Doug Demuro Review

kitkat · Mar 14, 2023

Bilbao-Emira said:
View attachment 23849

Personally, I would modify on the Emira the following scores:

Styling : 8
Handling: 9
Cool factor: 8
Quality: 7

And that brings my score to 67 !!!

Right on the top! Plus a cool year

Agree on styling and cool factor, but handling and quality -- come on, really?

You think the handling of the Emira is going to the same as the GT4 and GT4 RS? And quality equal to BMW and BMW/Toyota?

Bilbao-Emira · Mar 14, 2023

kitkat said:
Agree on styling and cool factor, but handling and quality -- come on, really?

You think the handling of the Emira is going to the same as the GT4 and GT4 RS? And quality equal to BMW and BMW/Toyota?

I personally don't think that handling as far as driving the twists is going to be any worse than Porsche.
Quality, maybe BMW and Toyota should get an 8, but for Emira, what I perceive in the customer car, as opposed to the initial demos is looks definitely better than a 6

eriegz · Mar 14, 2023

Today I learned that there are people who would score the Emira a 7/10 on looks.

What a world!

Pegasi · Mar 14, 2023

I am a big Doug fan. I think he is the best storyteller for reviews. He also does a good job at positioning cars and brands and where they sit in the market. For example, this car is for someone who doesn't have the money or nerve to try and buy a Ferrari. That describes me.

If you have a dealer nearby and this won't be a daily driver and you aren't rich, this car is tough to beat.

centerpunch · Mar 14, 2023

Doug Demuro is not looking forward to the Emira

Skip to 13:29 to see his comments.

www.lotustalk.com

Pegasi · Mar 14, 2023

dgrace said:
Styling only a 7, tying the Nissan Z? Doug should get his eyes checked. (though maybe he just hates the black pack and finds it cliche, as I do)

I think Doug likes the Z because of how Nissan brought elements of the past car into the new design and Doug likes that kind of stuff. There is no way I am going to watch that review again to see if my recollection is correct.

Lotustoronto · Mar 14, 2023

eriegz said:
Today I learned that there are people who would score the Emira a 7/10 on looks.

What a world!

I thought the same, while I may not place it at a 10 or 9 ( I am guessing Bugatti, pagani's, la Ferrari, 918 spyder is what he considers a 10 and perhaps 9 is Aston Martin, Maserati mc20, lambo etc.) But not placing it at a min an 8 is robbery. Let's be honest the looks is what is keeping most of us in. It's a good looking car.

Cachaco131 · Mar 14, 2023

Decent review, I thought he was spot on regarding the buyer profile and his views on dealer/customer service, etc.

Porter · Mar 14, 2023

kitkat said:
Agree on styling and cool factor, but handling and quality -- come on, really?

You think the handling of the Emira is going to the same as the GT4 and GT4 RS?

This is not a good/bad gradient. Handling quality is based on how it accomplishes intended use. For example a car that handles amazingly on track might handle like a total dogshit on the road. Similarly truck with 30k worth of suspension that is absolutely incredible in a high-speed off-road context like the Baja 1000 would be considered utter garbage as a road car.

rjhoskins · Mar 14, 2023

Lotustoronto said:
I thought the same, while I may not place it at a 10 or 9 ( I am guessing Bugatti, pagani's, la Ferrari, 918 spyder is what he considers a 10 and perhaps 9 is Aston Martin, Maserati mc20, lambo etc.) But not placing it at a min an 8 is robbery. Let's be honest the looks is what is keeping most of us in. It's a good looking car.

Totally agree with you here. Definitely an 8 imo. Traditionally, I like Doug's reviews, and I liked this one as well, even though I may disagree on certain aspects. Since this car is not going to be my daily, I agreed with his 'weekend' score.

Nova · Mar 14, 2023

kitkat said:
Doug isn't from California here, he only just recently moved here -- man is from Denver.

That just shows you the inescapable cultural quicksand that is California. /S

Concept24 · Mar 14, 2023

So the Emira gets the same Doug score as a Supra? Who in their right mind would say that the Supra is the same as an Emira. The Supra is faster, that's it!

kitkat · Mar 14, 2023

Concept24 said:
So the Emira gets the same Doug score as a Supra? Who in their right mind would say that the Supra is the same as an Emira. The Supra is faster, that's it!

I'm here to buy an Emira but the Supra is more than competent competitor for a little over half the price.

Dealer network, dealer support, warranty, faster, more power, more torque, huge aftermarket, and they've somehow managed to turn the usual rubbery and vague BMW manual into a precise and communicative shifting experience.

It's a whole lot uglier though.

FlyNavy01 · Mar 14, 2023

I like Doug because he has a very shrewd view of the auto market and provides level-headed and usually well informed reviews. I don't pay much attention to his voice or awkwardness or whatever else people are complaining about because I come for the cars. I think much of his popularity comes from his "average Joe" unremarkable kind of persona.

I appreciate his focus on the day-to-day things, aka "quirks and features" you'd notice living with the cars he reviews, whereas I rely on the dozens of other established yet generic car channels for actual driving impressions. I agree with most of what he said about the Emira, and I'm somehow still committed to getting one despite Lotus' very poor management of nearly every aspect of the business... I must be a fool haha

DaaS · Mar 14, 2023

I am sure James at Throttle House would have liked to review this car. It is his exact spec, right?

Carbuilder · Mar 15, 2023

One thing I really like about Doug and his reviews is that he does not go to the events that the manufacturers pay for. There is a video he has done where he explains that manufacturers fly the "influencers" to exotic locations, pay for everything, and then expect them to be able to write a review without any bias, like the fact that they have just had a nice vacation for free. Doug does not go along with that, and doesn't think you can write a fair review after that. I agree. This does not apply to this review, but explains (to me at least) why most reviews of new cars are very favourable.

I thought his Emira review was perfect. He thought the car was for people willing to take a chance on Lotus. And that is so true. I took a chance with my deposit a long time ago. Then gave up, as many have, on Lotus.

Porter · Mar 15, 2023

Carbuilder said:
One thing I really like about Doug and his reviews is that he does not go to the events that the manufacturers pay for. There is a video he has done where he explains that manufacturers fly the "influencers" to exotic locations, pay for everything, and then expect them to be able to write a review without any bias, like the fact that they have just had a nice vacation for free. Doug does not go along with that, and doesn't think you can write a fair review after that. I agree. This does not apply to this review, but explains (to me at least) why most reviews of new cars are very favourable.

I thought his Emira review was perfect. He thought the car was for people willing to take a chance on Lotus. And that is so true. I took a chance with my deposit a long time ago. Then gave up, as many have, on Lotus.

What you're describing is literally one of the reasons that Lotus gets eye rolls from so many journalists. They don't pay for luxury junkets to Spain the way that Porsche and BMW have been doing for years, so the modern crop of automotive journalist/tourists don't consider Lotus a "real player".

Magma · Mar 15, 2023

I thought Doug's review was right on the money. Remember...this is a guy who in 2012 (I believe) wrote a Jalopnik article about Lotus disappearing from the US and nobody would notice. I think, like many, he has a love/hate relationship. But his review was very fair, in imo. Especially liked how he went thru some more menu options and also mentioned the lower torque curve, which is something I will like!