I too am in the same boat - talked it over with the wife this past weekend and I'm 95% confident I will wait and do a base V6 and spec it out with the options/packs I want. You and I have similar desires for options/packs (leather, black pack, black wheels), although I'll be opting for the V6 which means I'll probably have to wait longer.
My logic in favor of base over FE is the following:
- Longer timelines to budget/save since base won't be available until autumn 2022 at the earliest, and base V6 probably not until 2023. There's no forcing function requiring me to get the Emira as soon as possible other than it being a shiny new toy
- More color choices with base (I really want a light silver, grey, or white which according to @Stormcloud in his Ashford report will be introduced with the base offering)
- Ability to spec what options/packs I want as opposed to just throwing in the whole kit (e.g. I don't need the convenience pack or 12-way adjustable seats as this will be a track and twisty road car)
- A bit more peace of mind not being an early adopter of the Emira in the event of issues/recalls. If I were in the UK this would be less of an issue, however as noted in other posts, the dealer network here in the US is much more disparate and parts/etc will be harder to come by
All told maybe we'll see the FE press car when it's here in December and just make a call to keep our FE order, but I keep telling myself "patience is a virtue"