Japan - Who and Where are you? (エミーラ・ユーザー生息分布調査)

[forest]

The second Emira for the Japanese market in October 2022 was said to be off the line and ready for shipping, so the one displayed at the Tokyo Auto Salon is the one that can be driven on public roads in Japan.
Since two cars usually fit in a shipping container, the other car should already be in Japan.
Also, the demo car is supposed to be a test drive vehicle.

 

[Tokion]

The second Emira for the Japanese market in October 2022 was said to be off the line and ready for shipping, so the one displayed at the Tokyo Auto Salon is the one that can be driven on public roads in Japan.
Since two cars usually fit in a shipping container, the other car should already be in Japan.
Also, the demo car is supposed to be a test drive vehicle.

My information is that all of the 3 in total EMIRA that has been (and I believe two of them still are) in Japan so far are “loaners” from Lotus, and that they have not gone through the official process for becoming legal to drive on the road in Japan.

I recently heard from a reliable source that there are now additional EMIRA (customer destined) in Japan, and that these are now (during March 2023) going through the process for becoming legal for road use in Japan. This includes the legally required maximum sound level set by Japanese authorities for new, imported 2023 model car. Maybe early April we will see and hear those cars. One of them will most likely be exhibited in the LCI Lotus Harajuku showroom. Personally my greatest interest is to hear the sound level of these cars compared to cars shown on YouTube from the UK, USA, mainland Europe etc. I do expect the sound to be “subdued”, since the Japanese way is often to go that extra step further. The other question is if some of this sound dampening is “reversible”. The big thing in Japan is to remove some of the dampening, but put the dampening temporarily back in place at the time of “shaken” car inspection time. But even such action is getting tougher, because each licensed service garage is now required to monitor all the time (I have the experience getting caught by my previous BMW dealer)

 

[virtualmacho]

I do expect the sound to be “subdued”, since the Japanese way is often to go that extra step further.

For the v6, I don't think the sound level @5,100rpm (75% of max rev @6,800rpm) would be that bad, as long as the microphone is positioned facing away from the intake (supercharger). If there were a way to keep the exhaust valve closed at high rpm, that would be even better.
For the i4, I have no idea, but I would imagine the turbo would cut off a good part of the noise.

 

[virtualmacho]

Oh, and let's meet up at Harajuku!

 

[shin73]

I would be truly disappointed and put off if they muffled the sound for the japanese market. Ride height and stance has already proven to be different from the early marketing models, hopefully at least Lotus can keep the sound levels consistent with the other markets. If regulation doesn't allow, guess no way around it but wonder how the other manufactures are managing. See plenty of Porches and Lambos crazy loud without any aftermarket mods.

Anyway, looking very much forward to seeing those first legal customer deliveries in Japan. Fingers crossed they will sound as good as the cars on YouTube.

 

[Tokion]

I would be truly disappointed and put off if they muffled the sound for the japanese market. Ride height and stance has already proven to be different from the early marketing models, hopefully at least Lotus can keep the sound levels consistent with the other markets. If regulation doesn't allow, guess no way around it but wonder how the other manufactures are managing. See plenty of Porches and Lambos crazy loud without any aftermarket mods.

Anyway, looking very much forward to seeing those first legal customer deliveries in Japan. Fingers crossed they will sound as good as the cars on YouTube.

It would certainly not be LOTUS importer LCI that would keep the sound level down (rather on the contrary, LCI would gain from keeping a certain level of characteristic sound). This is solely the requirements by the Japanese authorities in charge. Personally my preference is also to retain a decent, but not overly loud, sound level like on the various EMIRA First Edition V6 Supercharged Manual transmission Cars we see, and hear, on YouTube. However, I am simply saying it is a question of “wait and listen” to what a road-legal Japanese V6 Supercharged car will really sound like.

Tonight in Shibuya I saw and heard a recent high-end Ferrari pass me (at the slope going by Parco, Apple Store and NHK). Point is that the sound was severely subdued, and nowhere close to what you imagine from a Ferrari. Admittedly it was going slow, and it was not at all driven aggressively. I still think the general sound level allowed for such high-end sports cars is going down. The many loud sports cars you hear through Meiji street and Omotesando are mostly illegally modified.

 

[Citizen]

Please friends , we need translation or resume this video XD

 

[virtualmacho]

Please friends , we need translation or resume this video XD

The ”Drift King” Keiichi Tsuchiya is basically saying 2 things:

• adequate power and good smooth torque from low RPMs
• this Lotus has a nice rear end - I like rear ends

That about sums it up!

 

[Cachaco131]

The ”Drift King” Keiichi Tsuchiya is basically saying 2 things:

• adequate power and good smooth torque from low RPMs
• this Lotus has a nice rear end - I like rear ends

That about sums it up!

Lol - hilarious. Some will still say they need 800bhp!

 

[shin73]

Maybe already out there but something I didn't know that was mentioned in the vid.

Emira produces 55kg of downforce at 201 km/h, drift king's take was that this should be an improvement over previous Lotus's around 'wiggliness' at high speeds.

Also it was mentioned in the video that he couldn't take the Emira out at full speed due to 'certain circumstances'. (Assume Lotus Japan was too conservative and didn't approve). Too bad, when I first saw the thumbnail I was expecting some Chris Harris action from him..

 

[virtualmacho]

The ”FRX" car was a UK spec car on loan from the UK, so most likely limited test drive activity only. Does anyone know if the one on display in Yokohama this weekend (Japan International Boat Show 2023) is the same car, or is it a Japan market spec car?

 

[Silver Storm]

Came for the cute girl in the thumb nail, stayed to see if Drift King Tsuchiya drifts the Emira. Watched/skipped certain sections where Tsuchiya was driving, but I did not see any drifting whatsoever. I mean come on, why get Tsuchiya drive the Emira if he can't show us what the Emira is capable of? That is just lame!

 

[Tokion]

Maybe already out there but something I didn't know that was mentioned in the vid.

Emira produces 55kg of downforce at 201 km/h, drift king's take was that this should be an improvement over previous Lotus's around 'wiggliness' at high speeds.

Also it was mentioned in the video that he couldn't take the Emira out at full speed due to 'certain circumstances'. (Assume Lotus Japan was too conservative and didn't approve). Too bad, when I first saw the thumbnail I was expecting some Chris Harris action from him..

LCL (Lotus Japan) does not own this car. It is a car borrowed from Lotus UK, and it is registered for use in the UK. It would not be proper to allow Tsuchiya to take it drifting at full speed. (However fun that might have been 🤣)

 

[ino]

“Soon”

credit: @430lu5

 

[virtualmacho]

“Soon”

Yay!
Are you going to be following them around for the next few days?

 

[Cachaco131]

Proof that HY represents 20pct of color palette

 

[ino]

Yay!
Are you going to be following them around for the next few days?

Not that much😁
I heard the first ship was reaching in middle of March and already in PDI, so those are not the first if the ship wasn’t delay.
Wish our cars start delivering in a moment!

BTW, I can’t find any magma one. It will be a rare colour maybe.

 

[ino]

Proof that HY represents 20pct of color palette

Precisely! And also seneca is 60%😁

 

[Cachaco131]

Precisely! And also seneca is 60%😁

And Magma is nowhere to be seen in Japan. Too many volcanos over there already...

 

[ino]

Emira is now displaying in Harajuku, again.

ロータス エミーラ V6 ファーストエディションが原宿ショールームで展示開始 | トップギア・ジャパン Top Gear JAPAN

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