{"id":2949,"date":"2025-08-18T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/?p=2949"},"modified":"2025-08-25T13:03:51","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T13:03:51","slug":"the-lotus-emira-turbo-se-is-an-intriguing-porsche-alternative-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/2025\/08\/18\/the-lotus-emira-turbo-se-is-an-intriguing-porsche-alternative-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lotus Emira Turbo SE Is An Intriguing Porsche Alternative: Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

From the get-go, Lotus had a winner in the Emira. The concept was simple but effective: buyers wanted that iconic Lotus driving feel with a cup holder. They wanted heated seats, but also to feel a bit like Jim Clark on their morning commute. They wanted supercar looks without the price tag.<\/p>\n

The plan was a serious shot at global sports car dominance. Lotus even had a hardcore “R” variant in the works to further take the fight to Porsche, according to former Lotus Cars Europe CEO Matt Windle.<\/p>\n

After years of updating Elises, Exiges, and Evoras, Lotus<\/a> finally had its golden goose. At least, that was the idea. Now, a few years after that initial launch, the picture looks a bit different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Quick Specs<\/td>\n2025 Lotus Emira Turbo SE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engine<\/td>\nTurbo 2.0-Liter Four-Cylinder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Outpu<\/td>\n400 Horsepower \/ 354 Pound-Feet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Transmission<\/td>\nEight-Speed Dual-Clutch<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
0-62 MPH<\/td>\n4.0 Seconds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Base Price<\/td>\n$121,478<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\"2025
\nPhoto by: Alex Goy | Motor1<\/p>\n

Lotus recently spruced up the Emira<\/a> lineup to keep people keen for 2026. There are now three versions to choose from: The Turbo, the Turbo SE, and the V-6 SE. The first and last cars have been around for a while\u2026 sort of.<\/p>\n

The base Turbo gets an AMG-sourced 2.0-liter inline turbo four with 360 horsepower (just like the first inline-four cars), and the V-6 SE uses the same 400-horse, Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter supercharged six that Lotus has been dancing with for years. It ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it.<\/p>\n

The Turbo SE is where things get interesting. The AMG motor\u2019s wick is turned up to match the V-6\u2019s 400 hp, while besting its torque with 354 pound-feet. It\u2019s quicker to 62 miles per hour, too, getting there in 4.0 seconds dead, and it\u2019ll still tickle the fun side of 181 mph.<\/p>\n

\"2025
\nPhoto by: Alex Goy | Motor1<\/p>\n

Pros: Divine Handling, Chuffing Quick, Still Looks Fresh<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The SE trim is new, though. It essentially throws a bunch of kit at the V-6 and Turbo\u2014stiffer sport suspension, a track drive mode, various driver-assistance things. Lots of stuff. At its core, it\u2019s all about choice. With that, the newest member of the lineup is arguably the most fascinating option of the bunch.<\/p>\n

You see, the Emira\u2019s always been a little spendier than, perhaps, it should be. Its initial promised entry fee never quite materialized for reasons best known to Lotus, which means the new lineup can be a tough square to circle.<\/p>\n

\"2025
\nPhoto by: Alex Goy | Motor1<\/p>\n

\"2025
\nPhoto by: Alex Goy | Motor1<\/p>\n

\"2025
\nPhoto by: Alex Goy | Motor1<\/p>\n

In the UK, the base Turbo kicks off at \u00a379,500 ($107,901), the Turbo SE is \u00a389,500 ($121,478), and the V-6 SE costs \u00a396,500 ($130,974). Not small money. However, the car in the middle comes with lots of toys, and it\u2019s the quickest of the lot\u2014for less than the cost of the V-6.<\/p>\n

Ok, you can\u2019t have a purist\u2019s special stick shift with the AMG motor, admittedly, but that seems to be the only \u2018big\u2019 downside. No, it\u2019s not cheap, but Lotus isn\u2019t about that sort of thing these days.<\/p>\n

\"2025
\nPhoto by: Alex Goy | Motor1<\/p>\n

Cons: Pricey, Slow Gearbox, Odd Paddle Feel<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Emira\u2019s look hasn\u2019t changed much since its launch either. You can get it in new hues (green and purple), but the only telltale that you\u2019re in a newer car is the dinky badge on its B-pillar, which tells you what\u2019s in the middle.<\/p>\n

Its interior remains on the tight side, but everything you could possibly need is within easy reach. The infotainment is well thought out, and you won\u2019t end up screaming at menus as you leap from thing to thing. Apple CarPlay works well in it, too, and your podcasts will sound suitably tuneful thanks to the car\u2019s KEF stereo.<\/p>\n

The switchgear is pleasing, and, as with most things, easy to reach. Since the beginning of its run, the Emira\u2019s start\/stop button has been hidden under a bright red cage that needs lifting to get to the good stuff. It\u2019s a neat bit of drama that kicks each journey off with some fun. There\u2019s a decent noise on startup, but as it\u2019s a four-pot, it\u2019s not the most dramatic thing in the world. The V-6 certainly bests it there, but that\u2019s before you give it some welly.<\/p>\n

The tweaked turbo four is a chatty thing, happily tweeting and whooshing, letting you know that it\u2019s got ol\u2019 big turbo that likes to have fun. When you\u2019re making progress, it\u2019s a joyful thing. But on the highway, it can be a bit much. A simple flick of your ankle makes lots of induction noises happen, fine for blasting around, less so when you want to overtake a slow-moving Honda Civic.<\/p>\n

\"2025
\nPhoto by: Alex Goy | Motor1<\/p>\n

\"2025
\nPhoto by: Alex Goy | Motor1<\/p>\n

Lotus tried to keep the Emira\u2019s weight down, but the days of featherweight Elises and Exiges are long gone. It weighs 3,212 pounds; all the carpets, airbags, and screens do take their toll.<\/p>\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean the good \u2018ol Lotus sparkle is gone. Far, far from it.<\/p>\n

Find the right road and the Emira Turbo SE is magical. Lotus\u2019 steering remains some of the best in the game. The way it communicates through your fingers, how it tells you everything that\u2019s going on under the front, while being perfectly weighted and progressive, is a treat every time.<\/p>\n

You sit low, close to the front wheels, something that gives the pleasing impression of extra speed. But it\u2019s unnecessary; this thing is already plenty rapid. It\u2019s the quickest Emira you can buy, and it feels it.<\/p>\n

The way its chunky torque mingles with the low weight, the Emira glides over the road most delightfully. Where older Lotus sports cars needed their necks wrung to get to pace, the AMG motor just gets you there. There are a handful of drive modes: Tour, for the day-to-day, keeps things quiet (ish); Sport ups the noise and the drivetrain aggression; and Track makes everything angry, bar the traction control, which it gives the day off. None of them changes the damping, though.<\/p>\n

With plenty of grip, silly torque, and helpfully large brakes, the Emira SE is A Very Good Thing<\/em>. Sadly, it\u2019s not perfect, though.<\/p>\n

The big one is the gearbox. Not the shifting through forward gears, that\u2019s as quick and easy as a dual-clutch will ever be. No, it\u2019s two other things. The first is paddle feel. When you choose to swap your own gears, each tug on a paddle isn\u2019t rewarded with a click or anything meaningful. It\u2019s a sort of heavy squish, which isn\u2019t very satisfying at all.<\/p>\n

The second issue is the amount of time it takes to shift from forward to reverse. If you need to do a three-point turn in the wild, you need to set the car up, apply the brakes, shift the lever in the direction you want to go, and wait. And wait more. Eventually, the \u2018box will remember what its primary purpose in life is and engage.<\/p>\n

\"2025
\nPhoto by: Alex Goy | Motor1<\/p>\n

\"2025
\nPhoto by: Alex Goy | Motor1<\/p>\n

If your foot isn\u2019t hard enough on the brake, though, the gearbox will refuse to shift entirely and you\u2019ll end up impotently revving your shiny sports car at an angle in the middle of a busy road. People will stare. Well, they\u2019ll glare. The people you\u2019re blocking might honk. It\u2019s not a gearbox for people in a hurry.<\/p>\n

The ride on the turbo SE’s Sport setup (a softer \u2018Touring\u2019 spring set is available) doesn\u2019t get on brilliantly with the UK\u2019s roads. It\u2019s a UK problem more than a Lotus problem, but if you\u2019re not a fan of harder-riding cars, consider the softer alternative.<\/p>\n

The price may be tricky for some to overcome; after all, for a car that isn\u2019t a Porsche, it\u2019s a lot of money. That\u2019ll make some people cross, and it\u2019ll confuse others. The people who take the plunge, though, will love it, and even enjoy the occasional honk.<\/p>\n

Competitors<\/h3>\n

BMW M2<\/a>
\nChevrolet Corvette<\/a>
\nPorsche 718 Cayman<\/a><\/p>\n

Is The BMW M2 Still the Best M Car? Video Review<\/a>
The Corvette Stingray Is an American Cayman Killer: Video Review<\/a><\/p>\n

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From the get-go, Lotus had a winner in the Emira. The concept was simple but effective: buyers wanted<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2951,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2949"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2949"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2949\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2999,"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2949\/revisions\/2999"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.windbornechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}