The late Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars, ran his automotive company with the design philosophy of: “Simplify, then add lightness.”
The British automaker appears to have heard his call to add lightness when creating its newest model, as Lotus has revealed the most powerful and lightest version of the Emira yet.
The Emira 420 Sport manages to shed weight from an already lightweight mid-engine sports car, plus it boosts power from the AMG-supplied four-cylinder engine.
The turbocharged 2-litre engine gets 420 PS, which works out to 414 hp by our North American measurements, and 368 lb.-ft. of torque – increases of 14 hp and 14 lb.-ft. compared to the Emira Turbo SE currently available in Canada. An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission sends the power to the rear wheels.
When equipped with the Lightweight Handling Pack, the Emra 420 Sport sheds 25 kilograms compared to the entry-level Emira Turbo, which is not currently available in Canada, and increases downforce by 25 kilograms.
The Lightweight Handling Pack picks up two-way adjustable dampers from Canada’s Multimatic, a titanium exhaust, a lithium-ion battery, carbon fibre components and the Lotus Track Performance app, all to improve agility and responsiveness.
Performance improved
The Emira 420 Sport will reportedly sprint from zero to 62 mph n 3.9 seconds (a Turbo SE does it in 4.0) seconds.
Top speed increases slightly, to 299 km/h, up from the Turbo SE’s maximum velocity of 291 km/h.
Most aerodynamic Emira yet
Lotus points out the car went through more than a weight-loss and muscle-gain regime. The 420 Sport is also the most aerodynamic Emira yet.
The automaker fitted the car with a new front splitter, revised front vents, extended side sills, larger air intakes, a lip spoiler and a louvred tailgate.
Airflow to the outboard radiators increases by 15 per cent, to the central radiator by 14 per cent and brake cooling improves by 10 per cent, Lotus said.
The exhaust valve airflow also increases by 30 per cent.
Lotus said these changes should give drivers more consistent performance in demanding conditions, such as on the track.
The car also picks up design cues from past Lotus cars, including the Esprit Turbo.
Chassis updates
Lotus lowered the ride height by five millimetres, revised the suspension settings and swapped out the tires for high-performance rubber, all for enhanced control and driver feedback.
The car rides on a bonded aluminum chassis with a double wishbone suspension.
Removable roof
The Emira 420 Sport also introduces a removable roof panel to the model line.
The tinted glass panel can be removed and stores behind the seats in a protective bag, which opens the open-top driving experience on the Emira.
Lotus said the removable roof panel does not change the car’s dynamic performance.
The new tinted glass panel will be available across the Emira lineup.
More personalization
Lotus is introducing new personalization options on the Emira.
An optional exterior carbon fibre pack adds the lightweight material to the front splitter, side sills, wheel arch vents, side pods, rear spoiler and diffuser surround.
There are nine wheel designs and finishes to choose from and the colour palette gets 16 choices.
The Emira 420 Sport gets a unique Tangelo Orange colour option.
Summer launch
Lotus didn’t provide Canadian pricing on the new model. In the U.S., the starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price will be $122,900 ($169,702 Canadian).
The 2027 Lotus Emira 420 is expected to launch this summer.
For details, visit the Lotus website.
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