The air crackles with anticipation across the Lotus Emira. Not most effective is it a stunningly lovely mid-engine sports sports car, but it moreover holds a big place in records because it’s miles the remaining car synthetic thru Lotus with an internal combustion engine. While tons has been written about the V6-powered model, lovers have eagerly awaited the arrival of the four-cylinder version, powered with the aid of manner of a effective engine sourced from Mercedes-AMG. We in the long run got our chance to revel in the 2025 Lotus Emira I4 First Edition on a few hard roads for this First Drive BloCarBuzz, and the enjoy modified into… Pure Lotus, with a current-day twist.
The Emira is tasked with converting the enduring Elise, Exige, and Evora – a tall order encompassing uncooked tune purity to relative GT comfort. The purpose of the I4 version, and mainly the properly-ready First Edition that we drove, is to provide the acquainted Lotus managing and to be had average performance in a extra sensitive and technologically advanced package deal deal than Lotuses of antique. Our energy route, a mixture of tight bends, sweeping curves, and brief motorway stints, changed into the correct proving floor.
Behind the Wheel
Firing up the AMG-sourced 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (a variant of the engine decided in fashions just like the AMG A45) famous a individual superb from the V6. It settles proper right into a beneficial idle, but it lacks the supercharged whine of the previous model. With 360 horsepower and 317 lb-toes of torque on faucet, channeled completely through a responsive 8-tempo twin-take hold of transmission (DCT), this Emira variant is not any slouch.
Performance
The I4 is extraordinarily eager whilst riding. It does no longer have the instantaneous low-rpm torque shove of the V6, but the power will boom linearly and fast because the fast spins up. It encourages you to chase the redline, feeling more alive the better you rev. The AMG DCT is a notable associate; shifts are lightning-speedy and crisp when pushing tough, but smooth and unobtrusive in automatic mode sooner or later of snug the use of. It would possibly lack the ultimate motive force engagement of the V6’s manual desire, but dynamically, this gearbox is exceptional and perfectly matched to the I4’s powerband. The Lotus claims a 4.Four-second zero-60 mph time, which is reasonably quick.
Handling Purity
This is in which the Emira have to deliver, and oh, does it. The steering, nevertheless hydraulically assisted (a rare and glorious feature in recent times!), is genuinely elegant. It’s wonderfully weighted, direct, and provides a level of granular remarks from the road ground this is lacking in most cutting-edge cars. You sense intimately related to the the front wheels.
The balance in the center of the engine is felt. Turn-in is telepathic, and the chassis rotates around you with an nearly intuitive grace. Excellent frame control, with little roll even on hard switchbacks. Our First Edition check automobile featured the Lotus Drivers Pack, presenting the stiffer Sport suspension tune. While corporation, it is remarkably composed, by no means feeling crashy or unsettled, even on imperfect pavement. Grip levels are high, allowing you to keep excessive tempo thru corners with vast self warranty. It feels lighter and possibly even a touch more agile than the V6 Emira.
Ride and Usability
Compared to previous Lotuses, the Emira is significantly more livable. The interior is simpler to get into (despite the fact that despite the fact that a sports activities automobile climb), visibility is fantastic for a mid-engine automobile, and the experience, even as employer in Sport mode, is distinctly compliant in Tour mode. This is a sports activities sports vehicle you could realistically stress each day, not certainly on path days or weekend blasts.
Inside
Lotus interiors have historically prioritized lightness over steeply-priced or era. That script is absolutely flipped with the resource of the Emira.
Design and Materials
The cabin is a massive development. Materials experience premium – soft-contact surfaces, outstanding leather-based, and well-completed steel brightwork. The format is centered at the purpose force but feels contemporary and cohesive. In comparison to the sometimes flimsy revel in of older fashions, the construct best appears to be sturdy.
Comfort and generation: eventually updated A 10.25-inch essential touchscreen handles infotainment, providing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (subsequently!). It’s responsive and relatively clean to navigate. A 12.3-inch virtual motive pressure’s display is plain and configurable. The seats are supportive and cushty, suitable for longer drives. While still a cushty sports activities activities automobile cockpit, it feels substantially more spacious and lots much less cramped than an Elise or Exige.
Exterior Design
The Emira is truely outstanding. Its layout draws easy perception from the electric Evija hypercar, with sculpted lines, outstanding vents, and a dramatic profile. It appears steeply-priced, super, and undeniably unique. The First Edition gives precise badging and finishes that decorate its visible appeal. On the road, it turns heads everywhere it is going. You can see how the [Emira’s design language evolved from Lotus concepts]([Internal link to a BloCarBuzz article about Lotus design evolution or concept cars]).
Charging Ahead?: Not This Lotus
Unlike the brand’s destiny direction, the Emira is defiantly gas-powered. Its “charging” includes locating the nearest gas station, no longer a charging port. This contributes to its enchantment as a relic of the ICE sports vehicle technology.
Insights
My biggest notion from using the Emira I4 First Edition is how successfully Lotus has included a powerful, contemporary-day powertrain and a usable, excessive-tech interior without compromising the center Lotus handling magic. There become a hassle that including weight and refinement would possibly dilute the revel in, but the chassis balance and steerage purity remain incredible.
The AMG I4 and DCT are a outstanding combination, providing handy, interesting average performance that feels unique but similarly valid in assessment to the V6. AMG gives the present day, tremendous, and dependable powertrain, and Lotus gives the arena-elegance platform and steerage experience. This is a partnership that works. For Lotus, this is more than just a breakthrough; it’s a bounce. It looks as if a truely competitive current sports activities activities car that retains a completely unique, analogue-feeling connection to the road, specifically via that great steerage. It feels precise, like a actual using pressure’s vehicle that you could honestly live with.
Expected Specs at a Glance
Based on manufacturer information for the Emira I4 First Edition:
| Feature | 2025 Lotus Emira I4 First Edition |
|---|---|
| Engine | Mercedes-AMG 2.0L Turbo I4 |
| Horsepower | 360 hp |
| Torque | 317 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 8-speed DCT (AMG) |
| 0-60 mph | ~4.4 seconds |
| Top Speed | ~180 mph |
| Weight (Approx) | ~3,100 lbs (1400 kg) |
| Configuration | Mid-engine, Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Key Features (First Edition) | Touring or Sport suspension, Drivers Pack, Design Pack, Convenience Pack |
- Note: Specifications are based on manufacturer data and may vary slightly
Verdict
The fact that the 2025 Lotus Emira I4 First Edition obtained a number one-hand pressure from BloCarBuzz attests to its superb excellent as a sports sports vehicle. It correctly blends Lotus’s legendary managing and agility with a robust, characterful engine and a hugely progressed, current, and usable interior.
It’s arguably the most balanced and well-rounded Lotus up to now. It offers the performance and handling purity fanatics demand even as eventually providing the technology and refinement had to compete inside the cutting-edge sports activities vehicle market. If you are looking for a mid-engine sports car that feels unique, handles brilliantly, and has a usable interior, the Emira I4 First Edition is a significantly compelling preference. As the final ICE Lotus, it’s miles the appropriate car.
Conclusion
The 2025 Lotus Emira I4 First Edition is not only a new version; it’s the end result of a few years of Lotus philosophy, updated for the contemporary technology. It’s a party of the internal combustion engine and driving force engagement in advance than Lotus is going absolutely electric powered powered.
Your thoughts on the Lotus Emira I4? Do you like the aggregate of AMG energy and Lotus coping with? Share your thoughts within the feedback beneath!
