V6 Autobox News

[DJS]

Hi All

I wanted to set up this new thread for the V6 Auto box as we still have very limited information on this version. I am a little worried as we have seen no press cars so no review's and what is strange is that it seems there are a lot of us with auto box cars booked in for a October build November delivery.

Are Lotus holding out on this and will just start delivery of production cars? Or will we get a chance soon to see a review of the car being put through its paces.

Or are Lotus worried that people might switch to the I4 DCT or even switched to a manual V6?

Just wanted to know some opinions as other than the V6 auto box delay it hasn't been talked about much.

 

[Toomanyloti]

Hi All

I wanted to set up this new thread for the V6 Auto box as we still have very limited information on this version. I am a little worried as we have seen no press cars so no review's and what is strange is that it seems there are a lot of us with auto box cars booked in for a October build November delivery.

Are Lotus holding out on this and will just start delivery of production cars? Or will we get a chance soon to see a review of the car being put through its paces.

Or are Lotus worried that people might switch to the I4 DCT or even switched to a manual V6?

Just wanted to know some opinions as other than the V6 auto box delay it hasn't been talked about much.

Same here. Tom has seen auto box cars I believe but very little info seems to exist about the Auto Emira.

Unless I missed something none of the dealer demos are Autos either.......

While we are on the subject there is a bit of snobbery, it seems, against the auto. Yes its not a DCT but apparently, from the few folk I have spoken with who have driven an Auto Evora, they are very good. There's also the bonus of not having the complexity and cost of a DCT to fix outside warranty.
Manual clutch replacement is I think a 3 day job for a dealer so that won't be cheap either.
I went auto because i have 4 other manual 2 seaters so I thought it would be a 'nice change'.
Lotus even made a handful of V6 Exige Autos and I know a guy who had one for a while. He thought it was great and he's had more lotus and Porkers than I have driven miles!!!!!

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

Same here.
My dealer in Spain had ordered both the Demo and Showroom car in Auto.
A couple of months ago he changed the order of one of them for Manual to have a car to show as fast of possible .
He has no news when the Demo Manual will arrive, but is supposed to be in September.

The Auto he says is scheduled for October build/November delivery, same as my Auto order, although I am not very confident as per what we've seen so far.

Two months ago, I even enquire them whether I should change my order from Auto to Manual to keep the "at that time" schedule of Sept build, Oct delivery, but the dealer advise me not too, as he had no confidence in getting delivery assured, and I could be moved back to who knows when.
At that moment he advised that they thought Auto deliveries would not be delayed more than 1/2 months so I should keep my Auto order.
Last week I had a conversation with the dealer and he told me one of the missing parts and the problem for Auto is that they were missing the paddle shifters, to which we discussed and he was going to propose Lotus that. if that would be the only part causing the delay right now, then send the Auto without the paddles and install them in the dealership at a later time, which I would have agreed onto. No response from Lotus as of today about this yet.

Bottomline, October build/November delivery as it stands right now.

Regarding the Auto box, I own the Evora GT410 Sport, and I find it nice and quick, very rewarding in downshifts, with or without paddle use, I understand Manual more engaging but I am getting old and lazy on my left foot.

Let´s hope in a couple of weeks or so they keep the build schedule and don't surprise us with further delays. We might see some light after the tunnel!

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

This is how the Auto box goes on the Evora GT 410 SPORT without using the paddles

 

[JohnHoward]

I do wonder why the UK insurance comparison sites are still not listing the auto Emira as an option. I know that some forum members have got auto quotes by going direct to their brokers, but there must be some reason that they are not showing up on the comparison sites such as Confused and Comparethemarket. I wonder if there is a delay/issue with type approval.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

I do wonder why the UK insurance comparison sites are still not listing the auto Emira as an option. I know that some forum members have got auto quotes by going direct to their brokers, but there must be some reason that they are not showing up on the comparison sites such as Confused and Comparethemarket. I wonder if there is a delay/issue with type approval.

It would be very strange type approval delay. It's basically the same gearbox as in Evora

 

[JohnHoward]

It would be very strange type approval delay. It's basically the same gearbox as in Evora

I don't really know much about type approval. In fact, the first time I ever heard about it was on this forum, so have learned a little since then. Could it be that the emissions are different with the auto gear box? Or, perhaps something else affected? Purely guesswork in the absense of any details or facts. I haven't been able to find any public register for type approval - does such a thing exist?

 

[TomE]

Type approval would still be required for the Emira Auto, as it’s a different car regardless of the drivetrain carry over from Evora. It’s also different approval for the Auto and Manual.

They need the official figures for CO2 (and other stats) to enable insurers to quote and finance companies to offer finance packages. So it does look suspiciously like UK type approval hasn’t been achieved yet for the Auto.

 

[TomE]

It doesn’t surprise me there are very few Autos amongst the dealer demos. Only about 10-15% of V6 FE orders are for Auto, so the demo fleet will reflect that too.

I saw Auto pre-prod cars at Hethel in January and other people have seen one or two during more recent factory tours.

I’ve not heard if UK type approval has been achieved or not for the Auto. I know it has for Manual.

When the most recent delay was announced, I was told there was a slightly longer delay for Auto cars, of maybe 1-2 months compared to the delays for Manuals. Hence why we’re seeing the very earliest Autos in the Oct build batch, not Sept.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

Type approval would still be required for the Emira Auto, as it’s a different car regardless of the drivetrain carry over from Evora. It’s also different approval for the Auto and Manual.

They need the official figures for CO2 (and other stats) to enable insurers to quote and finance companies to offer finance packages. So it does look suspiciously like UK type approval hasn’t been achieved yet for the Auto.

Hmmm, thanks Tom. not very good news: hope they speed it up then!

 

[DJS]

The strange is that there is a lot of us locked in Octobers build scheduled so they must have approval?

 

[DJS]

It doesn’t surprise me there are very few Autos amongst the dealer demos. Only about 10-15% of V6 FE orders are for Auto, so the demo fleet will reflect that too.

I saw Auto pre-prod cars at Hethel in January and other people have seen one or two during more recent factory tours.

I’ve not heard if UK type approval has been achieved or not for the Auto. I know it has for Manual.

When the most recent delay was announced, I was told there was a slightly longer delay for Auto cars, of maybe 1-2 months compared to the delays for Manuals. Hence why we’re seeing the very earliest Autos in the Oct build batch, not Sept.

Tom do you have any feed back on the V6 auto box with the Evora or from any other contacts?

 

[NicolasB]

The strange is that there is a lot of us locked in Octobers build scheduled so they must have approval?

Right, because we know they would never delay delivery if something changed.

 

[TomE]

Tom do you have any feed back on the V6 auto box with the Evora or from any other contacts?

I've driven the Evora IPS (auto), including an early car and a more recent one and I think the most recent iteration is very good. It's not as quick to change as a DCT but we're talking milliseconds. It's quicker than a manual change.

In full auto mode and in Tour drive mode the changes are well-timed and quick. In Sport mode it will hold in a lower gear up to higher revs and will auto-blip on the downshift, which makes you sound like a heel and toe god!

You can take it out of auto mode by changing gear manually using the paddles. That gives you complete control over when you change - it'll only intervene if you brake and don't down change, to prevent a stall. In Tour it will revert to auto mode after about 10 seconds of not using the paddles, whereas in Sport it stays in manual mode.

For a torque convertor auto I think Lotus have done a good job.

 

[TomE]

The strange is that there is a lot of us locked in Octobers build scheduled so they must have approval?

You'd think that was the case. It seems an odd coincidence the insurers can't quote for it, which suggests it's not approved yet.

 

[JohnHoward]

Tom do you have any feed back on the V6 auto box with the Evora or from any other contacts?

I had a 410 Sport Evora with the auto box and was very pleased with it. I sold it last year in readiness for the Emira. The gerabox is particulary good in Sport as you get the auto blips on downshifts which sound great. It also holds the gears longer before changing up which also massively improves the sound track.

 

[JohnHoward]

You'd think that was the case. It seems an odd coincidence the insurers can't quote for it, which suggests it's not approved yet.

Some posters on the UK insurance thread mentioned that their brokers had quoted for autos, but I wonder if the brokers are quoting manual config expecting the auto to be the same cost.
I do wonder now if they are still waiting for type approval for the autos with someone at Lotus with their fingers crossed that they will get it soon as they have promised autos (including mine) in the October mega build cohort.

 

[roundincircles]

I have a V6 auto confirmed for October build. Lotus have a batch of auto boxes on stock. I don't know if its type approved. Doesn't stop them building.

 

[JohnHoward]

I have a V6 auto confirmed for October build. Lotus have a batch of auto boxes on stock. I don't know if its type approved. Doesn't stop them building.

Good point. They could build the cars as promised in October, but won't be able to let us have them (if it is a type approval issue).

 

[CDM1855]

Some posters on the UK insurance thread mentioned that their brokers had quoted for autos, but I wonder if the brokers are quoting manual config expecting the auto to be the same cost.
I do wonder now if they are still waiting for type approval for the autos with someone at Lotus with their fingers crossed that they will get it soon as they have promised autos (including mine) in the October mega build cohort.

I got a quote months ago, that has been locked in. Not cheap though

The question of gear box was never even asked.

Edit, I declared it as Auto. I got quotes in April. so I doubt there was type approval for manual either at that time