Redline Reviews: "The 2025 Lotus Emira 2.0T Is A Superlative Driver's Car With A Stonking Motor From AMG"

[gcmak]

 

[Lotusdoesit]

I don't recall ever seeing him this happy reviewing a vehicle. I do agree though that shifter is a PITA and the rear engine cover is ugly. I will stick to my V6 Manual Supercharged.

 

[Andy H]

I think he liked it

There were a few inaccuracies but I'm prepared to forgive him, given his enthusiasm. Whilst the Emira is not a drag race kind of car, those launches were pretty impressive.

 

[DeltaTL6]

I wish the wireless phone charger mistake was true...

I also thought his launches were in a slightly downhill section. But maybe I am just jealous it's a second faster...

 

[djprov431]

That review was weak -- he had many of the car features inaccurately described & the car looked like hell, blah. Not to mention that giddie laugh. Fail.

 

[MiamiBlue]

Turns out there is replacement for displacement. That thing is fast.

But he didn't realise all the sounds he was hearing come out the speakers..

 

[brainf18]

Its hard to call it a "superlative" drivers car with a DCT. A "sports car" - yes, but the market has spoken and 6 speed cars across the market are what collectors and enthusiasts really desire and will pay up for.

 

[Rayjoedef]

Its hard to call it a "superlative" drivers car with a DCT. A "sports car" - yes, but the market has spoken and 6 speed cars across the market are what collectors and enthusiasts really desire and will pay up for.

Would you use the same logic for a pdk gt3? It sure was a superlative car when I owned it.

The dct emira is a very visceral car....and as more reviews of the 400hp car are coming out, they are proving such.

 

[NorCalEmira]

Would you use the same logic for a pdk gt3? It sure was a superlative car when I owned it.

The dct emira is a very visceral car....and as more reviews of the 400hp car are coming out, they are proving such.

While I agree that all GT3's are sweet and I enjoyed my 991 with PDK prior to the Emira, the 6 speed GT3's command a premium in the aftermarket. The other thing to keep in mind is real world driving experience versus launch control driven acceleration stats or the last word in track times. For example, I never used launch control on my GT3 because it's abusive to the car. Both powertrains are good choices with the Emira but it really depends upon the experience that you're after and real world performance is closer than the stats indicate.

 

[Rayjoedef]

While I agree that all GT3's are sweet and I enjoyed my 991 with PDK prior to the Emira, the 6 speed GT3's command a premium in the aftermarket. The other thing to keep in mind is real world driving experience versus launch control driven acceleration stats or the last word in track times. For example, I never used launch control on my GT3 because it's abusive to the car. Both powertrains are good choices with the Emira but it really depends upon the experience that you're after and real world performance is closer than the stats indicate.

Yes, I certainly agree with that. That said, I've never bought an enthusiast car worrying about exit strategy....if that was the case, I wouldn't have touched the emira.

 

[Emira Fan]

[yes, but the market has spoken and 6 speed cars across the market are what collectors and enthusiasts really desire and really desire and will pay up for. ]

Given their are almost no manual performance cars produced for the US market in 2025. Not sure this accurate. Ferrari , Lambo, Mclaren, Austin Martin, etc basically All major performance cars are DTC now, and have been for sometime.

 

[MickOpalak]

Its hard to call it a "superlative" drivers car with a DCT. A "sports car" - yes, but the market has spoken and 6 speed cars across the market are what collectors and enthusiasts really desire and will pay up for.

You're no true Scotsman!

 

[F1 SML8R]

@brainf18 The many manuals sitting around the US at dealers would tell you otherwise. Don't get me wrong, I like manual transmissions. However, when it comes to "going fast", dual clutch transmissions are the future.

@Emira Fan I think you said it best, manufacturers make what sells. They have years of sales data that tell them what is in fact selling. So yeah, dual clutch trannys are a thing amongst the masses.

 

[brainf18]

I know all the 4 pot, turbo, DCT buyers are going to "defend" their decisions and that's fine. To each their own. For me, a auto / DCT reduces the experience when compared to a manual trans. Yes, several manufacturers have gone away from Manuals and their enthusiast customer base complained so loudly that Porsche has brought back the manual and Ferrari just announced they are considering doing the same. So if you like your slush-o-matic, great. But for true enthusiast driving its a distant second when compared to a car with three pedals.

 

[RoryBellows]

Not much new to be said here but I do think we are going to see a mini resurgence of manuals in the highest tiers of the automotive spectrum. When all the cars go faster than you can handle, and they all still drive great around town, and they all cost enough to separate you from the common man you need a differentiating feature. EV isn't panning out and really just makes the problem worse since they will be even more similar. I think manufacturers are going to start pivoting from chasing lap times in favor of driver engagement and the quickest way to do that is throw a manual on it. Ferrari already said they were going to start looking into it which means they will do it. They've seen how Porsche commands premium pricing on small runs of manuals and its easy to sell a small run of Ferraris. We'll probably see a manual Icona edition Ferrari within a decade. The others will start doing the same.

 

[F1 SML8R]

Definitely not defending the purchase, just speaking to the quantifiable facts. I think you missed my "I like manual transmissions" comment. Also, another fun fact, two thirds of the sports cars I've owned have been manuals (my Evora and S2000 are probably at the top of my favorites list). However, as soon as I started tracking, no matter how good I got in my manual car, the equivalent car with a true dual clutch trans was always faster. So, I switched to keep up and realized I was faster in most cases, just didn't have the right tools.

Lastly, these are not "slush-o-matics". That would be a true torque converter based auto trans or the more modern CVT based. I agree with you, these are giant pieces o' cr@P in any sports car. That's why no one has a V6 auto Emira and why they are a second slower than the manual Emira (they were blowing up in the Evora platform under stress). Electro-hydraulically operated manual transmissions are the future and why all modern racing formulas use them, but it doesn't mean we all have to (but the stats say the majority of us do).

 

[F1 SML8R]

Not much new to be said here but I do think we are going to see a mini resurgence of manuals in the highest tiers of the automotive spectrum. When all the cars go faster than you can handle, and they all still drive great around town, and they all cost enough to separate you from the common man you need a differentiating feature. EV isn't panning out and really just makes the problem worse since they will be even more similar. I think manufacturers are going to start pivoting from chasing lap times in favor of driver engagement and the quickest way to do that is throw a manual on it. Ferrari already said they were going to start looking into it which means they will do it. They've seen how Porsche commands premium pricing on small runs of manuals and its easy to sell a small run of Ferraris. We'll probably see a manual Icona edition Ferrari within a decade. The others will start doing the same.

The Balboni Edition Gallardo essentially did this a decade ago. Every decade or so, manufacturers figure out there's that small population of people that have the money and will pay multiples of what the car should cost simply to say "they got one". Think 911R, etc. I agree great concepts, but us mere mortals will never be able to afford them. Or at least this mere mortal...

 

[Tomwa]

Definitely not defending the purchase, just speaking to the quantifiable facts. I think you missed my "I like manual transmissions" comment. Also, another fun fact, two thirds of the sports cars I've owned have been manuals (my Evora and S2000 are probably at the top of my favorites list). However, as soon as I started tracking, no matter how good I got in my manual car, the equivalent car with a true dual clutch trans was always faster. So, I switched to keep up and realized I was faster in most cases, just didn't have the right tools.

Lastly, these are not "slush-o-matics". That would be a true torque converter based auto trans or the more modern CVT based. I agree with you, these are giant pieces o' cr@P in any sports car. That's why no one has a V6 auto Emira and why they are a second slower than the manual Emira (they were blowing up in the Evora platform under stress). Electro-hydraulically operated manual transmissions are the future and why all modern racing formulas use them, but it doesn't mean we all have to (but the stats say the majority of us do).

Faster to what end? If performance is measured against yourself why does a DCT pulling times that are 1+ second faster matter?

If you are class racing maybe, though even then in a lot of racing there are intentional things to raise the skill floor. (No Traction, no Stability control, no ABS, etc).

Its easy to say that "This is the future". But if we are honest ICE isn't the future either. If we objectively just look at the tech, even for performance we *should* all be on a CVT of some kind. But i think it's an awful experience to drive most CVT cars, and it doesn't make for a good engine sound, and I don't know how the market would find a way to distinguish between a 'good CVT' and bad ones. Much like the prior slushboxes, and if we are honest the early hydraulic automated Manuals like the Ferrari F1 trans.

 

[seriously]

Generally like this guy's reviews. His launches confirm that the i4 is fast and a sub-4 second 0-60 car. His 0-60 launches in the manual v6 were terrible and with a passenger. I believe the v6 is a low 4 second 0-60 and just doesn't launch as hard without perfectly tuned DCT launch control. It's not a full second slower.

 

[seriously]

I think

Not much new to be said here but I do think we are going to see a mini resurgence of manuals in the highest tiers of the automotive spectrum. When all the cars go faster than you can handle, and they all still drive great around town, and they all cost enough to separate you from the common man you need a differentiating feature. EV isn't panning out and really just makes the problem worse since they will be even more similar. I think manufacturers are going to start pivoting from chasing lap times in favor of driver engagement and the quickest way to do that is throw a manual on it. Ferrari already said they were going to start looking into it which means they will do it. They've seen how Porsche commands premium pricing on small runs of manuals and its easy to sell a small run of Ferraris. We'll probably see a manual Icona edition Ferrari within a decade. The others will start doing the same.

I think people would go wild for a manual transmission driver's focused Ferrari. It would be dumb money. If it becomes unobtainium, then it continues to propel the Emira v6 manual value proposition. There would of course be comparison videos. Do I buy this for $500k or this for $75k ? I hope it happens because I think that further supports future appreciation // I know sports cars are not investments //