Sports/Touring, more differences?

[Honcho]

So I read an article earlier today (can't remember the source, I think it was one of the Emira Facebook groups) with an interview from a Lotus employee and they said that it's not just different spring and damper settings for the sports/touring chassis, but also different bushings and geometry. Does anyone in the know how accurate this might be? I know the alignment settings are slightly different but wondering if any of the links/mounting points are different too? Someone with parts numbers might be able to confirm this or not.

 

[Nova]

Yea. Given that the interview is of Gavan Kershaw, it's pretty accurate. There's no mention that there are different links or mounting points, but that the springs, dampers, geometry are different. I did see in that post that the "bushings and bump stops" are different, but I am not sure about this. As far as I know, the only parts difference is the damper and springs. My source is the parts list on Bell and Colvill.

 

[centerpunch]

Here's the FB post from Absolute Lotus Magazine:

(I'll order a copy and post anything interesting here when I get it.)

Ever wondered why the Lotus Emira has two fixed suspension options rather than a switchable set-up commonly found in other cars?

Gavan Kershaw, Director of Attributes at Lotus told us: "Having the ability to offer Tour and Sports chassis options allows for separation in the chassis to allow the customer to have a specification better suited to their usage and driving preference. This means that each option can change the feel of the car, but retains the character.

"In addition, our two suspension configurations are not just spring and damper changes but are also changes to bushes, bumpstops and geometry. It is currently impossible to change those elements on a variable suspension mode at the press of a button."

This is just part of the interview by Mike Rysiecki on the Emira's design and development. The whole thing is available in Issue 41, in the shops now or available with free p&p here https://www.performancepublishing.co.uk/octobernovember-2024-issue-41.html

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

Yea. Given that the interview is of Gavan Kershaw, it's pretty accurate. There's no mention that there are different links or mounting points, but that the springs, dampers, geometry are different. I did see in that post that the "bushings and bump stops" are different, but I am not sure about this. As far as I know, the only parts difference is the damper and springs. My source is the parts list on Bell and Colvill.

The bushing/bump stops must just be apart of each assembly.

 

[Adam Brouillard]

I would bet the geometry differences they mention are simply just the marginally different alignment settings. Not saying that's bad, but just sounds like marketing speak.

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

I would bet the geometry differences they mention are simply just the marginally different alignment settings. Not saying that's bad, but just sounds like marketing speak.

Probably just the camber settings.

 

[675430VME]

I would bet the geometry differences they mention are simply just the marginally different alignment settings. Not saying that's bad, but just sounds like marketing speak.

My alignment and camber settings were off from the factory. Having it lowered just make it more obvious so I would suggest every owners to get it calibrated.

 

[00grubb]

Not sure where I read it, but I think the geometry is referring to the camber only for Cup 2 tires. Because Cup2's are more aggressive (tread and anticipated driving style), there's a bit more negative camber...so less camber I guess? Whatever, they're set up slightly differently. Nothing to do with different control arms or anything major like that affecting the geometry, just a slight tweak for Cup2's.

 

[seriously]

However minor, alignment can't be changed with a button like damper settings can. Maybe the next 911 GT3 RS will add this since it can change almost everything else about suspension setup.

 

[centerpunch]

Here's the FB post from Absolute Lotus Magazine:

(I'll order a copy and post anything interesting here when I get it.)

.
Well, I ordered that magazine and received it from the UK today, and there's really nothing very significant in the very short article, in which Gavan Kershaw has four very predictable statements:

• Emira "is the finest ride and handling Lotus sports car ever."
• Having separate sport and touring options can change the character of the car better than a variable suspension could.
• Hydraulic power steering is the best.
• Using Lotus spec or Lotus recommended tires is essential to maintain the handling.

I've personally ignored that use-oem-tires-only advice on probably every car I've ever owned, and will probably live dangerously and ignore it on the Emira.

 

[Honcho]

Personally, I don't see why there so much fuss about hydraulic power steering.

 

[Tomwa]

Not sure where I read it, but I think the geometry is referring to the camber only for Cup 2 tires. Because Cup2's are more aggressive (tread and anticipated driving style), there's a bit more negative camber...so less camber I guess? Whatever, they're set up slightly differently. Nothing to do with different control arms or anything major like that affecting the geometry, just a slight tweak for Cup2's.

But you can get a Sport suspension with the Goodyears?

Personally, I don't see why there so much fuss about hydraulic power steering.

Because everyone else is moving to electric? and not to say every electric is bad, but I think in the comparison the Emira comes out favorably in a vast majority of cases.

 

[seriously]

Personally, I don't see why there so much fuss about hydraulic power steering.

I think there is better feedback when you are hooning the car or at the limit of grip but under most normal circumstances a well tuned electric rack feels just as good to me. It’s a nice differentiator still.

 

[Eagle7]

My AWD Alfa Romeo Giulia has electric steering, and it's EXCELLENT. Very responsive. However the feel is programmed, calculated feel versus actual feel which is what the Lotus has. In addition to steering feel, the Lotus adds vertical movement feedback so there's more information about the vertical movement of the wheels, which tells you more about the road surface than just tire grip from steering.

 

[seriously]

My AWD Alfa Romeo Giulia has electric steering, and it's EXCELLENT. Very responsive. However the feel is programmed, calculated feel versus actual feel which is what the Lotus has. In addition to steering feel, the Lotus adds vertical movement feedback so there's more information about the vertical movement of the wheels, which tells you more about the road surface than just tire grip from steering.

What do you mean by vertical movement? I’ve never thought about this.

 

[Eagle7]

What do you mean by vertical movement? I’ve never thought about this.

Vertical movement is when the angle of the road surface changes, like going through a dip, over a rise, or from flat to an incline or the opposite. It's also happens when going from flat to banked, or coming out of a banked turn onto a flat section. The front wheels are moving vertically up and down in those situations.

One of the best visual examples is to watch videos of cars on the Nurburgring. That track has everything.

 

[seriously]

I get that and like those kinds of roads! From a steering perspective do you mean that the feel lightens when the suspension decompresses? Something like that?

 

[Nestor]

This is an older interview, with probably less information than the article, but sharing for anyone interested.
Kershaw was on a podcast and touches briefly on the differences. You can see him speak about it at 1:34:20.

The tour is as we said designed for people who do probably 90 of their ownership on highways or are coming from a sports car that's a little bit more refined so they're new to the brand. It'll come with the Goodyear tire on it as standard so wet weather or the rest of it but it is not soft. You can drive it in the canyon. I can guarantee you're not going to feel body roll. It's got slightly less road noise ... hub control and the good thing is that the ride heights so the car physically doesn't see any different tour and sport

The sport gets the slightly different valve code inside so the washers inside the damper being simple are different the forces how it builds up in the damper and the spring rate that's the only difference we're trying to keep it sensible like that and that comes with a Goodyear but also it's tuned for the cup two tire. So if people are weekend drivers or they drive enthusiastically that perhaps they're coming from a supercar back into sports cars or they're used to a quite a firm exceed or something like this that it's the car that suits them as well.

You're not getting shortchanged on any other part of the car by not having the sport. That was a conscious decision that you don't have to take the stiffer suspension to get a different star or a splitter or a spoiler something like that so the car's the same

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

I've gotten pretty used to the Sport suspension now that I've had it (coming from a previous Touring car).

Despite it being much bumpier around NYC, I really appreciate the increased stability at higher speeds.

 

[Tomwa]

The only "vertical motion" that would be translated through the steeringwheel is from any push/pull the tie rod would experience as it travels its motion arc.

This is nothing different than the "communication" people talk about manual or hydraulic racks providing.

I've had de-powered racks, and cars that have extensive modifications to their steering angle, which affects the motion ratio. (As well as electronic variable "sport/regular/comfort steering)

In most of those cars, you actually just don't really grip the steering wheel all that tight and I find it less fatiguing to let the small motions sort of slip beneath your hands rather than try to "force" the wheel to hold straight.

You can feel a lot about what's going on under the tires, but it's not "different" than what just turning the wheel or any other force being put through the tie-rod, you only have context of everything else to tell you "oh my car didn't do a micro-turn"

Overall I would just say that the Emira's hydraulic steering is just more communicative, rather than providing some new mystery input. Unlike the prior mentioned electronic steering which for "sport mode" just increased the steering effort not what you can actually feel the tires doing/resisting/scrubbing.