New Emira gets the most powerful four-banger in Lotus history
The heavy-hitting Eletre has been making (electromagnetic) waves this week, but Lotus has just announced details of a new Emira that’s a bit more true to tradition.
Like many forbears from the Elise to the Esprit the Emira is now available with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and it just happens to be the most powerful motor of its kind ever fitted to a Lotus. The two-liter four-pot made by Mercedes-AMG already holds bragging rights as the punchiest series-production four-cylinder on the planet, but Lotus has further fettled the engine with revised intake and exhaust systems, and a new calibration. That takes its output to 365 hp, with 317 lb-ft of torque also on tap.
The all-aluminum engine is mid mounted and drives the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Mash the accelerator and the Emira will reach 62 mph from rest in 4.4 seconds, which is just 0.2 seconds off the pace of the V-6 manual version. Top speed is a claimed 180 mph.
The new powertrain required a bespoke cast aluminum subframe, and overall the four-cylinder weighs in at 24 lbs less than the V-6. The car’s double-wishbone suspension has been tuned to suit the new setup, with Tour or Sport chassis configurations available as before. U.S. prices start at $99,900 compared to $105.400 for an equivalent V-6 model.
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So you save 24lbs and $5,500 from a V6 model. I’ll probably take the V6 with those choices.
Don’t forget you also get a dct . I mean who wants a clutch pedal in a Lotus am I right?
It looks like the offspring of a Porsche and a Ferrari. But not in a good way.
The GMC Canyon has a 2.7L 4-Cylinder that makes 310HP and 430LB-FT of torque. Whomever needs to know…