 410 who cooked up his own silencer solution which scrapes by the noise tests but it looks ugly as hell.
Edited to add that the automatic Exiges are cheaper to tax but also have a much reduced rev limiter and while functional are supposedly not as snappy as you might want in a car like the Exige...
I think the Exige 380 onwards have more carbon fibre body parts instead of fibreglass and it's a different supercharger afaik. They have a really aggressive power delivery.
And yea as above, some of them have crazy loud stock exhausts and you can't take them on tracks. I think it's the only manufacturer which has a QUIETER one as a option lol. Against other modern road cars you can hear them over everything, it's pretty funny. Probably louder than a modern F1 car
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Ah yes I've seen that guys thread with the blue Exige, to be honest I like a loud car and would rather have the loud car and then just fit the drainpipe to the exhaust for track days, it might look ugly but who cares when its just for track days and you can also do unsilenced days too. Lotus really made that V6 SC sing, so let it sing I say.
No more Exiges, prices won't be going down that is for sure!
Two things
1) The Schmee video has annoyed me for a silly reason. He's stating he's confirmed his order. Yet he's stating he has the steering wheel with contrast stitching. But he's also saying he ordered a manual. You can't do that... it's not available. If he somehow gets that, but I can't, that annoys me. Also he's ordered a near identical spec to what I had already ordered, except caliper colour.
2) Colour. I'm being swayed back towards the Senaca Blue again, having ordered the Hethel Yellow. I keep looking at the blue 'demo' car and just think it suits it so damn well.
1) The Schmee video has annoyed me for a silly reason. He's stating he's confirmed his order. Yet he's stating he has the steering wheel with contrast stitching. But he's also saying he ordered a manual. You can't do that... it's not available. If he somehow gets that, but I can't, that annoys me. Also he's ordered a near identical spec to what I had already ordered, except caliper colour.
2) Colour. I'm being swayed back towards the Senaca Blue again, having ordered the Hethel Yellow. I keep looking at the blue 'demo' car and just think it suits it so damn well.
Two things
1) The Schmee video has annoyed me for a silly reason. He's stating he's confirmed his order. Yet he's stating he has the steering wheel with contrast stitching. But he's also saying he ordered a manual. You can't do that... it's not available. If he somehow gets that, but I can't, that annoys me. Also he's ordered a near identical spec to what I had already ordered, except caliper colour.
2) Colour. I'm being swayed back towards the Senaca Blue again, having ordered the Hethel Yellow. I keep looking at the blue 'demo' car and just think it suits it so damn well.
Im going blue as the green is too dark for me and I don’t want two yellow cars so blue it is and also the yellow is flat anyway.
Soldato
Caporegime
Lotus, like a lot of manufacturers, do custom options for a price (Lotus call their system "Lotus Exclusive", IIRC). You're not necessarily limited to what's on the configurator, you just need to get in touch and negotiate. If, like Schmee, you've got a high profile you're always going to get a better reception for such things.
saw this at Bedford:
I see his roof is off, can the roof be removed on all Exiges? I assume once removed it has to be stored at home and won't fit anywhere in the car?