New member/engine specs

[Notlob42]

New member, new to Lotus. Have a deposit down on the Cayman 718 gts 4.0 with no sign of allocations, then I discovered Emira. Will probably put down a deposit this month, but concerned about a few things. Anyone know the HP for the Toyota engine? I’m not interested in anything that I can’t get with a manual transmission. Also, the mid engine design is cool but the exposure in the cabin has me concerned about noise levels. I can’t tell from the photos but does anyone know if the cabin is insulated from engine noise. Doesn’t make much sense to have a good audio system if I have to wear earplugs.

 

[GarrethN]

New member, new to Lotus. Have a deposit down on the Cayman 718 gts 4.0 with no sign of allocations, then I discovered Emira. Will probably put down a deposit this month, but concerned about a few things. Anyone know the HP for the Toyota engine? I’m not interested in anything that I can’t get with a manual transmission. Also, the mid engine design is cool but the exposure in the cabin has me concerned about noise levels. I can’t tell from the photos but does anyone know if the cabin is insulated from engine noise. Doesn’t make much sense to have a good audio system if I have to wear earplugs.

The official line from Lotus Is that the V6 will have 400HP. Several comments made earlier at Goodwood etc said it would be 416, so assume 400 and if it’s a bit higher, happy days 😁

 

[Notlob42]

Awesome, thanks! I knew original estimates were 360-400 but I wasn’t sure which configuration they were referring to.

 

[GarrethN]

Awesome, thanks! I knew original estimates were 360-400 but I wasn’t sure which configuration they were referring to.

360 is for the AMG i4, 400 for the already used V6 Toyota

 

[New to Lotus]

In the launch video the designer talks about the extensive work that has been done to noise and vibration insulation, but it's another thing we will have to wait for until somebody in the motoring press gets in one and drives it.

 

[DJW]

Evora was similarly sound damped to any 911 I have owned. In fact when you “closed“ the exhaust it could be hard to hear any noise. Open the exhaust and floor the throttle it’s a different matter though With a wonderful sound .

Test drive an Evora for real life experience.

 

[DrNio13]

the base model will be AMG i4 2.0L with 360hp?

 

[JAY]

That what they say but tuned version is around 420

 

[TXEMIRA]

New member, new to Lotus. Have a deposit down on the Cayman 718 gts 4.0 with no sign of allocations, then I discovered Emira. Will probably put down a deposit this month, but concerned about a few things.

Any update on your 718 deposit? Another thread on here is basically saying “good luck”…

 

[Notlob42]

Any update on your 718 deposit? Another thread on here is basically saying “good luck”…

“Good luck” is a valid point of view to have on this car. I was late in the game, putting down a deposit last month. I’m #113 at the number two dealership in US. Went to the viewing the other day and asked the dealer what the prospects were. The answer was predictably vague, but he assured me (yes “assured” means nothing these days) that I would be able to place an order if I maintained my deposit, but it would probably be in 2023.

Pro: there will be manufacturing problems with a new facility and by that time Lotus might have things under control. Also, by that time there will be solid reviews from owners and established car critics.

There may also be other options/colors available.

Con: FE will no longer be available. To spec out a base at the same config could be ridiculously expensive.

Inflation. Dealer tells me “they’ve never done ADM”, have no plans to institute the program. I’ll believe it when I write the check.

Build schedule. Dealer says Lotus will build the cars in engine lots. First will be manual engine, then they shut down that line and fulfill the automatic lot, then back and forth through the cycle. So if your allocation date doesn’t hit the cycle it could mean several additional
months before you get your car.

The other con is somewhat political but I have to bring it up. Geely is a Chinese corporation. They’ve bought the Lotus name so they can get into the western car market with a respected, albeit niche, brand name purely for the purpose of building an electric vehicle in Asia (Wuhan, to be specific). The only cars built in UK will be ICE sports cars, and we know where that dinosaur is headed. I don’t think Hethel will become the next car manufacturing giant for the UK. What will happen to product/customer support over the next few years? Will the Hethel facility still exist in a few years? Yes Geely have invested heavily but once they get their investment back from the brand recognition on the SUV that’s made in China and the brand is still niche, I doubt if they’ll maintain a facility if it remains a small , minimally profitable indulgence.

 

[Notlob42]

Before everyone jumps on me about the Evija I’ll admit it will be made in the UK. But it’s a rare hypercar that will be built in such small numbers as to be insignificant as a moneymaker for the brand

 

[EM12AAM]

The other con is somewhat political but I have to bring it up. Geely is a Chinese corporation. They’ve bought the Lotus name so they can get into the western car market with a respected, albeit niche, brand name purely for the purpose of building an electric vehicle in Asia (Wuhan, to be specific). The only cars built in UK will be ICE sports cars, and we know where that dinosaur is headed. I don’t think Hethel will become the next car manufacturing giant for the UK. What will happen to product/customer support over the next few years? Will the Hethel facility still exist in a few years? Yes Geely have invested heavily but once they get their investment back from the brand recognition on the SUV that’s made in China and the brand is still niche, I doubt if they’ll maintain a facility if it remains a small , minimally profitable indulgence.

They have said that they will continue to build the sports cars in Hethel and will be building electric vehicles there.

 

[Notlob42]

They have said that they will continue to build the sports cars in Hethel and will be building electric vehicles there.

Until the facility is completed in wuhan

 

[donskibeat]

Until the facility is completed in wuhan

From what I understand and I live 3 miles away from Hethel, and going on the amount of money spent building new facilities at Hethel they are going to continue using it even after Wuhan completed, it is an additional facility not a replacement facility.

 

[TomE]

Whilst £100m might be peanuts to Geely, the creation of a new UK sportscar production facility, setting up a design centre near Warwick and hiring experienced design, procurement, production and QA staff from Bentley, Renault and McLaren doesn't look like the kind of investment you'd make if it was only temporary.

 

[Eagle7]

China might be used for manufacture, but the design, engineering, testing and development will most likely be at Hethel. There's no sensible business reason to change that. In fact, I expect the sports/performance cars to be made at Hethel, but the other vehicles like SUV, saloons, etc. that would be high volume production would possibly be made in China. I envision the arrangement being similar to what Apple does.

 

[donskibeat]

Would have been no point in opening the new factory in Norwich where they create the extruded and bonded aluminium chassis if they were not planning on building in Hethel going forward.

The start of a new manufacturing era for Lotus - Lotus Cars Media Site

media.lotuscars.com

 

[New to Lotus]

I agree sports car products designed and built in hethel more main stream models suv and sedan made in China.