Lotus Emira First Edition 2023 Review

There will be regular versions of the 2023 Lotus Emira available down the track, but at the moment we’re dealing with the ‘First Edition’ special variants to commemorate the sports car’s local launch.

Pricing was initially announced as $184,990 plus on-road costs for the V6 manual, with the automatic an extra $4000, but this has since risen to $209,990 plus ORCs, while the four-cylinder First Edition will be around $10,000 less.

All Emira models include 20-inch wheels, LED headlights, keyless start, climate control, electric seats, a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, 10.25-inch infotainment touch-screen with smartphone mirroring and a seven-speaker stereo.

First Editions add plenty of gear optional on the regular variants, including the Design Pack (lightweight 10-spoke wheels, privacy glass, sports pedals, coloured callipers, premium mats), the Convenience Pack (front parking sensors, reversing camera, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming mirrors and stowage nets) and the Driver’s Pack.

The latter adds Track modes for the ESP and instrument display, a bi-modal exhaust and the choice of either a track tyre (Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2) and sports suspension, a touring tyre (Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport) and sports suspension, or a touring tyre and touring suspension.

We’ll have to wait a while to sample one of the four-cylinder Emiras, which use a 268kW/430Nm version of the engine found in a Mercedes-AMG A 45 with an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, while the V6 Emira we’re driving here produces 298kW and 420Nm (430Nm as an auto) for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.3sec and a 290km/h top speed.

The Emira sits in a fiercely competitive segment. Aside from the obvious Porsche Cayman, rivals include everything from the BMW M4 to the Jaguar F-TYPE to even the Chevrolet Corvette.

You don’t have to drive the 2023 Lotus Emira a single metre to appreciate the improvements Lotus has made over its predecessors.

Simply getting in and out is far easier thanks to a wider opening and smaller sills, though even before you open the door you can enjoy one of the more elegant sports car shapes available today. It really is a great-looking car.

Once in you’re met with an interior of greater comfort, better materials and far more technology than has ever appeared in a Lotus before. Purists may tut-tut at these ‘unnecessary trinkets’, but if Lotus wants to sell cars to a wider audience they’re extremely important, especially for a model like the Emira that is intended as an, if not everyday, then frequent driver.

The driving position is widely adjustable with lots of room, there’s plenty of leather and Alcantara, and while there wasn’t a huge opportunity to play with the screens – that’ll come with longer exposure at a later date – they seem legible enough.

The cabin is also laid out nicely, too, with much more storage, including two cup holders, a centre bin and large shelf behind the seats with plenty of room for a couple of small, soft bags. This is in addition to the luggage compartment behind the engine, though be warned its proximity to the mechanicals means it can get quite warm.

Okay, enough daily niceties, what about the drive? More good news. The supercharged V6 delivers its power in a smooth, linear fashion, the acceleration and noise rising in intensity with each 1000rpm until the limiter calls time just shy of 7000rpm.

The gearbox is also improved. Lotus manuals can be recalcitrant affairs, and while it still needs a degree of patience, the Emira allows for quick upshifts and accurate downshifts, facilitated further by excellent pedal placement for heel-toeing.

The automatic isn’t the wet blanket you might expect, either, being reasonably responsive to paddle requests and the ratios feel to be much closer to the manual than they were in the Evora.

This being a Lotus, dynamics are paramount. The Emira is remarkably soft, even with the sport suspension tune, but this isn’t intended as a criticism.

It’s refreshing to drive a car that is so clearly focused on road behaviour and the result is the Emira accepts or ignores bumps, lumps and compressions yet never scuffs its nose. This wasn’t the environment to assess everyday useability, but it bodes well for ride quality on urban roads.

The steering is beautiful, absolutely one of the best systems out there, grip and traction levels are excellent, and while the brakes initially feel soft, it’s just their rate of response which simply takes a couple of applications to get used to.

Lots to like, then, but it’s not all champagne and roses. Put simply, the 2023 Lotus Emira isn’t that quick. Relatively speaking, of course.

Being able to use all the performance a car has, and not always be fighting for traction, has its own advantages, especially on road, but if you love to be pressed into the seat under acceleration, the Emira’s rivals are much, much more potent.

While it’s also very accomplished dynamically, it’s not perfect. There’s slight steering kickback through mid-corner bumps and the soft set-up means the car can feel… ragged is much too harsh a description, but a little uncomfortable when you really want to push it hard.

The base set-up feels to have quite a bit of understeer dialled in, exacerbated further under acceleration when the nose lifts. Likewise, under heavy braking the Emira can feel darty, moving quickly (but only slightly) to the left or right.

Its underlying grip levels are such that these aren’t white-knuckle moments or anything untoward like that and it’s nit-picking to a degree, but Lotus is offering a product that doesn’t have the performance of its rivals or – despite its huge improvement – the tech and equipment of, say, a BMW M4.

It’s hanging its hat on its dynamic ability so any shortcomings are relevant.

It’s also worth mentioning that, on an admittedly incredibly sunny day, the dash reflections in the windscreen were quite a distraction.

If you had a Lotus Evora then chances are you’ll love the 2023 Lotus Emira. It takes everything that was great about that car, gives it a higher-quality, more modern interior and wraps it in a great exterior design.

Arguably more important is the fact that if you have previously looked at an Evora and couldn’t get over its foibles then the Emira is worth another glance. At the risk of sitting on the fence, I suspect the Emira’s talents will come to the fore when we spend longer with it on the road.

If faced with a closed Lake Mountain again I’d be making a beeline for the keys of a Porsche Cayman GT4 or BMW M4 Competition, but for a week-long driving holiday over the Victorian Alps or around Tasmania, then the Emira might be one of the best choices around.

Stay tuned for a more definitive verdict.

2023 Lotus Emira V6 First Edition at a glance:
Price: $209,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 supercharged petrol
Output: 298kW/420Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 11.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 258g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested