Reviews of the I4?

[Jdmc21]

I understand that this is running on speculation and the rumor mill at this point, does anyone have any idea as to when we can expect the first reviews of the I4?

 

[Matthaus]

Can't see it happening this year the way they're going.

Would love to be wrong.

The lack of detail and sightings of the i4 leaves me rather lacking in hope.

 

[RENDERMAN]

This is Lotus speaking.....check with us Q3 OF 2023

 

[TomE]

Back in the summer Lotus were suggesting first i4 press reviews would be in November. With the delays since then, I’d guess they’ll now be Q1 next year.

 

[Tokion]

Back in the summer Lotus were suggesting first i4 press reviews would be in November. With the delays since then, I’d guess they’ll now be Q1 next year.

And soon it will be Q3 2023 - still no FE I4 reviews (and no other public unveiling). It is pretty untenable (especially for us who have trusted Lotus by ordering one 2 years ago, and even made a prepayment of 10% of its full retail value).

 

[simonb]

Back in the summer Lotus were suggesting first i4 press reviews would be in November. With the delays since then, I’d guess they’ll now be Q1 next year.

the minute they put out customer cars, there will be reviews. Are you suggesting the August delivery first UK batch is slipping?

A new sports car in november is about as useful as a new lawnmower that time of year

 

[JimH]

the minute they put out customer cars, there will be reviews. Are you suggesting the August delivery first UK batch is slipping?

A new sports car in november is about as useful as a new lawnmower that time of year

You’re quoting Toms post from October 2022…..

 

[Tokion]

You’re quoting Toms post from October 2022…..

We all love and respect TomE who is one of us, and we appreciate that he is one of the caring moderators of this forum. We are genuinely grateful to TomE.

The issue is that there is no updates regarding the FE I4 after October 2022, except rumors that Lotus is building 150 cars for Chinese customers this summer 2023; supposedly with increased engine output (that the rest of us will not receive).

The “ire” is solely directed at Lotus management responsible for the situation of not keeping us FE I4 ordering customers (outside China) informed, and by not at all showing us the car we have ordered, and also endlessly delaying production and deliveries.

Another very “despicable” thing is all the negative messages regarding the regular Emira (i4) going unanswered. It is displayed as the cheaper, entry model which is inferior in almost every respect (sound, performance, value). In reality its retail price is almost identical (typically within 5%), and regarding performance and sound we are deprived of knowing anything due to that Lotus does not unveil or present the car at all. It appears that the image of the regular Emira being inferior could stick, and it will affect its future value in a negative way.

I just cannot understand why Lotus has mishandled this situation so badly? It would be reasonable to assume that Lotus have no need to handle the regular Emira as its “step-child”

 

[Toomanyloti]

looked like quite a few I4's being built for china. One assumes when there's enough to go on a boat its then plus a few weeks to get to China. I suspect it will be a direct route back with those and a load of empty containers

 

[grahamgreen]

Well like others on here I’m in the “first campaign” for UK so will let you know my review in “September delivery”

 

[0pirates0]

i heard that a small quantity of i4(less than 50) were shipped to China earlier June and will arrive in July. Most of them are for inspection, collision test and KOL testing. Customer delivery is delayed in China AGAIN

 

[Tokion]

i heard that a small quantity of i4(less than 50) were shipped to China earlier June and will arrive in July. Most of them are for inspection, collision test and KOL testing. Customer delivery is delayed in China AGAIN

Thanks for excellent and very useful explanations. It would indeed be extraordinary if they need close to 50 cars for “inspection, collision (crash?), and “KOL” testing? As far as I can Google, KOL stands for “Key Opinion Leader” (testing). I sincerely hope that they at most crash one or two, and that all the remaining cars, after testing, will go to customers?

Very curious to hear how these cool “KOL” testers like the sound of the I4 (exhaust) after hearing a lot of the V6 cars?

Hearing the story about Emira in China, I think that from the beginning, they had mostly planned to sell the Emira with I4 Engine in China; but that all the delays caused that they imported some V6 cars anyway (despite higher taxes in the larger engine displacement). Then when time came to finally receive I4 cars, they demanded that it is delivered with the same 400 hp as the V6 model. Everything I hear about the reaction from prospective buyers (and order holders) is that they are demanding that the I4 version (which is “The Emira”) is equally capable and perceived as being on par with the V6 cars. The advanced AMG DCT gearbox is accepted because everyone know that true racing cars, and also most other high-end sports cars come with super-fast shifting, competitive DCT boxes like Porsche (PDK), Ferrari, and even Nissan GTR. Also thinking about how congested Chinese roads are, the romantic concept of “rowing your own gears” is less widespread. The i4 has a more modern (AMG M139) engine and gearbox, so the entire car is seen as being more up-to-date and leading edge (in its class). The Chinese “KOL” crowd also did not accept that Lotus detuned the I4 by close to 60 hp (below that of the M139 is capable of in Mercedes AMG models) in order to better promote the V6 model. Very interesting to observe the Chinese view.

The Chinese Key Opinion Leader test of Emira (I4) tells it all………

 

[JClem]

It's crazy that when Harry's Garage did the factory tour and interview with Matt Windle there were i4 engines in the factory but not on the production line. And yet, there are no i4 press cars and no demonstrator's at dealers 10 months later!