Has Lotus changed for the better? Emira V6 vs Eletre S first drive
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- There used to be a time when Lotus brought out a new car once every ice age, but recently we've seen the results of huge investment in the Norfolk brand - the Emira and Eletre. I had a chance to briefly drive them back-to-back to see if Lotus' best work is still ahead of it… or in the past.
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In my opinion, no. They abandoned what their founder’s motto was. “Simplify, then add lightness.” Now they’re making giant EV SUV’s. I wouldn’t call that an improvement.
While I agree I think thats a case of die on your hill or change to provide whats actually selling in the market.
And how many times have they gone bust?
@@tomhan definitely agreed with you there. I just don’t think they’ve improved as a brand. Selling soulless SUVs is just depressing. Wish they’d focus more on making cars that are experiences to drive.
@@tomhanthe problem is, when they have no USP, they will not win against Porsche, Lambo, etc
their USP is what their heritage brings..and what their heritage brings has not been used in the new product lineup; they couldn't have used it as both are based on generic Geely platforms.
Unfortunately people who say they have abandoned what the company stands for were not buying enough said cars to keep Lotus in business.
Chinese electric SUV with a premium badge to give it some European kudos.
one is lotus the other is a Chinese EV with a lotus badge stuck on the front
You mention the 4.0 Caymans, but the gearing on those are so high you can't enjoy going through the gears. To get the sound you want from them you are doing 70mp in second gear. That is why I bought the Emira.
The big one is big! It’s also heavier than a new M5 😮
The little one is very pretty, but Lotus has just never really touched me as a brand 😮
"Midrange" ?? What´s that in a stupid EV? R.I.P. LOTUS. The Chinese have missed the plot completely.
When I’m talking about midrange in an EV I’m talking about what happens when you put your foot down when you’re already moving - ie how much shove does it have at, say, 50mph
Colin Chapman must be turning in his grave. Very sad to see Lotus joining the plethora of boring EV SUVs. It's the absolute opposite of the Emira which is a true driver's car and stunningly beautiful.(edit to add I typed this before getting to the bit where you made a similar Colin Chapman comment!😁)
The problem for EVs is that they may well be bought like white goods or iPads. All but the cheaper ones are more than fast enough but they are not aspirational enough to justify some excessive prices. Compare that to that of ICE aspirational cars of twenty years ago.
This. They are just homogenous, sterile products. They drive pretty much the same, and being fast in a straight line doesn't make them entertaining. That's not so much an issue for a daily. But for sports cars it's a massive problem, as shown by the lack of interest even in super high end cars like the Rimac Nevera, which was a flop.
The Eletre would make a great boat anchor, but great review. No matter the manufacturer, EVs are bland. I've not met one that I like as of the current date. I want an experience when I get behind the wheel, and EVs feel like I'm playing a video game. I do like some hybrids, but in my opinion, not many have done it well. I'd consider a V6 Emira, however. I'd like it to make more noise in the end.
Agree that the Emira V6 feels 'short-changed' as it only revs to 6800 when the same powertrain in the previous Evora reved to 7200. Hopefully some new additions (S,R, Cup) will putt hat right - along with a geo change to make the handling a bit sharper. Despite a 15mm wider track than the Evora it doesn't turn in as well. I know that it's a bit heavier than the Evora 4xx but not enough to blunt the handling that much. It has been dialled back to appeal to the everyday driver. BTW - the original £60k price was for a regular 2.0l not the First edition V6. (Not that we've seen one of those yet!)
The main issue, I think, is that there are so many regulations about cars nowadays that it's not possible to build a barebones sports car like they did in the past. Also, the general quality of cars has gone up and most of the people with money for this kind of car will expect a certain level of luxury. In my view, Lotus has to do this sort of thing or the brand will simply disappear - it really doesn't matter what Colin Chapman said in the past; that doesn't take account of the current car market. I've seen lots of great reviews of the Eletre and I applaud them for it (sadly it was a bit above my budget). It is a bit of a shame that it's basically a rebadged Chinese luxury SUV...
Great review.
Another British company sold off. You are right, people don’t want steering feel and engagement. Hence VW bland boxes everywhere.
I have had plenty of cars and only loved my Lotus Elises. Lotus Norfolk is not making the SUV, Chinese are. It’s not a Porsche move as they pretend. It’s the Chinese doing what they did with MG.
I feel like Hethel needs to hold off on ending ICE car production. Also, why not just do electric coupes and sedans instead of a very heavy SUV. All that said, i do like how they all look. Great video!
To me, if the Emira was going to my last production ice car I'd have pushed the boat out a bit and designed a new lotus built engine to carry it over the line. The way things stand is that the Emira is a slightly nicer and modern Evora. All the things you said were missing in the Emira can be found in the Evora. I mean they got all this investment for Geely and this is what we ended up with. Very disappointing. As for the EV's they're designed for an international audience, not for us Brits. I'm ok with that. Lotus is clearly trying to become the British/Chinese Porsche and this is how they feel they should go about it. I forgive the whole battery range issue as this is their first EV and it's unlikely Lotus can go from small sports car manufacturer to EV king in one car generation. Good news is they're heading in the right direction to do so. Electre/Emeya seem to have shrugged off the usual Lotus criticisms while gaining new ones from the purists who were in love with Lotus philosophy just not enough to buy one .
'knobs in bright coats' 😂😂
I don't mind Lotus making EVs and bigger cars, if they were actually innovative and moved the needle forward. A huge, inefficient SUV is anything but that. And it's pretty ostentatious on top of that, this thing makes the BMW iX look subtle.
Electra: not a vehicle for me but a very interesting and good value alternative to a Range Rover.
EVs tech overload hurts the usability. Too many screens and touch. Requires pilot license.
2.6 Tons FFS, that's not a Lotus and by the way the range is 💩
(reacting to the title, will watch the video after); for the better?, no, they departed from Lotus heritage and core values and so, despite the incredible increase in wealth for the top 6%, world wide, the geely platforms are destined to fail as, from these 'new money', mostly none are true passionates, being simply interested in image and brand association(Alpine makes the same mistake, by the way); ppl who are interested in Lotus are interested due to its heritage and for what the name brand represents.
I understand and agree with what Geely wanted to obtain, trying to replicate Porsche's turn around with the Cayenne, Macan and Taycan(until taycan suddenly become undesirable); being much more of a left choice, this can't and will not work, especially in a market where ppl start to be displeased with the idea of EVs and where governments started to push for taxes on heavy vehicles(which they should and for which I applaud with 3 hands); Emeya and Eletre are anti-Lotuses and most of the ppl who would want to purchase a new Lotus, will not buy them; they are diametrically opposed to Lotus heritage, legacy and core brand values!, that's why Emira is a success and Lotus EV tanks(being 2.6-2.7 tons) are not!
Until all the ppl who have a good understanding of what Lotus is disappear from this planet, this endeavour of Geely will work only in their home market and with very limited success in western markets and only if they targeted 'new money' that look at Lotus and see a british car manufacturer and nothing more, at which point, not having any USP, they will have to fight with brands like Porsche, Lambo and etc...and they will never win that fight.
It is my belief that they will keep struggling for at least 10 to 15 years in these conditions; in this period, they will achieve success only if they get into the market products that relate to what ppl consider to be the core characteristics of Lotus cars. (1000 hp, awd ev, lambo look, like that theory one doesn't help)
Like I have said, I understand what they are trying to achieve but, for the moment at least, Lotus brand has still another meaning than what Geely is trying to project and promote.(also, it doesn't help the fact that you can get a much cheaper geely product on the same platform, for ppl who actually are interested in cars)
It is a tough situation in which Geely put themselves into when they decided to build Lotus products with zero Lotus values and characteristics.
p.s. if I were Geely now, I'd go for dedicated platform, OG Elan replacement, have massive success with it and from/based on that success, start to think how to apply Lotusness on vehicles that can bring big money into the company(aka, SUVs and crossovers) because, that is what they have made wrong with the current EV lineup.
edit. sorry for the long comment.
Bit o spare time on your hands this Sunday? 😏
I've had to print that comment out and read it on the loo...
@@TimRodieDrivesStuff sorry for misplacing some comas 😄🙈
@@TimRodieDrivesStuff Thanks for sharing! Guessin there were a few knocks on the door to check you were still alive. 😅
@@eugenux I think you should rewrite it all so its perfect, then repost. ❤
Come on really a Cayman? The Lotus looks exotic in comparision.
But who cares what it looks like? It’s a sports car - the most important thing (unless your objective is posing) is how it drives
It has no identity it looks like a generic computer generated image.
@@TimRodieDrivesStuff Uhhhh.....It's nice to have a car that drives good AND is beautiful.
People want suv not sports car sp brand has to change
Cayman GTS the better car, but god how common! To me the Lotus is the more special brand.
I can't imagine ever buying a worse car because it's less common though...
It has not got that spark, maybe change the exhaust.
Some great one liners in this one 😂👍🏻
As discreet as a badger in a sausage factory 😂
Great content as always
Thank you!
Can't warm to the eletre, I'm not against SUV but can't warm to it
Emire I like, wouldn't mind driving one. Can't compare to a cayman GTS as haven't driven the lotus or the cayman, but both choices sound like they'd provide smiles 👍🏻
Lotus biscoff biscuits, dam it now I want some (do have biscoff spread, need a spoon now haha)
Have you tried putting the biscoff spread between to Lotus biscuits? It’s like a bourbon biscuit from heaven
@@TimRodieDrivesStuff that I have to try 🤤
Great video Tim
I’ve just collected an Eletre S, with the 4 wheel steer handling pack and it’s a great car, luxurious and very well built
I understand it’s not a Lotus in terms of heritage etc…but if like me you were coming from a Tesla and wanted something different, a car that looks like nothing else, an EV that can be driven rather than feel like it’s driving you, then the Eletre offers that in bundles.
It’s not perfect of course but at least it offers something different in a ‘vanilla’ SUV segment.