Lotus produces a street car, the modern Espirit, and you do a 100% track test at Anglesey? On the wrong tyres. Back to back with a GT4. I appreciate a blunt and honest review, but you didn't even test the car on the road! Harry's Garage had the Emira for five days and it's hard to believe you were driving the same car.

@Hypersonik

2 жыл бұрын

Welcome to the difference in driving ability/preference.

@techyd8411

2 жыл бұрын

Welcome to EVO, sponsored by Porsche

@SW-by9ob

2 жыл бұрын

Doesn't explain the comments about the engine and gearbox though?

@thanksbetotap

2 жыл бұрын

You may be making a ton of assumptions about the conditions they were allowed to drive this car or any other arrangement details involved. What if they didn’t have better options available to them? Update: Ah, and apparently they explain the reasons why in the magazine article.

@nightdriver7216

2 жыл бұрын

@@techyd8411 Like many, might I add.

Harrys review has been the best I've seen on the new Lotus so far on understanding the two options of touring and sport (he drives them both). The Lotus is the better looking car.

The best auto reviewers are in touch with their emotions and honest without being afraid to annoy the manufacturers handing over the keys. Good job, Jethro!

@tsmith7146

2 жыл бұрын

The best auto reviewers are objective - the most important quality to give them credibility. Matching a track-focussed Cayman GT4 with superior tyres against a road-focussed Emira, in a track environment, is not an honest comparison. It's a fait accompli.

@chrismckay9647

2 жыл бұрын

@@tsmith7146 For very similar money, I know which one I'm buying.

@MrAceekidd

2 жыл бұрын

@@chrismckay9647 Lotus have their own Emira GT4, which is a track only car, stripped with spoiler etcc. That car would give Porsche Cayman GT4 more of a run for the money. The only issue is that the GT4 has the same engine, so it might be better for track people wait couple years for the 4 cyclinder AMG engine during the later cycle for max power with better gearbox, as the 3.5L 6 cyclinder dies out due to EU emission rules.

@chrismckay9647

2 жыл бұрын

@@MrAceekidd The Porsche GT4 is not track only... For the same money, it's a no-brainer.

@wildey36

2 жыл бұрын

@@MrAceekidd tons of people daily their gt4 it's not a track only car.

Feel like Evo have always patriotically held a torch for McLaren, never daring to criticise and flat out ignoring issues with the cars - but here we have a new British road sports car and it gets a track only review, on road tyres, against a Porsche GT4??

@Mexxx65

2 жыл бұрын

Bargan basement Cayman GT4 will spank any Lotus Lol!

@wasdwasdwwasd

2 жыл бұрын

Silly comment. Reviewers can only test what's presented to them. Plus it wasn't really a comparison and as Jethro said, if a Cayman GT4 is there why not compare the Emira to the best?

@Mexxx65

2 жыл бұрын

@@wasdwasdwwasd Get real mate. Lotus will "handpick" the car they give to EVO to drive.

@wasdwasdwwasd

2 жыл бұрын

Which is what I said, EVO or any of the other publications never got to choose what spec they wanted.

@MrAceekidd

2 жыл бұрын

@@wasdwasdwwasd Emira has its own track focused GT4, which is stripped and has spoiler etc so would be nice to see that compared after it's release.

I think Harry’s review gives a better perspective of what to expect and how it operates in the real world. But I do appreciate Jethro’s honesty.

@EvoraGT430

2 жыл бұрын

Honesty in pitching a road-car on road-tyres against an unobtainable track-car....on a track.

@piotr2951

2 жыл бұрын

@@EvoraGT430 Ah so thats why the gearbox sucks in Emira 😂

@kraenk12

Жыл бұрын

Harry also is fanboy for everything British.

@spendingtimetogether8428

Жыл бұрын

@@EvoraGT430 Yup, this guy is just horrible, wonder what agenda or ulterior motive he has with this 'review' that pretty much goes against the consensus.

@7128jml

Жыл бұрын

@@EvoraGT430 in the U.S..... the gts 4.0 and the 6-cyl emira are the same cost... roughly 110k usd.. it's not an unfair comparison over here right now actually lol

Very surprised that Lotus handed the new Emira to EVO without being fitted with Cup 2 tires, knowing full well that the car’s track performance would be less than ideal. The obvious result? The Emira failed to perform at its best on track and I am dumbfounded Lotus let that happen….

@FenderUsa

2 жыл бұрын

Yep very odd

@1972sd

2 жыл бұрын

Read the magazine they explained why....basically this was a car setup for a euro tour, not track and it's a really good article... I don't get the negativity over gearshifts as I never had a problem when I test drove the Evora...

@Nemoticon

2 жыл бұрын

It also depends on the driver... other road testers have reported different expectations, experiences and results. Everyone has different requirements with different driving styles, it's all valid, but you need to pay attention to more than just one.

@RobManser77

2 жыл бұрын

Fair point, but as a former owner of two Lotuses (Elise and 2-Eleven) and someone's that's driven the whole range prior to the Emira, I must be honest and say the track is not where they shine, even my 2-Eleven. The rearward weight balance is the main reason for this, meaning they lack the balance of a car like the Cayman, or a purpose built racing car. Where they really shine is on a bumpy British road, where in my humble opinion any Lotus is streets ahead of any Porsche in terms of linearity of controls (Porsche deliberately fit non-linear steering! Lotus obsess over this), feedback, sub-limit handling and road manners. To date, the Elise, Evora and Exige are the best road cars of their type I've ever driven.

@left_ventricle

2 жыл бұрын

@@RobManser77 Yeah you are very true. Elises are not this ‘brilliantly balanced’ trackday weapon. Rather, they are the sports cars for the road. Brilliantly summed up.

As an Evora owner, I understand exactly what Jethro means about that gearbox. It’s those cross gate changes, especially when pulling off that hard charging 2nd to 3rd move that catches people out. I gradually learned that the gearbox is almost a staggered H pattern, with 1, 3 & 5 slightly off to the right of 2, 4 & 6. This is an unnecessary annoyance that a company like Porsche iron out…but I’ve learnt my gearbox now and I love driving it and I rarely make a mess of that quick 2nd to 3rd change. Should you have to learn to deal with things like that? Or should you have everything handed to you on a very efficient German plate? I love my Evora, traits/flaws and all, plus it’s 100kg lighter. But I hope the Emira is a great success, as it is ultimately a much better package than the Evora, at a much sweeter price point. Kudos to Lotus for taking the fight to Porsche👍🏼

@zarbon700

2 жыл бұрын

Emira is a performance downgrade from the much older Evora 400. I've seen a video of the Emira having a 0 to 60 time of 5.3 seconds. The only improvement from the Evora 400 is the interior. I'm very disappointed in Lotus. I was expecting more from Lotus next-generation and last ICE vehicle.

@bulletmagnetLG

2 жыл бұрын

@@zarbon700 oh yes, I definitely agree on the performance downgrade, the Evora GT430 or even the 400 is going to embarrass the Emira👍🏼 But as a whole package, trim, ergonomics, performance, comfort, tech…I think Lotus have moved the Emira into a demographic of buyers that just can’t put up with a bare bones no compromise sports car and prefer something more rounded. Ultimately that’s going to steal sales from Porsche and keep Lotus alive and kicking…I hope🙂🙏🏻

@ronretired282

2 жыл бұрын

@@zarbon700 I thought the Emira had a 0-60 of 4.3?

@zarbon700

2 жыл бұрын

@@ronretired282 Nope. Carwow, did a 0 to 60 run, which ended up being 5.3 seconds. Emira is a disappointment on speed and handling. Unfortunately, the Emira is a watered down redesigned Evora 400 with a better interior.

@realbigtuna667

2 жыл бұрын

The gearbox in the Evora does take some getting used to. It does not like to be rushed. The feel is top notch, but you simply cannot snap off quick shifts like you can in the Porsche boxes. It feels more old school in that regard, which I personally enjoy.

Track is super smooth. I would get touring version.

I think this car deserves and is welcome to exist in the world of electric cars, downsizing and dual clutch automatic gearbox. It has it's imperfections clearly but I'm confident the issues will be sorted with time and development. Lotus screams Elise, Exige, Esprit and Evora to me and these 4 are probably the best cars ever made by this small company. Lovely to see Jethro at the wheel. Awesome honest review and shout-out to the filming aswell 👍

So a sports car is compared to a gt car, it has road tyres on for track use. Does anyone else think this review is rather flawed?

Good to see EVO still tells it like it is

@EvoraGT430

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, a track car is better on a track. Wow, how insightful.

@manuelight

2 жыл бұрын

emira is meant to be fun on the road, the gt4 is a track car that is meant to be driven fast

@gabrielflores1149

Жыл бұрын

@@EvoraGT430 it’s a damn Lotus, don’t make excuses for it

As a long time P-car buyer, I'm all in on the Emira even if it comes up just a bit "short" to the Cayman in the "shifting" dept. The Emira is a much more rare and interesting car.

@Chris.Davies

2 жыл бұрын

Here is a man who never owned a Porsche, and doesn't know how to use quote marks.

@TRX25EX

2 жыл бұрын

@@Chris.Davies I personally owned Porsches, including Cayman GTS + GT3 + GT2RS + some other.... I ordered Emira, tbh Cayman GTS is best sports car on the road I ever driven including Ferraris, but I wanted something more Raw on the road and I don't think you can find a more raw and a more special experience than Emira on the road..... This review tbh is expected for me, Porsche engines/ gearbox combo simply the best, I don't care what you have Porsche just does it better, but on road I doubt its better than Emira in terms of excitement, a hardcore version of Emira will make sense but big question for me is which engine? If they go for the DCT + V6 SC combo thats in Radford I think I will also buy this..... I'm a DCT guy on track focused cars.

@TheUrbanEpicure

2 жыл бұрын

No, you're just a British nationalist. This is just sad to read.

@kalmmonke5037

2 жыл бұрын

youtube people saying it gives more movement communication from steering wheel and chassis, more quiet in toruing version, but its around 3 inches bigger length width, 40 percent of a second less quick accleration than gts. if they let engine rev while shifting or quicken aamount of time takes to shift. its heavier than amg mercedes inline4, probably also tranmissions fault

@Peterhaynes

2 жыл бұрын

The Lotus Emira unfortunately is not to be compared with the superior Porsche Cayman. Already a dated car with an old Toyota engine.

So glad to see Jethro back. Very sad to hear the car isn’t where it was hoped to be.

So good to see Jethro back!

Just watched Harry's review, it seems like Lotus sent the wrong car to EVO and to Harry. It would be soooo interesting to see what the sport spec would be like on the road with the Dunlop tyres. I did note that I think this is a pre-prod car (the SRS warning light on the dash), so hopefully the shift is fixed in the production versions.

@Houthiandtheblowfish

2 жыл бұрын

have you bought it ?

@vokstar

2 жыл бұрын

@@Houthiandtheblowfish there is a 2 year waiting list apparently...

@ezcatch77

2 жыл бұрын

Oh they did send the right one. It was just not up to par. These were honest reviews.

@vokstar

2 жыл бұрын

@@ezcatch77 Good point, it's just a shame they didn't send the Dunlop shod one to Harry and the Michelin shod one to EVO

@Houthiandtheblowfish

2 жыл бұрын

@@ezcatch77 agreed the best version of this car would be amg engine sport suspension specially you could tune that engine there are lots of warranty high quality tunings to 550 hp! but if you compare that to a pdk gts i would pick that one any day of the week but if you want novelty effect something new and good looking and comfortable and no longer buying a lotus for driving dynamics and lightweight but for being a nice all rounder that looks nice

A review of the wrong version in the wrong settings. By people who are so Porsche biased. How can this review be sooooo different from the impressions of others? I’ve been driving a Lotus Evora S as my daily driver for over 10 yrs. Puts a smile on my face every day. And the Emira I have on order, will highly likely do the same.

Lotus is like rooting for England football, except harder, as they’re competing against Porsche with €28B revenue/€4B profits & eye watering R&D investment & talent. Arrows against the wind…but I’m rooting.

Not to sure about this review. Other test drives have been positive, both on the road and track reviews. There's been praise for the engine, ride and gear box. So maybe Evo having a GT4 to compare it with didn't do the Emira any favours. Considering Lotus budget compared to Porsche's, I think Lotus has done a bloody good job

@AdamDUrso

2 жыл бұрын

A Cayman 4.0 or even Cayman S seems a much more fair comparison

@Hypersonik

2 жыл бұрын

Go and buy it then. I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole personally and this if no real surprise :)

@michaelherron4306

2 жыл бұрын

Jethro knows what he’s talking about.

@becauseiwasinverted7971

2 жыл бұрын

@@michaelherron4306 Genuinely curious to know how you came to this conclusion. Plenty of other reviewers are experienced car journalists that have extensive race experience like Jethro who have come to a different conclusion. Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure Cayman GTS would be my choice unless a test drive in both convinced me otherwise. But I do think that Jethro as a freelance and experience as a staffer in the bigger publications quite likes to be a bit more negative for the attention these days. Its his USP and why they hire him possibly. I hope he was being honest with the negative feedback and not just feeding his reputation because at the end of the day, I suspect he knows next to nothing about designing and building cars so to be negative for the sake of a more dramatic review would be dishonest. Car journalists in general I think are an odd group. They provide no real benefit to the world but deem themselves qualified to judge the skill and creativity of others. The real public service is to present just the facts and allow others to draw conclusions from a test drive. Any ither opinions are just that and should be wrapped up more in entertainment than a car review. Ahhhh. Rant over.

@shaft9000

2 жыл бұрын

It's on road tires at a track; odd choice by Lotus but I guess this was a demo car that's being also run on-road. As is, It strikes me as a spruce-up to the body with an interior tech update, and little more. Hope I'm wrong, though.

As a lotus affectional, this is disappointing. I love the look of this car. Let’s hope they don’t stop trying to bring it to the peak that it deserves!

@kalmmonke5037

2 жыл бұрын

engine stop revving between shifts, long shifts, is prolly only reason why 0-60 is not as good as cayman. wonder why it so heavier than even amg turbo linline 4, tranmission prolly also to blame. frank stephenson video showed how easily it couldve been better looking, also see his other videos like aston vallahala, i liked vallahala v6 concept aesthetic more thna how production version ended up

@ouch9326

2 жыл бұрын

by long shifts i mean it takes too long to shift

@gpaje

2 жыл бұрын

Or you can watch other reviews before you make that decision. This is probably the first negative review I've seen, not saying it's wrong, but I would watch all the other trusted reviews before you make the decision, especially since all the cars currently being reviewed aren't actually production models yet, just near production.

@TheSoupdragon1968

2 жыл бұрын

@@gpaje exactly!

@kraenk12

Жыл бұрын

Even the looks are pretty generic tbh.

Jethro, I appreciate a lot your honesty - pretty rare these days.

Respect for delivering an honest review

Great to see you back Jethro! A proper honest, old school journo who tells it like it is. Im shocked at the outcome though after reading all the development to get to its release what a shame as it looks so good.

@grimson

2 жыл бұрын

I doubt the average driver would have a fraction of the issues he had driving on roads rather than a track. Complaining about the 2GR as ‘old’ is a bit petty. It’s a fantastic engine and still in service for that reason.

@Milkman69ner

2 жыл бұрын

How is this honest? This video is the only negative review at all. They’ve done it to be different. End of. That’s a shitty publication

@mariodiniz21

2 жыл бұрын

@@grimson maybe not that fantastic for a brand new sports car? It doesn't perform well enough, that's pretty obvious from the reviews I saw.

@Gadgit83

2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, there is a lot of variability in these early cars still (they're still not completely built with production processes), and looking at the front suspension on that one plus having driven a few, I can't help but feel he didn't get one of the better examples. Customer cars should have all those things ironed out

@djfirestormx

2 жыл бұрын

@@Gadgit83 his did seem to teeter toter a lot where other renditions of the car were just mind blowing on how it took the corners. there is DEFINATLY a different suspension setup on THIS car vs some of the others reviewed.

Wow, that final shot. Jethro gets out of the Porsche, almost enters the Lotus, but turns around, gets back into the Porsche. Devastating.

@popeyepanther4519

2 жыл бұрын

Its always hard to recieve bad news. But its also good. If you dont know, you cant fix it. I think Lotus will fix it. They have Geely behind them and thats a big wallet. But, it may be the case that they have chosen a different direction with Lotus altogether, a more linear approach rather than extreme racing.

@Milkman69ner

2 жыл бұрын

Not really, he stands alone. Everyone else rates the Emira highly. I know which I would choose and it’s not the beetle

@ktakashismith

Жыл бұрын

​@@Milkman69ner Confusing the Cayman for a 911, or are you daft enough to think a VW Beetle is mid-engined?

Interesting review and it seems Jethro is the only one of the early reviewers who has more than one or two negatives, Porsche fan-boyism or willing to tell the truth? He even admits that it is designed as a road car and set p for the road so please give us a road review instead of track!

@SW-by9ob

2 жыл бұрын

Autocar have very similar comments about the drivetrain. OK engine, OK gearbox. Not really good enough at £80k.

Although a track comparison clearly shows the Porsche is the one to have I wouldn't mind betting the exact opposite applies when comparing the two as daily more usable drivers.

Harry Metcalfe says "a great engine…..gives this car real character this engine"

Honest as they come. Thanks Jethro 🙏

Whilst this wasn't a road test, it's worth noting that the things you can legally enjoy on the road (steering, shifting, braking) also translate well to the track, and so are in some respects the most important to get right. Looks fantastic, though.

Wow, that was something. No one gives an honest and mildly scathing review anymore. I don't know that I agree, but I know that I'm much more informed than before watching. Thanks!

Thank you for being so honest

Love the honest feedback -

Good to see you back! Jethro 👍

Interesting soundtrack choice Really makes you ponder

Love seeing Jethro back at Evo !

Jethro, you’re the best! Great review as always but it’s ever more difficult to find an honest british reviewer that’s not gushing about a british car. I had my sights on this car and was just waiting to get a sense of this car from several reviewers. Most have been gushing. Your review is not an insult. It is a fair evaluation. That gearbox issue would be a bigger issue for less experienced drivers. Nowadays, that should not be the case anymore, on the back of the GT4 or the GTS. Many will still buy this car and that makes me happy. Lotus is a manufacturer that I hope survives, and gets it right in future iterations of this car. Well done Jethro! Thank you.

I get the frustration but in 2011 I drove a 2010 Evora I got at the FRA Hertz rental counter in late October and it was magic. I don't regularily drive fast sports cars but think I could (dreamer at heart). I did get it to 253 kph on the Autobahn until a lady in a diesel wagon came zooming up and passed me. For those of us who can afford this car and won't ever really drive it on a track unless something magically happens, I would love the Emira and maybe I am that target audience. The markup at the dealer for these will probably be as big as the Porsche markup so it'll be intersting to see what the real price is going to be. Great review Jethro.

@EvoraGT430

2 жыл бұрын

Best rental car ever?

@flyingvengeance

2 жыл бұрын

@@EvoraGT430 yup for a small 100 euro upgrade fee which covered 4 days. After I got home I did get a $27 ticket charge on my Hertz account. Never got a ticket though. Then found out the corporate insurance would not have covered it if I crashed it. Would do it again though but just get the insurance. :-)

Thank you not only for the review but also for blasting our ears! Please please, you are a car review channel/magazine - you have to know that a good microphone inside a car (ideally on the driver) is a must, otherwise we won´t know what you´re saying and that is almost the whole point of us watching these videos! :)

Now this looks high quality and the looks are beautiful.

Jethro is back, epic!!! 😀

Reviews of cars are in the moment. Given time we will all forget the faults and nuances when compared to another car. I will add to the props of unbiased opinionated journalism. Great review. Still love the car. Thank you Evo, thank you Jethro!

Good to see a review pointing out the faults as well as the good point. Felt a little harsh using a GT4 as opposed to a GTS, but price wise I guess not loads apart.

@nessuno5403

2 жыл бұрын

Depends on what markets. Prices differ and can make GTS more relevant.

@kempez

2 жыл бұрын

@@nessuno5403 Yes agreed. I think as this is the more standard Emira variant, and given the release of the GT4 Emira, I think they may well release a more 'hardcore' version of the Emira which would well compare. But given prices in the UK, maybe a GTS would have been a good comparison. However, I personally don't think it detracts a lot from the review.

@JasonPorter

2 жыл бұрын

Even the 718 GTS 4.0 is more expensive than the Emira FE V6 when optioned similarly, and it's a much closer performance equivalent than the GT4. At "base" pricing for the GTS 4.0 and the Emira V6 (when the base model becomes available) the Lotus will be quite a bit less expensive. On that car the pricing lines up roughly against the 718 Cayman S.

@ForgetfulFoot

2 жыл бұрын

While I agree that price matters. The people who can afford these types of cars probably don't care if one is $10,000 more then the other. I still think its going to be hard to steal people away from Porsche and its Dealer/Parts network. The Cayman is also pretty damn practical for a 2 seater. I can put my 4.1m drop stitch inflatable kayak in my Cayman with spare space for all the other stuff that comes along with it. It can be your only car. However I don't think I can say the same thing about the Emira. The whole point of choosing Lotus from an enthusiast perspective is to have the more engaging car. Either way, I think the real problem will be simply building enough cars for everyone. However I bet once the Emira has been out for 7+ years. The thing will be perfection.

@nessuno5403

2 жыл бұрын

@@ForgetfulFoot ALARM!! You sound like a sensible car enthusiast :)

This was a brutally honest review. But, it has to be placed in its proper context. It is a first impression of car with the wrong tires for the track. Tires matter. The other aspects of the review were very revealing and keenly knowing. Rarely do I every hear anyone mention rake, let along how your to measure it by feel. The same may be said of the engine's characteristics (including its rev limits), and the gated shifter. If any aspect of the critiques are valid, Lotus has a lot of tweeting to do to perfect its last, ICE car.

Yep agree 100% This is like what Nissan did with the new Z. Sprucing up an ancient platform just barely enough to entice people to buy it. No longer chasing greatness, just settling for mediocre. a Sad fate for the Final ICE Lotus..... They could of at least went all-out and sent it off properly

@boblierle4950

10 ай бұрын

Really? It's not sad at all. The "Final ICE Lotus" is still better than 99.9% of the vehicles that have ever covered pavement. Don't cry for me, Argentina (all said with a smile).

Jethro is one of the very best in the business. I trust his opinion and review.

Love the honesty

Also appreciate a car journalist telling it how it is. I feel like everyone just loves everything and is scared to upset whoever gave them the keys.

Great stuff Jethro 👍. Makes you wonder if they drove a Cayman whilst developing it.

@seanm.collins9888

2 жыл бұрын

Is Jethro the preferred driving god for the EVO/Pistonheads crowd?

@jryalls

2 жыл бұрын

@@seanm.collins9888 I wouldn’t put it like that but I like Jethro although I can’t speak for everyone.

@frtorres87

2 жыл бұрын

@@seanm.collins9888 I do really enjoy his automotive content

@darren4747

2 жыл бұрын

Jethro reviewed what he was given but I am far from sure that all the Emiras out for review are the same. Some vastly different conclusions being drawn.

Thanks for the honest review. Refreshing to see a UK channel reviewing a UK product and not come to the conclusion that it is given to us by the god's. 😉 Great production over all. 👍

So lessons here. Sadly. And I’m a Lotus previous owner. If you can drive and track your car. Porsche better. Luckily I’m no Jethro/driver. Im still excited. The car sits so well. Shame the porker is better. They kinda never haven’t been anything but that smidge better . As a Brit and Lotus fan I can deal with 95% of the competence of the german. My own driving is very meh. Lotus just such a sweetheart

Yay Jethro is back!

I love Lotus! I've wanted a Evora GT430 Sport since it's launch! 😃👍

Jethro! Long time no see

It reminds me of the 458 in the looks… a smaler variant with a manual and half the price… so nice! Thank you!

@nessuno5403

2 жыл бұрын

No, the side pods are more 488 😉

@kraenk12

Жыл бұрын

Lol no not at all. McLaren if anything.

I see Jethro I click like immediately

Nice review of a road car on the track. "why would you want the touring pack"........you need to watch Harry's Garage review.

Love the aspect ratio

Jethro come more please 💪 we miss you

Some British journalists just hate a success story on their own turf and habitually go for the negative bias. Thanks Evo we can be reassured nothings changed for Lotus. Ah we can be the underdog again that’s more reassuring to the viewers. Think Harry captured the excitement and passion that lotus cars can evoke for us mere mortals. Perfectionism is not a sign of the truly adventurous. Or should I just play safe and buy that familiar Porsche? Well done Lotus

really quite surprised after metcalfes review to see this, brilliant vid

The telling sentence is “when Lotus make a road car” and that’s the point, it’s a road car and it’s the one I’d have because I’m not a superhero racing car driver and I don’t drive on a track.

Ouch, I think that it hurts to see it come through the development process, and not address the issues that have been raised. Lotus can do so much better. We know and expect better. I feel like they have been told this is what you have, Do the best you can, instead of the no compromise approach it claims. Fingers crossed the v6 is going to be the touring version that older customers who can't live with or want a more extreme ride/drive train quality and most cars will never be driven hard. Then the 4 cylinder can be lighter and much more focused and the true EVO choice.

nice to know it's not that good on track but please do another review of how it is on the road

When the Porsche entered the frame I was hoping to see Jonny Lieberman 😂

Great review👍

valid things pointed out here but i think this review is a bit rough. The emira is not a predominantly track car, wait for the emira gt4 or whatever it'll be called... and no, even that wont beat the cayman but it'll be a better comparison

Maybe the results would be different if the Lotus had the optional CUP 2 tires for the track review to match the setup on the GT4.

the cayman is my favorite sports car. it's perfect.

Never had a Porsche, I must admit I find them a bit clinical and a little dull. I’m sure they are a better car on track. The Emira however seems more interesting, I’m never going to be doing back to back track days skirting the car’s upper limits. I’ll be blasting British back roads.

@Alby911

2 жыл бұрын

How do you know if Porsche is clinical and dull if you've never owned one? If we're being pragmatic, classic Porsche's are anything but. And you still have the rawness of their current naturally aspirated models.

@bogmasher

2 жыл бұрын

@@Alby911 I mean the Porsche brand and ownership. The 911 in all it’s various iterations should be an amazing car to drive considering the number of years Porsche have been updating it. For the Emira to turn up and beat the Porsche on track is unlikely, they just don’t have the clout, however everything is going electric and that is when the field gets opened up again

@Alby911

2 жыл бұрын

@@bogmasher Oh ok fair enough. I think car ownership is so personal and should remain as such. And to not worry about what rival companies are doing, especially when it comes to track times. Which only really applies to talented drivers. I have no doubt Emira owners will still be pleased with this machine, and certainly has more personality than any electric car could ever produce, imo.

I agree it’s a bargain that’s why there’s a three year waiting list at present I’m sure that will come.

I think the Emira has been over hyped to the moon and back, it's fine to have expectations but it's seriously confusing how anyone could possibly anticipate this to be an out and out driving weapon on track.

Welcome back jethro !

The gearshift’s are an issue with the Evora GT as well. I just don’t shift to second gear on the track. I can’t even shift from 1st to 2nd while driving fast. Still a great car though

@MrAceekidd

2 жыл бұрын

Is the automatic better for the 6 cyclinder engine then?

@darren4747

2 жыл бұрын

Yet I regularly drive my Evora Sport 410 on track and have never had a problem. In fact I really enjoy the gear change. Looking at the different reviews of the Emira and the Evora over the years it seems that the gear set up is sensitive and or the QC at the factory isn’t consistent enough. I think the answer is go try one yourself and make your own mind up. You can’t rely on any single review

Great review, able to see by the stunning looks unlike most others.

I put a deposit for this car. My first British car!

Harry’s garage tries both touring and sport v6 set ups cup 2s and Goodyears interesting differences

It’s a production car it’s perfect for the roads in the uk it’s not a super car it’s similar in many ways. It’s by far the best car of its kind and will appeal to just about everyone we’ll done Lotus great car builder company I salute you

Best review of this car I’ve seen. Thanks Jethro

Any review on the AMG GT Black Series? Seen hardly any review videos of it, seems it broke a Nurburgring record and no one even batted an eye.

So regardless of the marketing hype it's essentially a third generation Evora. The same drivetrain from the old Evora 400 (not the 410 or 430 it should be noted) and a seemingly nearly identical chassis. Nice new interior apart from that tablet device crudely slapped on the dashboard like some aftermarket tat from Halfords! Yet for all its shortfalls I'd still have one over any Boxster/Cayman. The real tragedy is Lotus having abandoned its lightweight design heritage with the end of Elise and having no direct replacement for it.

Finally, a proper review.

Rain reminded me when Jethro drove Ferrari Speciale Aperta Roadster.

There’s no question. Jethro simultaneously works for every car magazine.

@EvoraGT430

2 жыл бұрын

Especially the Porsche one.

Harry Metcalfe talked to Lotus because he found the sporty setup a bit harsh, un-Lotus like perhaps, and was - among other facts - told that the sporty setup is dialed in in a different way, camber including, to take max advantage of the sticky tires. It seems very Lotus, british, that they gave you a sporty car with non-sporty tires, based on what Harry was told. I'll keep looking for reviews, hopefully by people who have been given the correctly spec'ed car.

@jimj2683

2 жыл бұрын

unfortunately all the reviews say the porsche is better... I was hoping the emira would win because it looks so much better.

@davidhbunker

2 жыл бұрын

@@jimj2683 "because it looks so much better." There is your answer, why do you need the last 5% in performance 'on a track' when you can have something that actually drives well on B roads and looks great instead?

Thank you for a fair and honest review. Indeed, so many journalists have gone out of their way to praise the Emira, probably because they want to help Lotus and reward that a manufacturer bothered to introduce an ICE car with a manual transmission these days. As an Elise owner, I was frankly disappointed at the Emira reveal. Early on they suggested a leading edge car, returning to Lotus roots. Many of us hoped for something closer to the Elise with improvements for daily driving. My mantra at the time was "500/50," meaning a car that was 500 lbs lighter than the Evora with 50 ft.lbs more torque. That, would have been a perfect final ICE Lotus. Instead, it looks like we got a heavier, reskinned Evora. Don't get me wrong, compared to most cars you can get today it indeed should be a blast as a daily driver and better than most cars out there. But where I had been considering putting a deposit on one before, once revealed it left me cold. For now I'm just going to keep my Elise and hope that somehow, someone decides to bring a car like Gordon Murry's T.43 concept to market which indeed was more of a modernized Elise optimized as a daily driver. That, is my dream car.

@EvoraGT430

2 жыл бұрын

Modern car buyers don't actually want lightness; they want toys and interior toys. Porsche show the way it's done, so Lotus would be crazy to not follow them.

@davidroush1224

2 жыл бұрын

@@EvoraGT430 I get it, they needed to expand their base to make the brand profitable. If it lets Lotus survive, it is a good thing. But what they delivered isn't as good as the Porsche. Still a great car and hopefully they sell a bunch of them for their sake. Just likely I won't be getting one. Shame.

@jhixx8910

2 жыл бұрын

@@EvoraGT430 people do want light weight, but not directly. Lighter the car, less fuel it consumes, faster it is, more comfortable ride since smaller/lighter wheels and softer suspension can be used without compromising the car in any way. Difference is that they don’t want to sacrifice comfort and convenience at the same time.

The first review that doesn't seem to be tainted by rose-colored glasses. I must admit that the car looks amazing and yes the interior is light years ahead of previous Lotus products but all that weight in a 2 seater Lotus that uses the same engine & gearbox from the Evora is massively disappointing.

@bogmasher

2 жыл бұрын

Not really, if you had read about the car beforehand you would have already known that info. The car will sell very well and petrol will be so expensive during the decade that only the rich will be able to afford to drive performance petrol cars.

@ThatRosco458

2 жыл бұрын

Autocar review was also somewhat underwhelmed by the Emira

The start button - its a trap ! 😂

Interesting comment on the sport vs tour edition as feels slightly at odds with the comment from Harry's video. Will be interesting to hear from Jethro his view on the differences between the sport and tour after he's driven them both

@stippolyte

2 жыл бұрын

Intrigued that Lotus PR should give both Harry and Evo the 'wrong' spec car, (Harry must be special as he got both ☺) . I've always wondered what's the point testing road cars(unless it's a performance variant) on track, they need testing in the real world of pot holes, speed humps, rough tarmac, car parks etc.

@coalhouse_walkerjnr4735

2 жыл бұрын

@@stippolyte Because a track is the only 'safe' place to find out how a car will behave on (and over) the limit. You wouldn't want to go testing for that info on a public road, would you?

@dedge12858

2 жыл бұрын

​@@coalhouse_walkerjnr4735 Sure, just like you really shouldn't be taking any car on the road anywhere near its limit.

@stippolyte

2 жыл бұрын

@@coalhouse_walkerjnr4735 Harry seems to manage perfectly well giving us a detailed impression of how a car drives, either on his home roads, the Triangle or the Arctic circle. The likes of Harris and Jethro, being racers, giving their slant on cars more likely to be used on track days etc.

@coalhouse_walkerjnr4735

2 жыл бұрын

@@dedge12858 On that basis, no car would ever be driven at over 70 on a public road on any UK road test. After all "you really shouldn't be" doing that! I've found the limit of many cars on many public roads in many driving conditions. You don't always have to go looking for the limit, it can present itself when you least expect it (late lane-changers, debris in the carriageway, wandering livestock, greasy standing water on a bend, etc.). I've spun a mid-engined car 360 deg at less than the speed limit. I was very lucky on that occasion but I would rather have had an idea of how fast it was going to snap before I had need to try to catch it. Track testing has its benefits - to me, at least.

I love my '21 Evora GT and will keep loving it until we see what the AMG/Dual Clutch version of the Emira has to offer

Thanks for the honest review! It looks cool though...

Thanks for the honest review. I am looking forward to the road review, maybe the new Lotus will fare better.

Beautiful car looks way more expensive than what it is,the review was tad bit harsh but fair, in its defense the touring version was driven here and not the sport chassis ,lotus clearly states that’s it softer dynamics gearbox and suspension are for the road

No need to rush buying a Lotus. Wait a few years to see how it proves its reliability first. The Evora400 was my worst nightmare a few years back...

Can you put bigger and wider front rims? Also give it more gas when you heel toe. I burnrt my share of clutches but I don't hear that ideal rev matching sounds when you drive.

Will the 2 liter AMG engine with DCT fix the issues and give it a chance to compete with cayman?

I was not expecting this

Track car and road sports cars are tuned differently guys. The Lotus shifters in the Evora are not as good as the Porsche, but steering is much much better. The Lotus is a corner carving back road machine, not necessarily a track monster. Same can be said about most Caymans as well (GT4 is their raciest spec), C8 Corvette Vs Z06 etc.

@jennypenny7243

2 жыл бұрын

Have you driven the Emira? What are your thoughts?

that GT4 looks Savage

I never thought I would call a GT4 ugly, but next to this.. well it’s obvious. The Emira is a lot better daily or touring proposition

Wow didnt expect that opinion a total contrast to Harrys review and i respect both Harry and Jethro ....

A bit confused it has the Goddyear tyre on the sport setup ? Shouldn't it be on the Michelin with that spec ?