Latest news with #LotusEmira
Top Gear
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Nine of the finest six-cylinder performance cars on sale right now
Advertisement Lotus Emira V6 SE (£96,500) The 400bhp Emira is a major swansong for Lotus since it's the last combustion-powered car it'll ever make. Opt for the heartier 3.5-litre six-cylinder supplied by Toyota - shared with the old Evora and Exige models - and you'll snap to 62mph in 4.3s and on to a top speed of 180mph. It lags slightly behind in acceleration, top speed, and torque compared to the AMG four-pot-powered Turbo SE, but the gains include a punchier soundtrack and the option of a six-speed manual. Advertisement - Page continues below Ferrari 296 GTB (£241,500) Many had their reservations about the 296 GTB's hybrid V6 when it launched: could it still excite like mid-engined Ferraris of old? Yes, the world quickly discovered. Ferrari called it a 'piccolo' V12 (or 'little' V12) during development, because the equal-length manifolds and symmetrical firing order combine to create a similar sound to a 12-cylinder. It also punches pretty hard for a six-pot engine, with 819bhp and 546lb ft of torque when combined with an electric motor. The 0-62mph sprint takes just 2.9s and there's a top-end of 205mph. It's currently the eighth-fastest car around the Fiorano test track, with the more hardcore Speciale entering the podium. That's because it gets an extra 49bhp, 60kg less weight and 20 per cent higher downforce at peak speeds. That'll only be sold for a limited amount of time, though. You might like BMW G80 M3 Touring (£91,865) Armed with BMW's 'S58' straight-six, which sends 523bhp and 480lb ft through an eight-speed 'box to all four wheels, the M3 Touring will haul you, your family and your petrified pooch to 62mph in just 3.6s. It won our 'All The Car You'll Ever Need' Award two years ago, too. Advertisement - Page continues below Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (£86,885) An Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio isn't as rounded or crushingly complete as a BMW M3, if you're the sort of person who likes their infotainment pixel-sharp and snappy. If you crave 'connected services' between your car and smartphone. Whatever they are. But if you're a human being with a soul and want a four-door saloon with gorgeous looks... you can't buy the M3. And if you want a family saloon that's bite-the-back-of-your-hand brilliant to drive, then even today, five years after the Giulia Quadrifoglio came into our lives, you probably can't do better anywhere else. McLaren Artura Spider (£221,500) Hell of an engine, this. The Spider's hybridised 690bhp 3.0-litre V6 weighs just 160kg, 50kg less than the 4.0-litre V8 that's powered most McLarens so far. It's also impressively compact. Rather than a 90-degree V, the cylinders sit at a 120-degree angle, which also reduces pressure losses in the exhaust. The twin turbos sit within the 'hot vee' configuration, which means they can spin faster with helpful consequences for throttle response. That's packed into a deeply impressive car that's easy to drive quickly but with extra layers that reveal themselves the more you push it. We recently had an MC20 in our long-term fleet, and as it turns out, it does the whole 'daily supercar' thing quite well. It's pretty, too, and that clean-sheet 'Nettuno' 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 is positioned at a 90-degree angle, dry-sumped and supported by Formula One-grade pre-chamber combustion for a more efficient burn. The result is 621bhp and 538lb ft, with 0-62mph sorted in under three seconds en route to a 202mph vmax. Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Coupe (£75,660) The first thing you'll note about the hot new CLE 53 is its stance: the brawny bonnet, the slowly descending roofline and those chunky hips are all reminiscent of the old V8-powered C63s. Sadly, the engine isn't the same, though the hearty turbocharged inline-six gets 443bhp and 413lb ft - or an extra 30 torques with overboost engaged. It's not quite as focused and tactile as some of the other bits on this list, sure, but as a mid-range performance car, it's still really rather good. Advertisement - Page continues below BMW G87 M2 Coupe (£67,055) A strange performance car, in that the automatic version might actually be better than the manual. Regardless of which you choose, the rear-drive M2 shares the M3's S58 engine, repurposed here to spin 473bhp at the flywheel. This may also be the last purely petrol-powered M car, and should that end up being the case, it's a wonderful - if a little too mature - swansong. As our Ollie Kew said in his review: 'No other small sporting coupe is as practical, as complete, and in many ways the M2 now asks very serious questions of the M4 itself.' Talk about annoyingly talented younger siblings. Porsche 992.2 911 GT3 (£158,200) The definitive six-cylinder performance car that's shown the way for decades. And so to the current 992.2 GT3: rear-mounted, water-cooled 4.0-litre flat-six which revs to 9,000rpm, and produces 503bhp and 332lb ft. 0-62mph is dealt with in 3.4s and, given enough room, it'll punch its way to 193mph. This engine is the culmination of over six decades of work, and as you'd expect, it's absolutely delicious. Advertisement - Page continues below
Scottish Sun
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Iconic car brand in 'emergency talks' over fears it will ‘end production' in UK – despite saying it has ‘no plans'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EMERGENCY talks are reportedly being held today over an iconic car brand's future in the UK. The Government is understood to be stepping in to help Lotus stave off having to close its factory in Hethel, Norfolk, which employs 1,300 people. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A Lotus sign is seen at the car plant headquarters Credit: Reuters 3 Lotus Emira production line at the Hethel Norfolk factory Credit: Alamy 3 A factory worker builds a car at the plant Credit: I-Images Department officials are reported to have contacted the sports car manufacturer's Chinese owners on Friday after it emerged closing the plant was allegedly on the cards. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds was set to hold talks on Sunday (June 29) with Geely Auto amid fears it would fall victim to US President Donald Trump's trade tariff hike. However, there is some confusion as the firm itself claimed yesterday it had "no plans to close the factory". A spokesperson added: 'We are actively exploring strategic options to enhance efficiency and ensure global competitiveness in the evolving market. READ MORE MOTORS NEWS CUT BACKS Major manufacturer that supplies railway operators suddenly closes after 50 years 'The UK is the heart of the Lotus brand — home to our sports car manufacturing, global design centre, motorsport operations, and Lotus Engineering. It is also our largest commercial market in Europe. 'We have invested significantly in R&D and operations in the UK, over the past six years. "Lotus remains committed to the UK, and its customers, employees, dealers, suppliers, as well as its proud British heritage.' Whitehall sources told The Times the future of the factory was a commercial decision for the company. Trump announced in February a raft of "reciprocal" tariffs aimed at countering what his administration sees as unfair trade practices inflicted on the US by foreign nations. On Friday, reports suggested it was inevitable Lotus' UK production operations would be shifted across the Atlantic - perhaps as soon as early 2026. Ford is forced to immediately shut down factories and halt car production as CEO admits 'day to day' struggle for brand Company chiefs said import taxes have 'led us not to be able to export many vehicles to the US market'. It comes after the US and UK announced a trade deal last month reducing import tariffs from 27.5% to 10%. Lotus's chief executive, Qingfeng Feng, told investors on Wednesday last week: 'In the future, we are trying to leverage our US strategy to catch up the losses due to the tariff hike. "At this moment, we are discussing localisation plans with our strategic partners in the US in order to avoid the influence of US tariffs. "With our strategic partners, we had an in-depth discussion around the US landscape, and we believe that localisation is a feasible plan." Manufacturer's history Lotus - founded by engineer Colin Chapman in 1948 - began production at Hethel in 1966. It has shifted hands multiple times over the years in various bids to stave off financial instability. Geely bought a majority stake in 2017, before investing £3 billion in UK production, but later switched much of its focus to a plant in Wuhan, China. The manufacturer announced 270 job cuts in the UK in April and said last week sales for the first three months of 2025 had fallen 42%, racking up a net loss of $183 million (£134 million). The Sun has approached Lotus for comment. Do you know more? Email
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2025 Lotus Emira Adds Fuel to the Lotus Lineup, with 4 or 6 Cylinders
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Lotus is making a massive push for its battery-electric powertrains, with the vast majority of its lineup eschewing internal combustion. But there is still one ICE-powered Lotus in the portfolio that carries the name Emira. Taking what the brand has learned from its Elise, Exige, and Evora, the Emira sticks with the brand's sports car ethos. Powering the Emira is either a supercharged 3.5-liter V6 or a turbocharged 2.0-liter I4. Despite the difference in cylinders, both engines advertise 400 hp. If you want to row your own gears, you'll have to look at the V6. On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek's Mark Vaughn hops behind the wheel of the 2025 Lotus Emira, puts it through its paces, takes you on a guided tour of the coupe, and highlights some of his favorite features. Later, Vaughn takes you along for a live drive review of this Lotus, then chats with host Wesley Wren about the Emira, Lotus' electric endeavors, and more. Closing the show, the pair breaks down what makes the Emira special. Tune in below, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever podcasts are played.
Business Times
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- Business Times
Lotus Emira SE Turbo review: The last great petrol car?
[singapore] If combustion power is on a helter skelter to irrelevance, at least it's going down with a shout in cars like the Lotus Emira. Especially in hardcore SE Turbo form, where it whooshes, whistles and crackles along the way. SE Turbo is an old tag that Lotus uses aptly here. The 'SE' stands for 'special equipment', which in the Emira's case means sport suspension; a sharper driving mode for those glorious days when you venture onto the track; beefed-up brakes; a launch control system to give you a fighting chance against electric cars in a drag race; and an exhaust that controls its shoutiness better than my niblings do. The Lotus Emira SE Turbo has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which doesn't sound like much, but it comes from Mercedes-AMG, where men in lab coats managed to wring 406 horsepower from it. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING Mounted behind the seats in this Emira, you'll find – you guessed it – a turbocharged engine. It's a 2.0-litre four-cylinder, which doesn't sound like much, but it comes from Mercedes-AMG, where men in lab coats managed to wring 406 horsepower from it. You can't actually see the turbocharger, because when you lift the Lotus' engine cover the only things visible are a plastic shroud and the car's tiny boot, but I bet it's the size of a watermelon. Hitherto you could only have your Emira with a supercharged 3.5-litre V6 that came out two years ago, but Lotus apparently had the lighter AMG unit in mind when it laid out the car, so the SE Turbo is arguably the one you're meant to have if you consider yourself a driving fan. Either way, the Emira itself marked a turning point for Lotus by being usable, well-finished and pretty, two out of three things its earlier cars often forgot to be. As a matter of fact, even the harsher SE Turbo can be surprisingly civil. There are actual storage spaces in the cabin of the Emira, meaning you have somewhere to deposit your phone, keys, wallet and so on. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING I would have liked blind spot monitors, but the Emira is otherwise a doddle to drive every day. There are actual storage spaces in the cabin, meaning you have somewhere to deposit your phone, keys, wallet and so on. It has electrically adjustable seats. The air-con copes well with our heat. There's cruise control. There's even a touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up And if the engine's boisterous voice is a prominent part of the experience, at least your ears aren't subjected to that much road noise. All of that might seem basic, but it's a huge leap from the days when a Lotus interior smelled of glue and had less carpeting than Homer Simpson's head. The Emira has electrically adjustable seats, and the air-con copes well with our heat. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING There's even a decent sound system from British audiophile company KEF, albeit with slightly muddy bass. But the real sonic entertainment comes from the engine itself. There's plenty to tickle the ears, between the whooshing of the turbo's dump valve and the whistling of its wastegate, which are constant reminders that something exciting is going on just behind you. Add the bellowing from the exhaust and some dramatic popping (especially in Track mode), and you've got a soundtrack that makes the small hairs stand. With the sound, there's fury. The SE Turbo punches hard from standstill, but once the revs climb past 4,000 rpm, it goes from fast to fiendish in a hurry, piling on speed like it's trying to honour its Formula 1 ancestors. At the same time, this is a Lotus, so it handles with grace and precision. There's hydraulic power steering instead of the now-common electric setup, for the sake of better feel, and your reward for putting up with a busy, sometimes jiggly ride over bumps is a taut, agile chassis. The SE Turbo also pulls big G-forces through corners effortlessly, so you'll want to be on a racing track to probe its limits, because doing so involves some lairy speeds. Yet, the whole package feels sized for real roads. Despite being a relatively wide car, it's easy to place and easy to thread through traffic. Despite being a relatively wide car, the Lotus Emira SE Turbo is easy to place and easy to thread through traffic. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING In fact, the Emira reminds me a bit of a slightly scaled-down Ferrari. It certainly has the low, wide stance of one, with the same sense that its body was shrink-wrapped over the oily bits. Yet, Lotus being Lotus, the multitude of scoops and vents on the body aren't there to look impressive, but to take in air or bleed it out where it's needed, either for cooling or to generate the downforce that stabilises the car at speed. Overall, the SE Turbo may be fast, focused and loud in all the right ways, but its real achievement is how much it stays faithful to Lotus' roots while actually being something you'd want to live with. Of course, there are probably purists to whom an everyday Lotus is a contradiction in terms. But Lotus' previous strategy of building brilliant but uncompromising cars nearly drove the company into the ground, and the Emira represents a new way forward. That might not sit well with the hardliners, but there's usually room for purists on that downward slide to irrelevance. Lotus Emira SE Turbo Engine 1,991 cc turbo in-line four Power 406 hp at 6,750 rpm Torque 480 Nm at 4,500 rpm Gearbox 8-speed dual-clutch automatic 0 to 100 kmh 4.0 seconds Top speed 290 kmh Efficiency 9.1 L/100 km Agent Wearnes Automotive Price S$548,800 excluding COE Available Now
Auto Blog
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Lotus Made the 2026 Emira Even Better, But Is It Worth The Wait?
The 2026 Lotus Emira gets even more brilliant than its predecessor lots of new gear. Getting one Stateside might be an exercise in patience. Additional trim levels and revised running gear bring the Emira to a new level Lotus has a reputation for building some of the best-handling cars of all time. The Emira was already widely lauded, but Lotus is bringing a host of changes to keep the car on the razor's edge. There's a little bit of a catch, though. If you're a US-based shopper, you might be waiting a while — if you can even get one at all. 2025 Ford Maverick: 4 reasons to love it, 2 reasons to think twice Watch More The Lotus Emira was already supremely focused, but it's a better sports car than ever for 2026 Lotus kicks off changes to the Emira with a new trim level, the V6 SE, which slots above the current V6 model with minor differences. Additional blacked-out trim, 20-inch forged alloy wheels, and unique badging are all unique to the model, which also comes standard in Zinc Grey paint. A new entry-level trim, the Turbo, comes in below the Turbo SE model and makes slightly less power from its turbocharged four-pot sourced from AMG. A new Racing Line trim, coming to Turbo SE and V6 SE variants, adds pinstripes, painted mirror caps, and unique black and silver exterior badging. There are several small changes impacting all 2026 Lotus Emira models, too. Lotus tinkered with damper calibration and dialed in the wheel alignment for improved handling and comfort. A new compression mount for manual-equipped cars offers gear changes with more precision than before, while DCT-equipped models enjoy faster and smoother shifts courtesy of recalibration efforts. Both versions also get slightly tweaked cooling systems that shed weight and better manage engine temps. 2026 Lotus Emira V6 — Source: Lotus It might sound good, but US-based shoppers will need patience if they want one In case you forgot, the Emira debuted back in 2021. If it seems like it's still a fairly new car, you're probably US-based. Here, the car wasn't really available until early 2024, when the California Air Resources Board (CARB) finally gave the car the go-ahead. Since then, tariffs have compounded the Emira's hardships, as Lotus pressed pause on all deliveries back in April. Conspicuously absent from the 2026 Emira's press release is any mention of US pricing, and there's a good reason. EmiraForum users report imports are still on hold, with 'vague' promises that shipments will resume 'in a few months.' Users on LotusTalk indicate plenty of 2025 models languishing in ports. What does it all mean? It means that, as usual, US shoppers who want an Emira will spend a lot of time waiting. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. 2026 Lotus Emira V6 — Source: Lotus Final thoughts The Emira's release Stateside is marred by unfortunate timing, and we fear the 2026 models won't be on the way for quite a while. But there is some silver lining: one EmiraForum user cites a dealer email signaling that an end is in sight. According to the email, 'Lotus awaits official documentation from the U.S. government specifying exactly what percentage of tariffs will be applied to imported Lotus vehicles.' After that, Lotus will adjust prices and proceed accordingly. To our eyes, that means the new and improved 2026 Lotus Emira will come to the United States eventually. With incremental improvements across the board, it's safe to say the steadfast among us will be well rewarded for their patience. This seems to be a common trend among British automobiles. About the Author Steven Paul View Profile
