Emira V6 Manual vs. R8 V10 Manual

[Concept24]

I've rented the following cars and have driven each for about 200 miles in major cities and highways:
McLaren 570S Spider
BMW i8
Porsche 911 4S Cabriolet (2020)
Jaguar F-Type
Vanderhall Venice
C8 Corvette
C7 Corvette with mirror wrap and cat-delete
Attension-related actions:
Waves, thumbs up, discussions at gas stations and in parking lots, stares for more than 10 seconds, shouts, etc.
Based upon my experience and these criteria, the Porsche was invisible.
If I were to rank the cars:
1. McLaren
2. BMW
3. Vanderhall Venice
4. C7 Corvette
5. C8 Corvette
6. Jaguar
7. Porsche

Of course, this is not a list of best to worse; it is simply a reflection of how much attention they received. Note that the top two have doors that are unique.

 

[Green]

I've rented the following cars and have driven each for about 200 miles in major cities and highways:
McLaren 570S Spider
BMW i8
Porsche 911 4S Cabriolet (2020)
Jaguar F-Type
Vanderhall Venice
C8 Corvette
C7 Corvette with mirror wrap and cat-delete
Attension-related actions:
Waves, thumbs up, discussions at gas stations and in parking lots, stares for more than 10 seconds, shouts, etc.
Based upon my experience and these criteria, the Porsche was invisible.
If I were to rank the cars:
1. McLaren
2. BMW
3. Vanderhall Venice
4. C7 Corvette
5. C8 Corvette
6. Jaguar
7. Porsche

Of course, this is not a list of best to worse; it is simply a reflection of how much attention they received. Note that the top two have doors that are unique.

I suppose it depends on the model and if there are any mods done. I would think a gt3 would get a bunch of attention over a plain looking 4s cabriolet. Like wise with a stock R8 vs one lightly modified. BMW I8 is pretty unique looking so I could see that. I pretty much only look at a C8 for how unbelievably ugly the rear end is. I saw one with the top down from the back and it was truly hideous. Really looked cheap and gaudy. Jaguar I would not bat a eye at. I mean a McClaren pretty much looks like a space ship so I would believe it gets attention. Thanks for the insight.

 

[Concept24]

I suppose it depends on the model and if there are any mods done. I would think a gt3 would get a bunch of attention over a plain looking 4s cabriolet. Like wise with a stock R8 vs one lightly modified. BMW I8 is pretty unique looking so I could see that. I pretty much only look at a C8 for how unbelievably ugly the rear end is. I saw one with the top down from the back and it was truly hideous. Really looked cheap and gaudy. Jaguar I would not bat a eye at. I mean a McClaren pretty much looks like a space ship so I would believe it gets attention. Thanks for the insight.

I tend to agree. The least expensive one, the Vanderhall, was the slowest (although it was only about 1400 lbs, so it was peppy and fun to drive) but that car solicited many comments from younger people (high school and college age).
The C7 Corvette was easily as loud as the bright red C8, which had a $2000 aftermarket exhaust system. But the mirror wrap was very hard to ignore.
I think everyone knows which was the fastest. I had so much fun on highways, pulling up to muscle cars like Mustangs and Camaros and pretending I wanted to race them. The Porsche was no slouch, and it was very comfortable.

 

[Maurice R]

Stupid question but why is anyone trying to compare the Emira to the R8 or even the NSX.

 

[Maurice R]

Why don’t we add McLaren GT to the mix. Drove a friend’s of my last week
Great car but I’ll stick with the Emira

 

[Sjetware]

Stupid question but why is anyone trying to compare the Emira to the R8 or even the NSX.

Price bracket - for very similar money, you can get used versions of these cars; and in that respect it is only logical to consider your options.

 

[SmallerBaller]

Stupid question but why is anyone trying to compare the Emira to the R8 or even the NSX.

My Gated R8 V10 came in only $2k above the price of an FE 2.0 Emira (which I just found out I am not on the list for, so is subject to more price hikes for a base down the line). To be fair, I was extremely fortunate and would not expect to find them for that price on a common basis... really a chance I had a hard time passing up... so I didn't!

If you are genuinely asking why I compared to an R8, both cars are mid-engined, high performance coupes with an option of manual transmission in a similar price bracket. Both are touted as the last of a dying breed and analogue experiences to today's standards. I think it goes without saying that limiting your search to just those few criteria won't yield you too many results across any brand! I also know I was not the only one considering this vehicle on their backup plan list.

Apologies if the comparison was not helpful to you, and you certainly aren't obligated to put any value to my thoughts or experiences!

 

[Maurice R]

Why don’t we add McLaren GT to the mix. Drove a friend’s of my last week
Great car but I’ll stick with the Emira

My Gated R8 V10 came in only $2k above the price of an FE 2.0 Emira (which I just found out I am not on the list for, so is subject to more price hikes for a base down the line). To be fair, I was extremely fortunate and would not expect to find them for that price on a common basis... really a chance I had a hard time passing up... so I didn't!

If you are genuinely asking why I compared to an R8, both cars are mid-engined, high performance coupes with an option of manual transmission in a similar price bracket. Both are touted as the last of a dying breed and analogue experiences to today's standards. I think it goes without saying that limiting your search to just those few criteria won't yield you too many results across any brand! I also know I was not the only one considering this vehicle on their backup plan list.

Apologies if the comparison was not helpful to you, and you certainly aren't obligated to put any value to my thoughts or experiences!

Yours and anyone’s thoughts are welcome. Appreciate your reply. I do think the R8 is great car and have not owned one but driven one a few years back and loved it.
Nearly bought the wife one about 18 months ago just could not justify the price. Especially that she does not drive more than 60 mph 😊

 

[Eagle7]

I have always been curious about how people arrive at comments about what cars get attention. I‘m genuinely asking you because I would like to know. In my mind the person making this statement would need to be driving one of these cars that do not get attention. So unless you drive a R8 or Gt3 how would a person know if it is getting attention? To me old cars get zero attention from me. I never drive hot rods so I would not know if they actually get attention. Is my logic flawed?

I happen to be an enthusiast. I've been this way since I was about 5. When out driving, I notice other cars. My daily is an Alfa Romeo and they are very rare where I live, so I'm used to seeing how people react when they see an unusual car, or at least one that's uncommon. I notice German cars, and when I see one, especially one that's not common, I look around it to see if others see it too, and it's surprising how often there doesn't appear to be any reaction. Especially if it's silver or any shade of gray. Around here I would say at least 85% of the vehicles are either white, black, or some shade of gray from silver to dark metallic gray, so color probably has a lot to do with noticeability.

Retro cars may get zero attention from you, but those are the ones that are usually NOT gray, and the difference in size and shape immediately catches your eye. Those are the cars I see people rubber-necking, pointing, waving at the most. Modern vehicles have gotten much bigger than the older cars, so a smaller shiny retro car in bright red, hugger orange, or many of the blues and greens that were popular back in their day really stand out. I expect the Emira is going to get a lot of attention simply because of its shape, even though mine is going to be dark verdant which won't stand out that much from black or dark gray cars.

I guess it depends on where you live and what you notice. I notice not only the car, but how people around it are reacting. Maybe that's the difference. I notice people too.

 

[Totally Average]

Today I had my second test drive with the Emira, incidentally with the exact same car as my drive last year, as the one that was supposed to be at the dealership was pulled out either (not sure if it went elsewhere or had issues?) Regardless, I was excited to get behind the wheel again, and now that I have purchased a gen 1 Audi R8 with a V10 and gated manual, I thought I could share my thoughts with anyone who may be considering between these two cars.

You can dig way back to my other thoughts about my first test drive, or my comparison to the 718 GT4, if you really care to have any background on my history or thoughts. Some new, relevant context to keep in mind was that right before my test drive I did find out I would not be qualifying for FE 2.0 as I was expecting, but am next 1-2 people in line if anyone else drops out, so that was a bit sad. I also did not push the car nearly as hard as I did in my first test drive, as conditions were a bit damp and rainy, and traffic was MUCH heavier.

Main differences:

Acceleration is not even close, R8 is in a different league. After coincidentally driving about half a dozen vehicles in the last two days, I have to say the acceleration of the Emira feels very comparable to my old STi, which was a bit underwhelming, but also a bit refreshing. My R8 has so much that I can basically never put my foot down, at least where I live. Always restraining in some way. I was able to put my foot the whole way down on the Emira and still felt like I could of used a bit more punch, but loved that I didn't need to hold back. And still PLENTY for the steet. I do have to say, I think I would miss those highway ramp pull butterflies long term from the R8.

Steering feel is not even close, Emira is in a different league than the R8 (or 718 GT4). Just an a joy to take around the turns and although I didnt get to push it this time around, it was obvious and telling when I immediately had more feedback than the Audi upon basically just starting out. I would miss the confidence the Emira gives in the turns. No such thing as a perfect car, eh?

Less significant differences/ observations:

• Cars are surprisingly similar sizes
• People can't tell when you are driving a gated V10 R8, but those who know get VERY excited, whereas the Emira will get more attention from the average non-enthusiast in my opinion. Could be good or bad, depending on your personality or goals.
• In this case, R8 looks more professional+classy, Emira looks more sporty+fun (color plays a big role here I bet)
• Driving position, cockpit, and pedal stiffnesses and placement are better in the R8
• Interior finish and visual design are better in the Emira
• Both have great sound, but 8750 rpm redline has me spoiled
• Controversially liked the shifter feel better in the Emira, don't burn me

Again, nothing particularly groundbreaking to present here, just thought someone may find this helpful possibly. Overall, for the price hikes, current issues to be ironed out, and horrible CS with Lotus Corporate, I feel that I got a better deal with the R8 and have an overall better experience, but definitely want a friend who has an Emira so I can experience the handling every now and again. What's the saying about boats; "the best boat is the one your friend owns?" R8 is no slouch in the twisties and definitely not in the straights... genuinely just feels like more car for the money. My mind is not totally made up, and I still have not pulled my deposit and could still do a trade-in, but now knowing I am not even in the next round of FEs, I feel very confident in my choice for the present.

Pics to follow, pardon the fact that both cars are filthy... the weather was on and off the last few days.

Coming from a low mileage gen 1 R8 and after a couple weeks of driving my Emira w sport suspension, I agree with almost all of SmallerBaller's review. Here's my take on a few that are different or gives additional info.

Shifting: Interestingly, the shifter feel / clutch feel of the Emira, which reviewers have complained about, is one of my favorite parts of the Emira. For all the premium that R8 buyers pay for the gated manual, to me, the gated fulfills more of a vanity aspect (looks and feels) but it is slower and more cumbersome than the Emira shifting, which is about the easiest shifter / clutch combo that I have ever driven. I feel like I can smoothly and quickly bang through the gears in the Emira without thinking, whereas in the R8 I have to put a lot of effort into shifting / clutch work to make it smooth.

Steering, the R8 feels more heavy and planted, the Emira feels more light and lively. I had a great aftermarket set up on my R8 which gained a ton of steering feel, so I would categorize my R8 vs Emira steering feel observation more as "close but different." Heavier / steadier on the R8, lighter more playful on the Emira.

Suspension: the Emira has more body roll but hard cornering with mid corner bumps it feels better than the R8. The R8 corners flat and fast and feels more confident on perfectly smooth roads, but if there is a seam or bump mid-corner, it feels like it doesn't have enough suspension travel in reserve to deal with the bump and it may skip a bit. This is where the Emira shines - real world roads. The Emira sets up for a corner with some body roll but then stabilizes - bumps don't upset it and it keeps suspension travel in reserve to deal with the bumps and stay stuck. So while the R8 feels more confident initially due to flatter body dynamics, it will get upset with bumps - Emira less confident at first, but then eats up the bumps beautifully. I have read that R8 has low suspension travel and Emira has a lot more - I have no empirical proof of this - but this is how it feels to me.

Ground clearance: maybe that's why my R8 cornered flatter (and ran out of travel) it was lowered 10mm. But even before that, I would scrape coming out of my driveway if I didn't angle and had to be very careful around town. The Emira has much higher ground clearance - no scraping and can hit around town dips / bumps with much more confidence you aren't going to tear something off the car.

Ergos: there's more interior room in the R8 - better for taller / larger people. I agree with the above - ergos are probably better in the R8. More bolstering in the seat, it just feels more comfortable. I ran both my seats all the way down (I'm 6'4") and I wish the Emira could go down another inch. R8 is quieter, just feels more luxury vs Emira feels more fun and sporty.

Engine: R8 feels weightless and effortless to rev and smooth as silk. Emira sounds cool with supercharger whine and more burbles etc, but it's less special, less like a perfectly balanced turbine feel. The engine is probably my favorite part of the R8. I haven't hit the full break in for the Emira so have been limited to mostly 4k rpm.

Hope this helps someone trying to decide between the two!

 

[VL3X]

Coming from a low mileage gen 1 R8 and after a couple weeks of driving my Emira w sport suspension, I agree with almost all of SmallerBaller's review. Here's my take on a few that are different or gives additional info.

Shifting: Interestingly, the shifter feel / clutch feel of the Emira, which reviewers have complained about, is one of my favorite parts of the Emira. For all the premium that R8 buyers pay for the gated manual, to me, the gated fulfills more of a vanity aspect (looks and feels) but it is slower and more cumbersome than the Emira shifting, which is about the easiest shifter / clutch combo that I have ever driven. I feel like I can smoothly and quickly bang through the gears in the Emira without thinking, whereas in the R8 I have to put a lot of effort into shifting / clutch work to make it smooth.

Steering, the R8 feels more heavy and planted, the Emira feels more light and lively. I had a great aftermarket set up on my R8 which gained a ton of steering feel, so I would categorize my R8 vs Emira steering feel observation more as "close but different." Heavier / steadier on the R8, lighter more playful on the Emira.

Suspension: the Emira has more body roll but hard cornering with mid corner bumps it feels better than the R8. The R8 corners flat and fast and feels more confident on perfectly smooth roads, but if there is a seam or bump mid-corner, it feels like it doesn't have enough suspension travel in reserve to deal with the bump and it may skip a bit. This is where the Emira shines - real world roads. The Emira sets up for a corner with some body roll but then stabilizes - bumps don't upset it and it keeps suspension travel in reserve to deal with the bumps and stay stuck. So while the R8 feels more confident initially due to flatter body dynamics, it will get upset with bumps - Emira less confident at first, but then eats up the bumps beautifully. I have read that R8 has low suspension travel and Emira has a lot more - I have no empirical proof of this - but this is how it feels to me.

Ground clearance: maybe that's why my R8 cornered flatter (and ran out of travel) it was lowered 10mm. But even before that, I would scrape coming out of my driveway if I didn't angle and had to be very careful around town. The Emira has much higher ground clearance - no scraping and can hit around town dips / bumps with much more confidence you aren't going to tear something off the car.

Ergos: there's more interior room in the R8 - better for taller / larger people. I agree with the above - ergos are probably better in the R8. More bolstering in the seat, it just feels more comfortable. I ran both my seats all the way down (I'm 6'4") and I wish the Emira could go down another inch. R8 is quieter, just feels more luxury vs Emira feels more fun and sporty.

Engine: R8 feels weightless and effortless to rev and smooth as silk. Emira sounds cool with supercharger whine and more burbles etc, but it's less special, less like a perfectly balanced turbine feel. The engine is probably my favorite part of the R8. I haven't hit the full break in for the Emira so have been limited to mostly 4k rpm.

Hope this helps someone trying to decide between the two!

Thanks for the detailed comparison and welcome to the forum! 😎

 

[blacklotus]

My Gated R8 V10 came in only $2k above the price of an FE 2.0 Emira (which I just found out I am not on the list for, so is subject to more price hikes for a base down the line). To be fair, I was extremely fortunate and would not expect to find them for that price on a common basis... really a chance I had a hard time passing up... so I didn't!

If you are genuinely asking why I compared to an R8, both cars are mid-engined, high performance coupes with an option of manual transmission in a similar price bracket. Both are touted as the last of a dying breed and analogue experiences to today's standards. I think it goes without saying that limiting your search to just those few criteria won't yield you too many results across any brand! I also know I was not the only one considering this vehicle on their backup plan list.

Apologies if the comparison was not helpful to you, and you certainly aren't obligated to put any value to my thoughts or experiences!

Do we think there are going to be more price hikes on the base? No way a mid-optioned base comes out over the FE, right?

I did hear from my dealer that they have heard from Lotus that you will be able to option a base all the way up to everything an FE has, but at that point it will be more expensive. Really interested to see what the base options will end up being. Expected sometime around September, I believe.

Thanks for this post. The R8 is something I have had my eyes on for years now. I test drove a gated manual r8 and loved it. Thanks for the comparison.