new-lotus-emira-420-sport-is-lighter-and-quicker-than-any-other-emira

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A110

Fancy something small, lightweight and fast? Then Lotus possibly has the right car for you. In fact ‘simplify then add lightness’ was the mantra of company founder Colin Chapman as far back as 1952.

These days, Lotus sells four models, with the core of the range being the Elise. Then there’s the more hardcore 3-Eleven, the sporty Exige and the Evora – which is pitched as a rival to the Porsche Cayman.

Big changes are afoot, though, because Lotus plans to build its own SUV in the near future, with the hope of broadening the brand’s appeal to families. The planned car will use Volvo underpinnings and will tackle rivals such as the Porsche Macan and Maserati Levante.

LOTUS

EMIRA

On sale August Price from £105,900You might remember the key engineering and design philosophy of Lotus founder Colin Chapman: ‘Simplify, then add lightness’. Well, it seems Lotus is going back to its roots with the new <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/lotus/emira/coupe/review/n25278">Lotus Emira</a> 420 Sport, which is the lightest and most powerful Emira yet.Indeed, this new Emira is based on the Emira Turbo, but it’s markedly more powerful than that car, pumping out 414bhp (or 420PS – hence the ‘420’ in the name) from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. That’s an increase of 54bhp over the regular Turbo, and 14bhp more than the SE Turbo variant that arrived last year.

With that additional juice, the 420 Sport should be the fastest-accelerating Emira on sale, reaching 62mph in just 3.9sec with a top speed of 186mph. That’s marginally quicker than a range-topping <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/cayman/coupe/review/n17361">Porsche 718 Cayman GTS</a>, and on par with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2023-alpine-a110-r-review/n25444">Alpine A110 R</a>. As standard, the 420 Sport will come fitted with an eight-speed <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/automatic-gearboxes-everything-you-need-to-know/n17022">automatic gearbox</a>.

The Emira 420 Sport comes with the Lightweight Handling Pack as standard, which is available as an option on other Emiras. It shaves 25kg off the weight of the Emira Turbo, creating that same amount in additional downforce and aiming to improve agility and responsiveness.

It also gets a host of updates designed to improve aerodynamics and cooling, including reshaped vents, larger air intakes, a new front splitter and a lip spoiler at the back.With specially-retuned suspension, the 420 Sport also rides 5mm lower than other versions, comes equipped with high-performance tyres and has new carbon fibre gearshift paddles with updated haptics to improve responsiveness.You can also specify the new Emira 420 Sport with a carbon fibre pack that adds – you guessed it – carbon fibre elements across the exterior.Arriving alongside the 420 Sport will be a new removable glass sunroof, available as an option across the whole Emira range.First deliveries of the new Lotus Emira 420 Sport will arrive in August this year. Prices start at £105,900, which is around what you’d pay for an Alpine A110 R.

<hr />For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a><h2 dir="ltr">Read more: <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/sports-cars/n24412">Best sports cars</a> &gt;&gt;</h2>

On sale August Price from £105,900You might remember the key engineering and design philosophy of Lotus founder Colin Chapman: ‘Simplify, then add lightness’. Well, it seems Lotus is going back to its roots with the new <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/lotus/emira/coupe/review/n25278">Lotus Emira</a> 420 Sport, which is the lightest and most powerful Emira yet.

Indeed, this new Emira is based on the Emira Turbo, but it’s markedly more powerful than that car, pumping out 414bhp (or 420PS – hence the ‘420’ in the name) from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. That’s an increase of 54bhp over the regular Turbo, and 14bhp more than the SE Turbo variant that arrived last year.With that additional juice, the 420 Sport should be the fastest-accelerating Emira on sale, reaching 62mph in just 3.9sec with a top speed of 186mph. That’s marginally quicker than a range-topping <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/cayman/coupe/review/n17361">Porsche 718 Cayman GTS</a>, and on par with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2023-alpine-a110-r-review/n25444">Alpine A110 R</a>. As standard, the 420 Sport will come fitted with an eight-speed <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/automatic-gearboxes-everything-you-need-to-know/n17022">automatic gearbox</a>.The Emira 420 Sport comes with the Lightweight Handling Pack as standard, which is available as an option on other Emiras. It shaves 25kg off the weight of the Emira Turbo, creating that same amount in additional downforce and aiming to improve agility and responsiveness.

It also gets a host of updates designed to improve aerodynamics and cooling, including reshaped vents, larger air intakes, a new front splitter and a lip spoiler at the back.With specially-retuned suspension, the 420 Sport also rides 5mm lower than other versions, comes equipped with high-performance tyres and has new carbon fibre gearshift paddles with updated haptics to improve responsiveness.You can also specify the new Emira 420 Sport with a carbon fibre pack that adds – you guessed it – carbon fibre elements across the exterior.Arriving alongside the 420 Sport will be a new removable glass sunroof, available as an option across the whole Emira range.

First deliveries of the new Lotus Emira 420 Sport will arrive in August this year. Prices start at £105,900, which is around what you’d pay for an Alpine A110 R.<hr />For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

<h2 dir="ltr">Read more: <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/sports-cars/n24412">Best sports cars</a> &gt;&gt;</h2>

New Lotus Emira 420 Sport is lighter and quicker than any other Emira

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Ride comfort shouldn’t be sacrificed at the altar of handling sharpness</li> <li>Plenty of power from a melodic engine</li> <li>Handling that doesn’t come at the expense of a back-breaking ride​​​​​</li> <li> Practicality is not essential but nice to have </li></ul>

Driving fun is right at the top of any sports car buyer's priority list, and every one of our award candidates has backroad entertainment coded into its DNA.

New variant of Lotus’s combustion-powered sports car adds lightness and more power

New Lotus Emira 420 Sport is lighter and quicker than any other Emira        

Coupe (2022 - )

Alpine (pronounced 'Al-peen') heralded its rebirth with the A110 sports car, which was in the mould of all great drivers’ cars: small and light. And it delivered a character all its own.

Since then, Alpine has evolved into a multi-model brand. The A290 is a high-performance reimagining of the Renault 5 electric small car, and the A390 is the firm’s first standalone electric car.

Alpine shares many of its components with its sister brand, Renault, but its products have a very different look and feel.

Yes, Aston Martin is the preferred manufacturer of a certain (not so) secret agent, but its latest cars offer a lot more than the chance to indulge your Bond fantasies.

The DB12 is a very fast and very luxurious long distance cruiser, and the Vanquish is arguably one of the most glamorous cars around.

Proving it's not afraid to move with the times, Aston has also embraced the march of the SUV; its DBX is a stunning example of what's possible when building a fast, expensive and sporty SUV.

Aston Martin

Audi is a brand that sets the standard for interior quality, and this, combined with its vast and ever-growing model line-up, has helped it become one of the ‘big three’ German prestige car makers, along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The A3 hatchback, A4 executive saloon and Q7 SUV are all common - yet upmarket - sights on UK roads.

At least some of Audi's success over the past 30 years can be attributed to the growth in sales of vehicles with four-wheel drive; the company arguably led the way in bringing 4x4 technology into the mainstream, with its Quattro coupé in the early 1980s.

Today, most Audis are available with at least the option of four-wheel drive, while the list of SUVs from the brand includes the Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7.

Audi

In many ways, modern Bentleys offer the best of both worlds, blending traditional British craftsmanship with modern mechanicals developed with the help of the company’s owner, Volkswagen.

The Bentayga SUV, for example, is closely related to Audi’s brilliantly engineered Q7 (another VW Group car). Yet the Bentayga still feels every inch a Bentley, thanks to its hand-finished interior and sonorous V8 engine.

Other Bentleys you can buy today include the Flying Spur&nbsp;saloon&nbsp;and the Continental GT coupé and convertible.

Bentley

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from small coupés to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the X7 luxury SUV, which can easily cost more than £100,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has more than ten in its range, covering petrol, diesel, electric and plug-in hybrid power options.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz. 
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Volkswagen owns several hugely desirable brands, including Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche, but Bugatti is the most exclusive of them all.

For many years, its Veyron hypercar was famous for being the fastest road car of them all, with a top speed of 254mph. Meanwhile, the Chiron that succeeded it has moved things on again, and the fastest versions are capable of more than 300mph.

If you’re after the ultimate – and have almost unlimited funds to play with – this is it.

Bugatti

Citroën is probably most famous for its quirky design, and the latest cars from the brand live up to this tradition. In fact, it&nbsp;tends to keep away from sportiness altogether and instead tries to put comfort first.

Value (but not cheapness) is also key to the appeal of most Citroëns. And the company’s range includes everything from a tiny EV (the Ami) through to the C3 small hatchback and&nbsp;the large van-based&nbsp;Spacetourer MPV.

Its range of SUVs are all badged Aircross, and like the rest of its range place emphasis on comfort, not speed.

Citroen

One of the world’s most famous brands and an integral part of the Formula 1 grid since the first championship in 1950, Ferrari fully lives up to its exalted reputation, producing some of the best sports cars money can buy.

Its entry-level model (although that term hardly seems appropriate) is the Roma, which is powered by a twin-turbo V8 and capable of blasting from 0-62mph in 3.4sec.

Then, further up the range you find the plug-in hybrid 296s – in both coupé and Spider forms – plus the Purosangue SUV, which is the firm’s first four-door, four-seat car.

Ferrari

Ford is among the most familiar household names in motoring, with models such as the Fiesta and Focus under its belt.

However, it is adapting to changing tastes, and is, with the exception of the Mustang sports car, primarily a purveyor of SUVs. The Ford Puma tops the list of the UK’s best-selling cars; the Kuga shifts in significant numbers, too.

More recently it has revived names from its past, including the Capri and Explorer, which are both family electric SUVs. Its van range – including the most famous van of them all, the Transit – remains hugely popular.

Ford

Lamborghinis have been adorning bedroom posters since the mid-1960s. Not bad for a company whose origins lie in making tractors.

Today, Lamborghini is part of the Volkswagen Group, and as well as bolstering its core sports car portfolio, it has branched out to launch the Urus – a luxurious SUV that’s a rival to the fastest versions of the Bentley Bentayga and Porsche Cayenne.

Lamborghini

Lexus is the premium arm of Toyota, and carries its parent company’s reputation for reliability and build quality. Its models, though, are a far more upmarket affair.

They range from the LBX small SUV, which owes its existence to the rather more humble Toyota Yaris Cross, through family SUVs such as the RX to the luxurious RZ. There’s also the BMW 5 Series-rivalling Lexus ES executive car, plus the quirky LM – a large, luxurious seven-seat MPV.

Lexus has long traded on its fuel-efficient hybrid engines, but like other manufacturers, it is moving into its electric future with the UX and RZ SUVs.

Lexus

If you fancied something small, lightweight and fast, then Lotus was once the go-to carmaker. Indeed,&nbsp;‘simplify then add lightness’ was the mantra of company founder Colin Chapman as far back as 1952.

However, the days of the tiny Elise sports car are behind it, and today the firm is moving to an electric future spearheaded by the Emeya, which rivals the Porsche Taycan, and the Eletre SUV which competes with the Audi SQ8 e-tron EV and petrol-powered Porsche Cayenne.

Yet the days of petrol power aren’t quite over yet, because the Norfolk-based carmaker also offers the Emira, a sports car which is cut from a similar cloth to the Alpine A110 and Porsche 718 Cayman.

Lotus

Do you look at the models of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz and find them all a bit too… common? Well then, Maserati might be up your street.

This Italian car maker has one SUV in its line-up, the Grecale, which is available with a petrol engine or as an electric SUV. It rivals the Porsche Macan – and the Porsche Macan Electric.

More traditional Maseratis include the GranTurismo coupé and GranCabrio drop-top, and there’s the MCPura supercar, which used to be called the MC20.

Maserati

To many, McLaren will always be best known for its motorsport activities, but it also has a range of high-performance cars designed to challenge the likes of Ferrari and Porsche.

Most McLaren models share two key components: a central tub made out of carbonfibre and a powerful V8 petrol engine. And with cars ranging from the entry-level GTS to the scintillating 765LT, McLaren cars rival everything from the Porsche 911 and Ferrari’s SF90.

McLaren

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Tesla and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is the most comfortable for a long motorway journey. 
&nbsp;

Mercedes-Benz

Nissan turned up early to the SUV party, with its Qashqai paving the way for the countless models we see today. The Qashqai continues to sell in big numbers in the UK, too, joined by its fellow British-built relatives in the Juke small SUV and Leaf electric car.

Indeed, the original Leaf was the world’s best-selling EV, so Nissan knows a thing or two about electric cars.

The trio is joined by two more SUVs: the all-electric Ariya and the seven-seat X-Trail. But it’s not all about SUVs, though, because there’s also the Micra – a small electric car based on the brilliant Renault 5.

Nissan

Polestar is a relative newcomer to the new car market, having been born as a motorsport team later bought by Volvo. Today it produces a range of upmarket, fully-electric vehicles and as a brand now sits independently of Volvo.

Its models are given numerical names, and unusually these don’t denote the size of the model, rather they indicate the order in which they’re launched. The now-discontinued Polestar 1 was the firm’s first model and the Polestar 2 is an executive hatchback which is a direct rival for the Tesla Model 3. The Polestar 3 is an electric SUV, Polestar 4 a coupé and Polestar 5 a performance car.

Polestar has a focus on sustainability: in 2020 was the first car maker to release a study to show the carbon footprint of its cars, and in 2021 it started a project to ensure rare-Earth materials such as cobalt – used in many electric car batteries – are sourced responsibly.

Polestar

Porsche is best known as the quintessential sports car maker, but its line-up is increasingly diverse, interesting and successful, from its classic 911 sports car, through to a family of SUVs and high-performance electric cars to the Panamera hatchback and a number of electric cars, most notably the Taycan and Macan Electric.

Whatever your choice, What Car?’s testers rate the cars highly; Porsche has an unusually high percentage of five and four-star cars.

Without exception, its sports cars are class leaders or among the class leaders, standing out for combining driving thrills with surprising luxury and comfort. Likewise, its SUVs are among the sharpest handling, as well as offering high levels of practicality and quality.

When it comes to making a statement about how successful you are, there is no brand that shouts “I’ve made it!” more emphatically than Rolls-Royce.

If that’s all you want from your car, look no further. The firm has expanded its range in recent years, with the top-of-the-range Phantom saloon being joined by the Cullinan SUV, and other models including the Ghost and its first electric car, the Spectre.

Whichever way you go, if you have to ask how much it costs, the chances are you can’t afford it. And, even then, the base price is unlikely to be what you end up spending, such is the list of alluring options on offer.

It’s also a moot point whether the cars themselves – rather than the image they portray – represents the very best way to spend your money. What Car?’s testers rate all of them positively but reckon that – if you’re buying with your head rather than your heart – there are other cars that you should also consider.

Rolls-Royce

Toyota has a rather Jekyll and Hyde approach to its very best cars. On the one hand, the superb Corolla family car and estate are eminently sensible, combining plenty of practicality with rock-bottom running costs. On the other hand, its GR Yaris is among the finest – and most fun – hot hatchbacks money can buy.

The rest of its range errs towards the rational side, with a wide range of small, family-sized and large SUVs – many of which are hybrid-powered, and some are fully-electric.&nbsp;

The Yaris Cross stands out for exceptional fuel economy – we achieved more than 100mpg around town – and the Prius remains the world’s most famous hybrid car.

Toyota’s enviable reputation for reliability is backed by a warranty which can stretch to 10 years/100,000 miles as long as the car is serviced by a Toyota dealer.

Toyota

Emira

Exige

The Lotus Emira&nbsp;is&nbsp;a pretty big deal for the celebrated car maker: it's expected to be the last <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/lotus">Lotus</a>&nbsp;with an internal combustion engine before the brand goes all-electric.

If it’s good, the Emira could become&nbsp;as iconic as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/lotus/esprit/coupe/used-review/n443">Lotus Esprit</a> or the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/lotus/elise/sports/used-review/n24290">Lotus Elise</a>&nbsp;but if it’s merely average it will be a sad footnote in&nbsp;petrol-powered&nbsp;Lotus <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/sports-cars/n24412">sports car</a>&nbsp;history.

It's the successor to&nbsp;the&nbsp;Evora, a 2+2 coupé that was brilliant to drive but challenging to live with. However, given that the track-focused <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/lotus/exige/coupe/review/n21689">Lotus Exige</a> is no longer available, this new model could be expected to plug that gap&nbsp;too.

It also faces some tough rivals, including&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alpine/a110/coupe/review/n185">Alpine A110</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/cayman/coupe/review/n17361">Porsche 718 Cayman</a> and the more GT-focused <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/f-type/coupe/review/n17268">Jaguar F-Type</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/gr-supra/coupe/review/n19387">Toyota GR Supra</a>. In other words, the Emira has a lot to live up to. Fortunately,&nbsp;it will be available with two distinct engines that should each give the car a different personality.

The Lotus Emira arrives with a 3.5-litre V6 provided by Toyota and supercharged for its Lotus application, for a healthy 400bhp. Lotus gives you a choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic.

There's also a&nbsp;Mercedes-AMG turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder with 360bhp and an eight-speed <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/automatic-gearboxes-everything-you-need-to-know/n17022">dual-clutch automatic</a>. We’ve experienced that engine in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n17170">Mercedes-AMG A45</a> (a former best hot hatch at our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/awards/new-car-awards">Car of the Year Awards</a>) and it sounds fantastic and packs a proper punch.

To find out whether the Lotus Emira is a hit or a miss, keep reading this comprehensive review. We've driven it, and will tell you how we rate its&nbsp;performance, comfort, running costs and more. We'll also&nbsp;compare it with the main sports car rivals.

<hr />
What’s new?

- June 2025: new Emira V6 SE models unveiled, with sales starting in September 2025 
- July 2023: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder Lotus Emira breaks cover 
- March 2022: Lotus Emira V6 First Edition goes on sale with 400bhp supercharged 3.5-litre V6 engine 
&nbsp;

Sports car has fine handling, a luxurious interior and a plush ride, but the current V6 engine doesn't do it justice

New Lotus Emira 420 Sport is lighter and quicker than any other Emira

New variant of Lotus’s combustion-powered sports car adds lightness and more power...

Read more: Best sports cars >>

New Lotus Emira flagship promises dynamic handling and improved comfort

New Lotus hybrid V8 supercar to arrive in 2028

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