Emira Review Index [I4 FE]

Creating a new thread and index for Emira I4 FE reviews which are scheduled for release on 8th August.
Please let me know of any missing review links and I'll update the index accordingly.

Reviewer	Type	Direct Link
Harry's Garage (Harry Metcalfe)	Video Review
Road and Track	Article	The AMG-Powered 2024 Lotus Emira Gets a Perfect Engine and an Imperfect Transmission To get the perfect engine for the Emira, Lotus had to take an imperfect transmission. It loses the manual and gets an automatic, sealed by AMG and not up to par. www.roadandtrack.com
AUTOCAR	Article	Lotus Emira I4 review | Autocar Sports car maestros’ final combustion model gains an AMG four. It’s an unexpected marriage, but an inspired one? www.autocar.co.uk
EVO	Article	Lotus Emira i4 2023 review – the final combustion-engined Lotus | Evo The AMG-engined Emira i4 is the last new internal combustion engined Lotus sports car, and it's one of the best www.evo.co.uk
Motor1	Article	2023 Lotus Emira I4 First Drive Review: AMG Power Meets British Poise Two fewer cylinders and a turbo replace Lotus’ hallmark V6 in a new take on the Emira. Cheaper, and only a little down on power, is it the pick of the range? www.motor1.com
TopGear	Video and Article	Lotus Emira i4 review: British sports car with an AMG hot hatch heart Reviews 2023 | Top Gear So this is the cheaper Lotus Emira for people who can’t stretch to the V6? It’s the entry-level car in terms of cylinders (four, not six), and power (360bhp, down from 400). But the new Lotus Emira i4 is not a cheap and cheerful door to Lotus ownership. Right now Lotus will only sell you a... www.topgear.com
Car and Driver	Article	First Drive: 2024 Lotus Emira 2.0 Brings Back the Four-Cylinder Lotus With its AMG-sourced 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the 2024 Emira hews to the Lotus tradition of getting more from less. www.caranddriver.com
Auto Express	Article	New Lotus Emira i4 2023 review | Auto Express We get behind the wheel of the last combustion Lotus ever. Is the new 4-cylinder Emira a worthy send-off? www.autoexpress.co.uk
PistonHeads	Article	2023 Lotus Emira i4 First Edition | PH Review The most powerful four-cylinder Lotus ever is also the final combustion model - a fitting farewell? www.pistonheads.com
The Smoking Tire	Video Review
Auto Daily	Article	2024 Lotus Emira i4 Review - Automotive Daily This is the last new internal combustion engined Lotus sports car. The last in a line that started with the Seven, captured the world’s imagination with the www.autodaily.com.au

 

[PsymonR]

LOL, I'll try.

There is an upshift at 6:30, I can't see the transmission gear but I'm guessing it's the 2-3 shift.

00:000 Paddle press, the upshift indicator goes away almost immediately.
00:200 Engine audibly begins to reduce in RPM
00:333 Engine begins to visibly reduce in RPM
00:500 Engine stops decreasing in RPM

Downshift at 2:52

00:000 Paddle press, can't see any immediate indication of anything
00:450 Engine audibly begins to increase in RPM
00:567 Engine begins to visibly increase in RPM
00:767 Engine stops increasing in RPM

Not quite as bad as the Emira, but downshifts certainly are taking longer than upshifts.

So from these timings, if looking at total time for the shift, upshifts are about on par, with Emira slightly slower on the downshift. But ultimately we're definitely not comparing one car being instantaneous and the other not.

In both cases downshifts are happening slower, I wonder if that's in part due to the gearbox having pre-selected for upshift and some of the extra time is made up of changing ratios before the shift (plus perhaps your suggested rpm safety check). I wonder if the timings would be any different if the changes were to be carried out as part of a deceleration phase where the software may be more likely to expect a downshift and pre-select accordingly.

At the end of the day, I just want to drive it and know for sure, but I'm not overly concerned at the moment given how I'll not be pushing to the absolute limit!

 

[Nova]

So from these timings, if looking at total time for the shift, upshifts are about on par, with Emira slightly slower on the downshift. But ultimately we're definitely not comparing one car being instantaneous and the other not.

In both cases downshifts are happening slower, I wonder if that's in part due to the gearbox having pre-selected for upshift and some of the extra time is made up of changing ratios before the shift (plus perhaps your suggested rpm safety check). I wonder if the timings would be any different if the changes were to be carried out as part of a deceleration phase where the software may be more likely to expect a downshift and pre-select accordingly.

At the end of the day, I just want to drive it and know for sure, but I'm not overly concerned at the moment given how I'll not be pushing to the absolute limit!

Right, looks like this is a characteristic of the 8G-DCT.

 

[Cutting42]

Saw this long track run with the i4, hard to tell about shift speed as you cant see or hear the inputs but it sounds great and the driver is having a blast:

 

[digilotus]

Includes a great external sound comparison between the V6 (front Magma car passing by at 4m 06s) and the I4s.

 

[EMIRADILEMMA]

Saw this long track run with the i4, hard to tell about shift speed as you cant see or hear the inputs but it sounds great and the driver is having a blast:

He seemed like he had a lot of fun!

 

[underhill]

Includes a great external sound comparison between the V6 (front Magma car passing by at 4m 06s) and the I4s.

Damn, really doesn’t sound bad at all

 

[Andy H]

Damn, really doesn’t sound bad at all

I really hope the UK versions sounds this good, Is the OPF fitted to these cars I wonder?

 

[JimH]

 

[Stsainj]

Another i4 video. Engine sounds decent. They note no wind buffeting with windows open. Some summary commentary around 20:30

 

[kitkat]

I really hope the UK versions sounds this good, Is the OPF fitted to these cars I wonder?

There is no OPF on the V6, but I wonder if the I4 has one.

 

[Mark.]

Latest article here https://www.evo.co.uk/lotus/emira/2...023-review-the-final-combustion-engined-lotus

 

[Tokion]

Latest article here https://www.evo.co.uk/lotus/emira/2...023-review-the-final-combustion-engined-lotus

Noticeable discrepancy between the body of the review and the happy conclusion. Almost like the written text first was agreed upon by a diplomatic committee.

 

[Andy H]

This is one of the most postive reviews I've seen of the I4. Especially as Jethro's original review of the V6 wasn't too flattering. I've been reading EVO for many years and I trust their opinion over most so this is quite an encouraging sign. They mention hitting the limiter once and also the awkward positioning of the paddles and lack of positive click but nothing about being unresponsive or slow.

 

[Andy H]

Almost like the written text first was agreed upon by a diplomatic committee

I agree too that I might have expected a more gushing review given the 4.5 score. Not many cars reach that lofty territory!

 

[underhill]

I agree too that I might have expected a more gushing review given the 4.5 score. Not many cars reach that lofty territory!

Well, seems like they enjoyed the car a lot just wanted to ensure that the gripes were properly noted.

 

[schuey100]

Spoke to customer service today after having a cancellation wobble (they rang back after 5 minutes of calling them so quick service) spoke to Danny, very polite and helpful as my car should be in production this month he said they weren’t sure if it would be or not as they have had more delays as we know but rest assured he says the gearbox shifting delay that have worried everyone have been noted after the press car reviews and sorted!! Here’s to hoping so and looking forward to a test drive (no dates on demos though)

 

[JimH]

Spoke to customer service today after having a cancellation wobble (they rang back after 5 minutes of calling them so quick service) spoke to Danny, very polite and helpful as my car should be in production this month he said they weren’t sure if it would be or not as they have had more delays as we know but rest assured he says the gearbox shifting delay that have worried everyone have been noted after the press car reviews and sorted!! Here’s to hoping so and looking forward to a test drive (no dates on demos though)

Some good news there but they also told me my i4 build would be August, then September - I got the Enhance and Protect email in early September but nothing since then by email and the same "holding statements" on LCCS chat - they were still saying I was showing as a September build last week but I'm not sure how often their records get updated from production....

 

[Cutting42]

Spoke to customer service today after having a cancellation wobble (they rang back after 5 minutes of calling them so quick service) spoke to Danny, very polite and helpful as my car should be in production this month he said they weren’t sure if it would be or not as they have had more delays as we know but rest assured he says the gearbox shifting delay that have worried everyone have been noted after the press car reviews and sorted!! Here’s to hoping so and looking forward to a test drive (no dates on demos though)

Mine was made last month apparently and my encounter with CS was less than inspiring last week. Glad you had a bit more detail and glad about shifting fixes.

 

[Tokion]

he says the gearbox shifting delay that have worried everyone have been noted after the press car reviews and sorted!!

To me, and supposedly to everyone with locked in, partly with non-refundable prepayments, for First Edition i4, AMG 2.0 Turbo cars, this news from schuey100 regarding Lotus actually fixing the shifting delay of the 8G-DCT gearbox is the SINGLE BEST NEWS regarding this model. I personally do not worry about anything else (turbo-lag, slightly lighter hydraulic steering effort, fan-noise etc) - neither of these things worry me, because I have driven many turbo cars (including 3 x Mazda RX-7, and several models of SAAB 900 & 9000, plus also multiple BMW and Alpina models with twin turbochargers).

It almost gave me the FAITH IN LOTUS back
Because it means that Lotus Cars in Hethel, Norfolk actually listened to the reviewers (that had been selected by Lotus in the first place) and actually taken action to fix what was wrong, and make it right!

Now I wonder if the i4 tested by EVO and published in late September had the revised gearbox software with eliminated delays? It seems this review avoids talking about any “shifting delay”, which is why I am wondering if the content of this review really is genuine (even if it supports the i4).

At least I am hoping that schuey100’s reported comments regarding that “shifting delays have been sorted” are truly genuine.

My i4 FE is supposedly being built in November, and delivery is said to happen during February or March (where I live in Japan).

 

[simonb]

So is the story that lotus took the i4 gearbox, that did not have shifting issues from a mercedes; added shifting issues (presumably as an unintended consequence of other changes); then lotus fully developed the car to the point of sale, happy with their work. Journalists then remarked "this is a bit shit" and the world leading sportscar manufacturer then dialed out this trait that they had not noticed themselves?

Would fill me full of faith