Lotus might be on the verge of supplanting the supercharged V6 in its Emira sports car in favor of a more powerful V8, according to a report by Autocar. Not only that, but this decision could be based on stronger-than-expected sales for the mid-engined Lotus in the United States.
- Base Trim Engine
-
3.5L Supercharged V6 Gas
- Base Trim Transmission
-
6-Speed Manual
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
The Porsche 718 Cayman and Toyota GR Supra-rivaling Lotus Emira – currently the only combustion-engined model on the British marque’s books – is offered with the choice of either a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 (sourced from Toyota) and/or a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four from the Mercedes-AMG CLA45, both of which produce 400 horsepower. In a recent conference call, Lotus confirmed it is now looking to offer a more powerful powertrain in response to strong sales, with a V8 among the primary contenders.
Related
This Lotus Emira Honors The Man Who Could Win In Any Car
The Emira Clark Edition celebrates arguably the greatest racing driver who ever lived, with yellow exhaust tips!
“We are currently investigating the feasibility of the V8,” Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng explains in the Autocar report.
“[The Emira is] a very, very competent product that we probably haven’t exploited to its full already, so we are looking at all the options.”
Why A Porsche GT3-Baiting V8 Is On The Table
This potential move was justified both by strong sales for the 400-horsepower Emira – a record 5,272 examples of the mid-engined sports car were shifted in 2024 – and Lotus’ North American market: up to one-fifth of the brand’s total sales last year were exported to the US. This, as well as reports from a Lotus dealer in the US that a welterweight, more powerful example of the Emira could give Porsche’s 502-horsepower 911 GT3 a run for its money, are said to have sparked interest from Lotus’ parent company Geely. US prices for the GT3, for example, start from $222,500 USD, while the current range-topping Emira V6 starts from £92,500 (around $124,200 USD.
“The US is an incredibly important market for us for the car,” Qingfeng continues. “It always has been. So we’re looking at the market demand for the product going forward.”
Related
2025 Lotus Emira I4 First Edition First Drive Review: Lotus And AMG Are Like Oil And Water
We spent a week and England and used the new Lotus Emira with a turbocharged AMG engine to get around. Here’s what we thought.
It is unlikely that either a tuned-up version of Mercedes’ four-cylinder in the Emira Turbo SE or a more powerful version of Toyota’s V6 (the latter of which would contravene existing EU regulations) would be offered. This leaves the V8, potentially from Mercedes-AMG, as a frontrunner, and even pours cold water on Lotus’ plans to phase out the combustion-engined Emira altogether for an electrified successor. The latter was always likely to be delayed, as Lotus announced a shift in its electrification strategy to hybrids amidst a public pullback on EV adoption.
The Difficulties That Await A US-Bound, V8-Powered Emira
A V8-powered Lotus Emira, however, brings its own problems. Aston Martin currently utilizes Mercedes-AMG V8s in multiple models, including the Vantage and the DBX in front-engine layout, while an adapted version is mounted behind the cockpit in the Valhalla. That British brand might be extremely upset if Mercedes allowed someone else to mid-mount the same twin-turbo 4.0-liter motor in something that could be seen as a rival to Aston’s sports cars.
Another potential issue could be the weight balance of a V8 Emira, which is lightweight and inherently well balanced.
Related
The Automotive Industry Might Be On The Verge Of Losing An Iconic Brand
Lotus’ Chinese backer wants out. So where does that leave the iconic brand?
Sales of a potential V8-powered Emira in the US would also be dependent on the Trump administration’s 25 percent auto tariffs. Lotus has already ceased imports to the US of both its UK and Chinese-built products (massive 145 percent tariffs hit the electric Eletre SUV and Emeya sedan in particular), and whilst tariffs have since been reduced to 10 percent for UK imports, it’s unclear whether Lotus will re-commit to US sales any time soon.
Source: Autocar
#Lotus #Offer #Powerful #MidEngined #Emira #Sports #Car
