Going back to the ā60s and ā70s, British-made pocket rockets on our roads were commonplace - low-slung, little things that had no qualms with letting others come along with the frills. Ā Some might call them āroller skates with arches.ā For Lotus, founder Colin Chapmanās philosophy of āsimplify, then add lightnessā was always in pole position.
When B-Roads were still king, raw numbers were irrelevant. It was all about the feeling through the wheel, and the transfer of weight through the curves as you stepped out the back end - a feeling brought from the track, and tinkering in the pits: an era, when, in this league, there was little difference between the car you put toe-to-toe with chequered flag, and the car you drove home. These were true baby siblings of the F1 screamers driven by legends.
As timeās gone by, regulations have tightened, and things have changed. As too have what customers look for in their sports cars - refinement and usability are the words des jours when it comes to truly viable offerings.
This is where Emira comes in.
I deliberately chose not to look at the spec sheet of the car I was using before it arrived with me, deciding to take it all in when I sat inside and started it up. This isnāt the first time Iāve met one of these. A few months back, David, who dropped off the car and walked me through, was also the one who sat beside me while I took one on the marqueās test track in Hethel, Norfolk, which is overlooked by the factory where these cars are made. In some ways, you could say that I was experiencing this machine in reverse, but I was looking forward to considering the details.
20 years ago, you couldāve never imagined a Lotus this plush. Inside, everywhere you touch is soft. Alcantara isnāt just on the steering wheel, but lines the roof. The tan seats are a personal favourite of mine, and something Iād definitely tick if I was let loose with the order form at the dealership. On this example, I was treated to the optional 10-speaker KEF system (of which I put to great use with my house tracks, alongside a good dose of all this pop thatās been our sound of the summer - not embarrassed in the slightest). My brother and I have long agreed that if the glass in the mirrors isnāt shaking, it aināt loud enough, honey. Thatās symptomatic of being brought up during the height of MAX Power culture and the gathering of ludicrously modded french hatchbacks. Thereās CarPlay, air lumbar support, electric adjustment, a rear camera (a must, because thereās no seeing out of the rear), auto lights and wipers. Cruise control. Two-zone A/C. All a given in most offerings, but a pleasant surprise here - a real step up.
But we know what this step up signifies for Lotus, our darling of good-olā-days racing pedigree. Babyās squaring up to Stuttgart - a tough pony to break. I applaud her efforts and the results.
During my brief time living with the Emira, I took it down every type of road I could, and everywhere I went, it gathered people. Itās on the outside, standing at the kerb or on the move, where sets itself out from the rest - lines more exotic than its peers. Phones were pulled from pockets in Kensington, ignoring the sparkle of chariots worth multiples more. Groups standing around it, arms folded, as I returned to it - questions and proper car people conversation triggered as I unlocked it. Beautiful little moments when children asked if they could sit in it. Thereās no denying that the Emira presents an alternative choice, but itās a considered one - a real driverās, and it seems the people on the street recognise this. As the billboards surmise perfectly: Not another sportscar. The other.
