Given that the Emira will be the last internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered car Lotus will offer, the British auto marque gave the sports car a fitting unveiling.
The Emira debut was staged at the historic home of Lotus in Hethel, UK, which has been upgraded with new facilities and adds a new sports car factory. More than 300 guests witnessed the car's unboxing live, while 131 guests livestreamed the occasion.
Meanwhile, Formula 1 World Champion and Lotus customer Jenson Button presented and lapped the Emira around the Lotus HQ test track.
One of the Emira's mid-mounted ICE engines has a two-liter displacement with four cylinders and a turbo, which is sourced from Mercedes-Benz AMG, reports said. The mill makes 360hp.
The other powerplant is a Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter supercharged V6, also used by the Evora, with 400hp. Reports added that the V6 produces 430Nm of pull.
As for the Emira's transmission options, the two-liter is said to come only with a dual-clutch auto, and the 3.5-liter with a manual and a conventional automatic.
The Emira is also predicted to tip the scales at 1,400 kilograms, a result of Lotus' signature weight-saving measures, such as swapping an electronically assisted steering for a hydraulic system.
The Emira features a touchscreen infotainment system and digital instrument cluster in its interior.
As well as providing a platform for the Emira’s debut, the event was designed to turn the spotlight on Hethel, Lotus said. The factory was upgraded as part of a £100 million-plus investment in Lotus’ UK operations.
Guests took part in a walking tour of the site to see the transformation, which includes the all-new production line and paint shop where the Emira will be built starting later this year, Lotus added.
In keeping with global travel restrictions, Lotus shared that it had invited scores of international Lotus "super fans" to witness the premiere. Exactly 131 of these owners and enthusiasts were selected to be part of a real-time "fan wall" which appeared on TV screens in the event.
The number 131 reflected the Lotus type number allocated to the Emira before it was officially named.
And as Button drove the Emira around the track, he commented: “It’s being called a junior supercar but it would give a lot of supercars a run for their money… and it’s more comfortable than most of them! The Emira is exceptional and I’m a big fan.”
The Emira will grace the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK this weekend.
Photos from Lotus
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