Review day approaches…

[TomE]

Reading between the lines of various car reviewers online plus looking at publication dates for magazines.

I reckon first print reviews will be published this week, on Wednesday 9th. First online reviews I reckon will be just before that, on Tuesday 8th evening.

We know reviewer drives and filming have been done. They wouldn’t want to wait too long after that, as it risks leaks. Type 132 reveal is 29th March so Lotus will be timing that to go into magazines for start of April. Emira stuff therefore needs to be early March, not late March.

I’d previously suggested first review being Top Gear on TV on 27th March. But I think I’ve got that wrong and instead I now think TG will release online on 8th evening and in the magazine on 9th. Autocar have already declared a review coming on 9th, with CAR due a few days later.

I’ll be staying up late on Tuesday night to check if I’m right

 

[eclat2emira]

Reading between the lines of various car reviewers online plus looking at publication dates for magazines.

I reckon first print reviews will be published this week, on Wednesday 9th. First online reviews I reckon will be just before that, on Tuesday 8th evening.

We know reviewer drives and filming have been done. They wouldn’t want to wait too long after that, as it risks leaks. Type 132 reveal is 29th March so Lotus will be timing that to go into magazines for start of April. Emira stuff therefore needs to be early March, not late March.

I’d previously suggested first review being Top Gear on TV on 27th March. But I think I’ve got that wrong and instead I now think TG will release online on 8th evening and in the magazine on 9th. Autocar have already declared a review coming on 9th, with CAR due a few days later.

I’ll be staying up late on Tuesday night to check if I’m right

I'm sure most of the forum members will be doing the same Tom, your timings sound like decent estimates.

 

[andrew6382]

Reading between the lines of various car reviewers online plus looking at publication dates for magazines.

I reckon first print reviews will be published this week, on Wednesday 9th. First online reviews I reckon will be just before that, on Tuesday 8th evening.

We know reviewer drives and filming have been done. They wouldn’t want to wait too long after that, as it risks leaks. Type 132 reveal is 29th March so Lotus will be timing that to go into magazines for start of April. Emira stuff therefore needs to be early March, not late March.

I’d previously suggested first review being Top Gear on TV on 27th March. But I think I’ve got that wrong and instead I now think TG will release online on 8th evening and in the magazine on 9th. Autocar have already declared a review coming on 9th, with CAR due a few days later.

I’ll be staying up late on Tuesday night to check if I’m right

Yes @TomE think you are right, my guess at 20th March was wrong as well...think I will be staying up.... down load magazines as well...... will be buying them as well

 

[Leonard]

Do we think these reviews will be in 100% production ready cars, as in seats etc. I have some doubts. We also know that the test cars have been running the non FE smaller wheels which seems kind of pointless, why do that...
Still I am excited to see what the initial verdict is on British roads 🤩

 

[Eagle7]

Do we think these reviews will be in 100% production ready cars, as in seats etc. I have some doubts. We also know that the test cars have been running the non FE smaller wheels which seems kind of pointless, why do that...
Still I am excites to see what the initial verdict is on British roads 🤩

Are the standard wheels smaller than the FE wheels? I thought the only difference was the standards are cast, and the FE wheels are as they say "ultra light-weight forged".

 

[xen]

I'll likely be doing the same, keen to hear thoughts on the car. Hopefully it's wider coverage than the just released 296 reviews.

Watching the 296 review (and noting it's weight) I did wonder why the Emira was this 'heavy'. This isn't a dig, more an intellectual curiosity. The 296 and F8 are both larger with (what I presume are) heavier engines. Probably for another thread.

 

[digilotus]

Are the standard wheels smaller than the FE wheels? I thought the only difference was the standards are cast, and the FE wheels are as they say "ultra light-weight forged".

Cast wheels are the same dimensions as forged, just heavier so have some (generally negligible) handling impact until you drive near the limit.

 

[NickR]

Do we think these reviews will be in 100% production ready cars, as in seats etc. I have some doubts. We also know that the test cars have been running the non FE smaller wheels which seems kind of pointless, why do that...
Still I am excites to see what the initial verdict is on British roads 🤩

Everything I've heard so far is it's only track reviews... I'm not sure why but rumour is a delay with the Vehicle Certification Agency.
As production of the car has only just started I'd assume it's a one off car but using the production configuration

 

[Leonard]

Cast wheels are the same dimensions as forged, just heavier so have some (generally negligible) handling impact until you drive near the limit.

I stand corrected, I thought they were an inch smaller
Lighter wheels make a nice difference to ride quality mind

 

[TomE]

Do we think these reviews will be in 100% production ready cars, as in seats etc. I have some doubts. We also know that the test cars have been running the non FE smaller wheels which seems kind of pointless, why do that...
Still I am excited to see what the initial verdict is on British roads 🤩

It’ll be validation cars to nearly final spec. We’ll have to see what differences they have versus production.

As Nick says, I’m expecting they’re only driving on track.

 

[xen]

Everything I've heard so far is it's only track reviews... I'm not sure why but rumour is a delay with the Vehicle Certification Agency.
As production of the car has only just started I'd assume it's a one off car but using the production configuration

Drat! Hope this isn’t the case. Would really like to get on impressions.

 

[digilotus]

I just want to see the production silver forged wheels on a car! Is that too much to ask???

 

[Leonard]

Drat! Hope this isn’t the case. Would really like to get on impressions.

Basically pointless then, unlikely we are going to find out anything we didnt know already from the previous pre development car influencer drives and videos 😴

 

[Leonard]

I just want to see the production silver forged wheels on a car! Is that too much to ask???

By the sounds of it yes, yes it is. As is seeing the correct seats, an indepth review of infotainment and KEF entertainment. Real world suspension differences and dynamics
I hope to be proven wrong.
What is the normal timeline for a production car review before launch? #3monthsandcounting

 

[digilotus]

I doubt these will have KEF audio either. Talk about putting your best foot forward...

I hope I'm proven very wrong!

 

[Leonard]

I doubt these will have KEF audio either. Talk about putting your best foot forward...

I hope I'm proven very wrong!

I do actually hate being negative, but the FE is the ONLY model available for at least a year. So you would expect it to be represented in the initial reviews at this stage

 

[Tonyshepp]

I do actually hate being negative, but the FE is the ONLY model available for at least a year. So you would expect it to be represented in the initial reviews at this stage

Ditto

 

[eclat2emira]

I just want to see the production silver forged wheels on a car! Is that too much to ask???

Me too as I've specced them and hoping they are going to look awesome!

 

[AlexB]

Tom I think I'm more looking forward to your i4 write-up than the press reviews (gentle hint!)

 

[EspritGuy]

Everything I've heard so far is it's only track reviews... I'm not sure why but rumour is a delay with the Vehicle Certification Agency.
As production of the car has only just started I'd assume it's a one off car but using the production configuration

The next big metric is perhaps a surge in deposits. Lotus is already challenged to accommodate what's in hand.
Late to this party means a 2024 delivery but new configurations. Isn't 2026 the cutoff?