Henry Catchpole - Carfection review

[kitkat]

I think the 430 tune would have made a big difference.

Ironically baring in mind the competition, if we are talking ageing engines with character this would have been good

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2021/10/remembering-the-lotus-developed-lt5-v8-in-the-c4-corvette-zr-1/

I'm sure they'll release a 430 tune later down the line with more hard core bits and pieces, but I don't plan on waiting for such a car now. Life is too short.

 

[Leonard]

I'm sure they'll release a 430 tune later down the line with more hard core bits and pieces, but I don't plan on waiting for such a car now. Life is too short.

Same and I'm not paying another 20k for the privilege

 

[emiraspain]

I only want the Spyder and its pretty hard to miss 😋🕷

the spyder is undoubtedly the best porsche option... if u cant stretch to a touring

 

[GetawayDriving]

I think the oddest thing about the Emira launch is that they revealed the car in July 2021, but it seems like they were nowhere near ready to actually deliver the car. Reviews are still coming out 1 year later with pre-production models. I'm not convinced the i-4 car is actually "finished" from an engineering standpoint either.

Perhaps the early "launch" was to determine the kind of demand they'd have.

A lot has happened in the world since then. These delays are related to supply chain disruption, not marketing strategy.

 

[Speedluvver]

Just a thought....... I have an s2 exige which I previously ran on Toyo AD08R tyres - turn in was great on both fast and tight bends. As the AD08R is gone now, I have had to replace with AD08RS - suspension geo etc not changed.... I now have the same issue as some of these folks say about the Emira on the Goodyears - still brilliant in the faster bends, lacking bite in the tighter ones... Maybe its the tyres and they have spec'd them for the 'General Public'.
Another observation - Henry's (and Top Gears) prototype review don't mention this 'issue' - so maybe touring and Goodyear's works better then sport and the goodyears...

 

[Speedluvver]

Sad isn't it. As I honestly thought a year ago that it could be that car 🙁

It might still be.... (glass half full and all that)

 

[TomE]

I wonder how the Sports and Touring Emira suspension compares to the standard suspension set up of the Elise, Exige, Evora or even a Caterham. As many of us have experienced at least one of these, it would give us a better idea of what they are like.

Emira Touring suspension setup is the equivalent of Evora Series 1 SC (not the NA). Emira Sports is equivalent to Evora GT410 (US GT). Any V6 Exige is much stiffer than Emira Sports.

 

[Leonard]

It might still be.... (glass half full and all that)

Yup still waiting on a test drive, but im very up and down on it now and struggling to stay enthused.
I cant decide if Geely hobbled the car to give it mass market appeal.
OR
Lotus knew they couldn't make a class leading car from what they had available, in the time avaialble so purposely dialed it back.
OR
My expectations and excitement a year ago based upon a last hoorah ICE Lotus were just wildly off the mark
I keep thinking I should maybe get the i4, but then I purposely didn't get the 4cyl PDK 718 over the V6 so what would that gain me when the Porsche is still probably the more exciting car with the better gearbox and with an on par engine.
Anyway waffling again...... I think I'm just annoyed with myself that I've waited a year for this car and now there's a big chance its not going to be as expected

 

[NickR]

Reading between the lines.
The exerior design is great.

Frustration at lack of a finished car (I still don't believe it's just down to supply)

Lotus should have put a new drive train and engine in it for the FE launch car.

The AMG unit could be a better choice
Suspension (sports) is quirky

In Summary
A slightly confused offering as it could be a great car but some design choices have missed the mark. Still going to a great alternative to the 'other sports car'

 

[TomE]

Didn’t Henry tour in the Shadow Grey car? Now we have a review of a Hethel Yellow? What am I missing?

To clarify on this. The early June EVO magazine review was in the Shadow Grey press car AU22 BUV which was Sport + Goodyears and was driven down to Monaco. The same car was used for Jethro's track test at a very wet Anglesey circuit.

The Hethel Yellow car used for this video is another press car from the same generation (one step prior to production) AU22 BUO also running Sport + Goodyears. That car was also used for several other reviews in early June. I'm guessing this review was filmed after EVO's Anglesey test and shortly after publication of the other reviews, so around mid June. We know the footage had been filmed before Goodwood and was being edited by then.

 

[New to Lotus]

Still no production seats he said sat on it rather than in it?
Anybody 6'2 sat in a production spec seat????

 

[Speedluvver]

Yup still waiting on a test drive, but im very up and down on it now and struggling to stay enthused.
I cant decide if Geely hobbled the car to give it mass market appeal.
OR
Lotus knew they couldn't make a class leading car from what they had available, in the time avaialble so purposely dialed it back.
OR
My expectations and excitement a year ago based upon a last hoorah ICE Lotus were just wildly off the mark
I keep thinking I should maybe get the i4, but then I purposely didn't get the 4cyl PDK 718 over the V6 so what would that gain me when the Porsche is still probably the more exciting car with the better gearbox and with an on par engine.
Anyway waffling again...... I think I'm just annoyed with myself that I've waited a year for this car and now there's a big chance its not going to be as expected

I think you'll be surprised... just a hunch based on what the folks who have driven it have said (that are not journalists)
I am waiting for your test drive as much as you are

 

[New to Lotus]

Why no review about the drive to Monaco in the grey car Jethro drove round the track??

 

[kitkat]

Yup still waiting on a test drive, but im very up and down on it now and struggling to stay enthused.
I cant decide if Geely hobbled the car to give it mass market appeal.
OR
Lotus knew they couldn't make a class leading car from what they had available, in the time avaialble so purposely dialed it back.
OR
My expectations and excitement a year ago based upon a last hoorah ICE Lotus were just wildly off the mark
I keep thinking I should maybe get the i4, but then I purposely didn't get the 4cyl PDK 718 over the V6 so what would that gain me when the Porsche is still probably the more exciting car with the better gearbox and with an on par engine.
Anyway waffling again...... I think I'm just annoyed with myself that I've waited a year for this car and now there's a big chance its not going to be as expected

I won't be able to wait for a test drive I'm fairly sure -- my car would arrive in the same batch as the US dealer demo cars.

 

[TomE]

I think the oddest thing about the Emira launch is that they revealed the car in July 2021, but it seems like they were nowhere near ready to actually deliver the car. Reviews are still coming out 1 year later with pre-production models. I'm not convinced the i-4 car is actually "finished" from an engineering standpoint either.

Perhaps the early "launch" was to determine the kind of demand they'd have.

Yes. They had to launch ahead of completing development to gauge demand, as Covid meant lead times for sourcing components would have created even bigger delays than we're already seeing if they'd waited until they had a completed car.

It was a gamble, which to some extent paid off in giving them a clear idea of much higher demand than expected. But it also raised expectations the car was further developed than it was and hence "why do I have to wait another year for first deliveries" and the frustrations about waiting.

The i4 development had always been planned to be 6 months longer than the V6 version, so yes it isn't finished yet from an engineering perspective.

 

[Speedluvver]

I won't be able to wait for a test drive I'm fairly sure -- my car would arrive in the same batch as the US dealer demo cars.

The Lotus aftermarket community is very active, and there will be ways to get the handling to your requirements.. I am not saying you should buy a car and then spend money on changing it.. but the option will be there...
(upgraditus is a real thing in the Lotus community )

 

[Leonard]

I won't be able to wait for a test drive I'm fairly sure -- my car would arrive in the same batch as the US dealer demo cars.

To be honest I'm not 100% either...

 

[Leonard]

To clarify on this. The early June EVO magazine review was in the Shadow Grey press car AU22 BUV which was Sport + Goodyears and was driven down to Monaco. The same car was used for Jethro's track test at a very wet Anglesey

Got to be a little strange to give him the same 'compromised' set up again!?

 

[NickR]

Got to be a little strange to give him the same 'compromised' set up again!?

Not sure it's compromised as would be a common choice for UK all round weather. What is interesting is the tour setup version didn't have that many reviews I seem to remember it was the magma car

 

[TomE]

Why no review about the drive to Monaco in the grey car Jethro drove round the track??

That’s in the print version of EVO from early June.