Lotus Emira vs 2023 Corvette Z06

[supersix]

Is anyone considering ordering the new Z06? Pricing hasn't been officially released, but it's rumored to start around $90k. Totally different animal then the Emira. 670hp & 0-60 in 2.1 secs. I only ask since the pricing could be close to the Emira FE.

 

[DaaS]

I respect it for what it is, but I am guessing it would be $120K with options and $140K with mark-ups. And yes, different animals too!

 

[DJW]

Love the idea……struggle with the looks

 

[Pegasi]

More power doesn't always equal more fun. Even if the Z06 was the same price as the Emira I wouldn't have it but I know there are a lot that would.

 

[DJW]

I’ve been through 80+ cars. When people ask me the most fun car I’ve had , the caterham with 140bhp is probably at top of the list. Scream the arse off the engine with 6 speed box, without fear of losing license through insane speeds.

911 GT3 one of the most disappointing for road use. due to opposite end of speed scale required for fun.

 

[Green]

GM opens official investigation into C8 Corvette transmission leaks

In March 2020, a month after Chevrolet began customer deliveries of the 2020 C8 Corvette, a GM dealer technician created a Reddit thread about a leaking gearbox in a Corvette with 32 miles. Since then, as a search of "C8 Corvette transmission leak" shows, it's been tales of woe for some owners...

www.yahoo.com

 

[Style]

I am #41 with a local Lotus US dealer and yesterday I was successfully able to put a deposit down at MSRP for a Z06 but I will not know my place in line for the Z06 until next week. If I am able to get a Z06 next year or early the following year then I will cancel my Lotus order, however, If I end up being on the list for a 2025+ MY then I will keep my spot for the Emira and decide later on what to do with it once I am up to order the Z06. The Emira is the better looking car but on everything else I prefer the Z06. I have never owned a Lotus but I did recently test drive an Evora and it was nice but I would not say (in my opinion) it was a better driving experience than the C8 I owned last year. I was also more comfortable with the information that Chevrolet announced about the Z06 than what Lotus provided about their Emira.

 

[Manx-Emira]

As a die hard Corvette fan (current car will be leaving the garage for an Emira!), I did contact a UK dealer who confirmed that the chances of a RHD Z06 is impossible to call at this point. Even if Chevy did produce any, the numbers will be low, the waiting list high and priority would probably go to existing C8 owners. Add to that a time frame of many years. So for me, the Z06 launch at least confirmed that the base C8 is not for me and the Emira order is the right choice!

 

[eclat2emira]

I’ve been through 80+ cars. When people ask me the most fun car I’ve had , the caterham with 140bhp is probably at top of the list. Scream the arse off the engine with 6 speed box, without fear of losing license through insane speeds.

911 GT3 one of the most disappointing for road use. due to opposite end of speed scale required for fun.

This is exactly what people lose sight of. My brother is on his second 991 GT3 but it is SO FAST everywhere! You can hardly nail the throttle on the road without having to back off.

The speed you could carry round blind corners where you could encounter a slow moving cyclist or a horse is worrying....

Us mere mortals need to be going a bit less rapidly to have any chance when we approach the limits.

 

[frazzer]

This is exactly what people lose sight of. My brother is on his secong 991 GT3 but it is SO FAST everywhere! You can hardly nail the throttle on the road without having to back off.

The speed you could carry round blind corners where you could encounter a slow moving cyclist or a horse is worrying....

Us mere mortals need to be going a bit less rapidly to have any chance when we approach the limits.

Don't understand why most manufacturers chase numbers for road cars - I suppose it's harder to quantify 'fun' and driving pleasure.

A few years ago I had a tuned BMW 335i (315hp with the N55 not the crazy N54), I know that sounds tame but in most situations it was too fast for the road to drive at 9/10ths and start feeling the limits. I could only do that when it was wet or on track. And it's at the limits where the fun is. Ride quality and enjoyment mean a lot more.

Credit to Porsche in some respects, they haven't really increased the hp of the GT3 over the past few models, just made it more capable. Considered one a few times, but just feels like too much car.

 

[Pegasi]

I am #41 with a local Lotus US dealer and yesterday I was successfully able to put a deposit down at MSRP for a Z06 but I will not know my place in line for the Z06 until next week. If I am able to get a Z06 next year or early the following year then I will cancel my Lotus order, however, If I end up being on the list for a 2025+ MY then I will keep my spot for the Emira and decide later on what to do with it once I am up to order the Z06. The Emira is the better looking car but on everything else I prefer the Z06. I have never owned a Lotus but I did recently test drive an Evora and it was nice but I would not say (in my opinion) it was a better driving experience than the C8 I owned last year. I was also more comfortable with the information that Chevrolet announced about the Z06 than what Lotus provided about their Emira.

When you say the Evora wasn't better than the C8, would you rate them as equal? Since you drove both I would love to hear more of your opinion comparing the two. And, as you know, the Emira is supposed to handle even better than an Evora. But again, this is very individual to each person and what they are looking for such as track, daily, weekend, etc.

The Z06 seems like a monster though.

 

[eclat2emira]

Don't understand why most manufacturers chase numbers for road cars - I suppose it's harder to quantify 'fun' and driving pleasure.

A few years ago I had a tuned BMW 335i (315hp with the N55 not the crazy N54), I know that sounds tame but in most situations it was too fast for the road to drive at 9/10ths and start feeling the limits. I could only do that when it was wet or on track. And it's at the limits where the fun is. Ride quality and enjoyment mean a lot more.

Credit to Porsche in some respects, they haven't really increased the hp of the GT3 over the past few models, just made it more capable. Considered one a few times, but just feels like too much car.

The GT3s have all been very accomplished, capable cars, with much to admire - but yes, too much for most people - and situations.

 

[Sheldon]

This thread hit the nail on the head for me. I got to see, sit in and hear a C8 Z06 start in LA and was blown away. I immediately asked friends in car club to see if they could work connections to get me an allocation. But then some weeks went by and my mind started to change. I think part of it is the lack of a manual. Being able to drive a stick was a dream of mine as a kid. I can’t give it up. Also, after doing a half dozen track days I started questioning how fast I need to go. I have no desire to wheel to wheel race. Going seconds faster around a track sure as hell isn’t going to put any money in my pocket.

I saw the Emira and was smitten. A mid engine manual with a bullet proof engine that looks an exotic is right up my alley. I’m now on the list for the Emira. I know I’ll have fun with it on the street and the track if I so desire.

 

[Tonyshepp]

This thread hit the nail on the head for me. I got to see, sit in and hear a C8 Z06 start in LA and was blown away. I immediately asked friends in car club to see if they could work connections to get me an allocation. But then some weeks went by and my mind started to change. I think part of it is the lack of a manual. Being able to drive a stick was a dream of mine as a kid. I can’t give it up. Also, after doing a half dozen track days I started questioning how fast I need to go. I have no desire to wheel to wheel race. Going seconds faster around a track sure as hell isn’t going to put any money in my pocket.

I saw the Emira and was smitten. A mid engine manual with a bullet proof engine that looks an exotic is right up my alley. I’m now on the list for the Emira. I know I’ll have fun with it on the street and the track if I so desire.

Like you say performance is great for the track and bragging rights in the pub but anything that does 0-60mpj in 5 seconds is quick enough for the road, probably a tad too quick. Most of the roads in the UK aren't suitable for spirited driving, there's a few country roads which have cyclists and often horses on it again which limits how fast you can go. Handling though can be felt and appreciated at any speed which should shine through on the Emira.

 

[CanadianEmira]

Don't understand why most manufacturers chase numbers for road cars - I suppose it's harder to quantify 'fun' and driving pleasure.

A few years ago I had a tuned BMW 335i (315hp with the N55 not the crazy N54), I know that sounds tame but in most situations it was too fast for the road to drive at 9/10ths and start feeling the limits. I could only do that when it was wet or on track. And it's at the limits where the fun is. Ride quality and enjoyment mean a lot more.

Credit to Porsche in some respects, they haven't really increased the hp of the GT3 over the past few models, just made it more capable. Considered one a few times, but just feels like too much car.

Yeah, I can’t wait for the hp wars to end. Increases in hp used to bring meaningful changes to the ownership experience. Now, we’re approaching numbers that actively take away from the fun on the road. What difference does it make at this point if your car does 0-60 in 2.5 or 3.5 seconds? Both will land you in jail quicker than you can say Emira.

I’ve come to realize 100-125hp per 1000lbs is my ideal max for a road car.

 

[TXEMIRA]

Yeah, I can’t wait for the hp wars to end. Increases in hp used to bring meaningful changes to the ownership experience. Now, we’re approaching numbers that actively take away from the fun on the road. What difference does it make at this point if your car does 0-60 in 2.5 or 3.5 seconds? Both will land you in jail quicker than you can say Emira.

I’ve come to realize 100-125hp per 1000lbs is my ideal max for a road car.

100% with you on this.

It’s a recipe. I really like garlic in my marinara sauce but there’s a Goldilocks amount of it that’s best.

 

[Eagle7]

I was watching a podcast on The Smoking Tire with Chris Harris and they were discussing the issue of too much power for the street, and how it actually takes away the enjoyment of driving. Some cars are getting so powerful and such a handful, that you can't for a second take your focus away from keeping it under control. It was very interesting to hear the host and Harris talking about how they've become no longer impressed with tons of horsepower, but are more interested in other aspects of a car as whether or not it's a good or great car.

I feel the same way. How much power do I need to enjoy driving the car? My AWD Alfa Romeo Giulia has about 300 hp (I have a tune), weighs about 3,700 lbs, and it's a lot of fun to drive. That's a weight to power ratio of 12.33. According to Car&Driver, their test car did 0-60 in 5.5 seconds. The Emira FE is supposed to be about 3200 lbs with 416 hp, so that's a weight to power ratio of 7.69. With being 500 lbs lighter, and having 116 more horsepower than my Alfa, it's going to feel a LOT faster, so if driving the Alfa is fun, how much more of a blast is the Emira going to be?

 

[Matt]

View attachment 1075

Is anyone considering ordering the new Z06? Pricing hasn't been officially released, but it's rumored to start around $90k. Totally different animal then the Emira. 670hp & 0-60 in 2.1 secs. I only ask since the pricing could be close to the Emira FE.

I envy car enthusiasts in the USA. The price of current version of Z06 in China is around $320,000.

 

[Pegasi]

I ditto all the comments here. Of course hearing about all out performance and track times is cool but I am mostly concerned with how fast I could drive it on a track and something that is practical for the road. I have always been a Lotus admirer but I didn't really dig in and learn until the Emira. I love the formula they have with handling, weight, and power.

 

[CanadianEmira]

100% with you on this.

It’s a recipe. I really like garlic in my marinara sauce but there’s a Goldilocks amount of it that’s best.

A recipe is a perfect way to think about it. Too much hp ruins the whole dish.