Lotus all day long

Lotus for sure

Lotus, without a second thought

Lotus

Lotus. You buy a sports car based on emotion and the sense of occasion when getting in the car, not how much luggage space it has…

The Emira is the gold standard for steering feel.

@@ytsux9259 hahaha hahaha hahaha hahaha that's hilarious

Dans le célèbre magazine EVO DE DÉCEMBRE 2020 ils ont jugé le gets ennuyeux

The gts ain’t a bad looking car at all but imma have to agree with you

981 Boxster GTS MT owner here. I chose the Porsche because having support for maintenance, spares and repairs is critical for long term ownership. 0 Lotus dealers here, and no independent shops that work on Lotus that I know about within 100 miles.

@@electric_boogaloo496 Underrated comment. This is something Lotus needs to focus on if they are going to attract buyers new to the brand.

@@electric_boogaloo496 ....traditionally, Toyota engines and trans are bulletproof. You can't say that about Porsche.........

@@paulricketts1089 I know that the Lotus Exige used a supercharged derivative of the 2GR Toyota engine that is also present on my Tacoma. But it had many bespoke parts, and a supercharger. It is different enough that a Toyota dealer or independent Toyota shop will refuse to touch it. The only car/truck that Toyota/Lexus sells with a manual transmission with the 2GR engine is the Tacoma. I doubt Lotus put a truck transmission in a sports car. Even then, a mid engine car requires transaxle instead of a traditional transmission that outputs to a drive shaft, and Toyota doesn't make one. The whole conversation about the Exige is moot, because they couldn't sell it in the US. I don't know what engine Emira is running, but it will be hard to buy and maintain in much of the US. Porsche engines and trans are some of the most reliable in the performance car market. You will see them handle the abuse of trackdays like a champ. They may be more sensitive to lack of maintenance, and maintenance and parts are more expensive. But if you take care of a Porsche, they last a real long time.

L’alpine est meilleure que les 2 autres

Thanks for your comment Cooper

Lotus and the GTS are €150k in the Netherlands. Alpine S is €92k.

low miles near new: A110 are £37k, gts 4.0 £60k, emira £64k. Me..981 S for £35k, sounds the best, handles amazingly, reliable, wont lose much £ and performs as well on the road as the others.

A110 has issues. GTS wont lose value much..Emira will be 55k by next summer

@@autodigitvlogs what issues does the A110 have? It's already £35k with low miles near new. The Emira has ongoing issues, you'll want an extended warranty and acess to a dealer nearby. The gts 4.0 and the 981 generation are proven, issues are minor and well known by now.

...it's a renault......that's scary enough............

I wish it was available in the US

Being a Renault means it's not Ford ,Chrysler, or Chevy ( Detroit dinosaurs )

@@georgesheffield1580 while I wish it was available in Norway. For some reason Renault refuses to bring it into the country, even though they sell it all over the rest of europe😞

Isn’t that the Lotus / Chapman ethos?

@@ianstallings I totally agree. I'm in it for the feel and emotion rather than the perfection.

@@ianstallings go up in value like previous Lotuses or McLarens or most Porsches or even Ferraris? Caterhams are even rarer and exciting and they depreciate too.

@@oliveroshea5765 well if you have a look at the alpine, it has risen in value (mainly because of inflation tho)

@@manuelight most used cars have risen in value recently

Thanks!

Non-issue. Anything muted can be easily unmuted in the aftermarket.

Looks too much like a 488

Especially with the AMG one.

@@emanuelefasanofasano3814 ......like that's a bad thing??................

They will mute it, but you can always get an aftermarket exhaust.

Thanks so much K Ahmed! Let us know what you think to our upcoming videos :)

The 981 Boxster is brilliant and far more practical than the lotus. I have a 2014 981 Boxster S and I love it

I own a Cayman as well and there is just something about the Way the Cayman drives . It’s hard being the measuring stick that all other sports cars are out to beat . It speaks volumes as to just how special a Porsche Cayman is .

I definitely agree with your point, the 2gr being limited to 6.5 is underwhelming, but it's aftermarket support is been on a sharp incline for a while, hence with just a pair of camshafts this engine revs to 7.5 or 8 extremely freely, and having that supercharger increases its power potential even more. I also agree that power isn't everything, but it also acts as a catalyst to add other components such as coilovers, adjustable control arms/camber plates and much more. Hence, i think for someone who tinkers with there car the emira would be a better choice, whereas the Cayman is almost perfect cat from the get go.

@@taarunjain6012 I perfectly understand your point but people shouldn't buy a car and tune it to make it "different", you should tune it to make it "better". Doing what you said, so to work on the engine with aftermarket parts to increase the rev range and other things is not like changing a cat or a damper...it can be done, for sure, but if you consider the cost and everything else included, my question is "is it worth it"? you would end up spending quite a fair amount of money which will add up to the Emira's price which is already not cheap - hence you will end up spending a budget which will buy you superior cars on the market. If you buy a car and you change the exhaust, map, or dampers is perfectly fine and I would do it as well..but if I have to buy a car to change it "in a big way" then I'm doing something that the manufacturer should have done, not me.

@@fastdays_1 You are accurate, sir, but I feel tuning an automobile has never been a financially advantageous decision; if we go too far, it becomes a money trap. I'm not advocating that everyone should rev it to 8k; in reality, very few people would go that far. However, a simple tune that lifts the redline to 7k would not be expensive and, in my opinion, would go a long way towards improving the driving experience. And we know it won't lose power based on past dyno charts. Small things such as lowering springs, tune, a nice set of spacers to improve stance and track width, and so on would go a long way toward putting the Emira on par with the Cayman.

That's very kind of you swiper1818 and always nice to hear! We're always striving to bring our A-game for our audience, so thank you!

Wow, thanks so much mihai p - I'm glad you enjoyed it :) - Grant Lester (Director & Editor) Let us know what you think to our upcoming videos too!

but C8 is better

Price? I think this is still very expensive in terms of a credit from Lotus. The monthly costs were about 1.2k. It’s quiet a lot for a 90k car.

@@Howdy762 hmmm does the C8 come with a manual transmission?

@@chris_4044 In AUD terms on road the I4 version comes out to be just over $190K

@@Howdy762 the Corvette C8 is a very nice car

What? Why would you expect lower ownership costs from Lotus? Do you know how difficult it is to get them serviced? I had a Lotus Elise and now have a 718 Cayman S and as much as I miss the Elise, it was a dinosaur with little daily livability compared to, well, *any* Porsche.

Thank you!

Glad you enjoyed Anders and welcome! We'll be sure to let James and Ben know!

Of course

except for no manual transmission

@@1183newman The manual in the Emira isn't great. The manual in the Cayman is arguably too long. Neither reviewer seemed to miss the manual in the Alpine. My impression was they actually preferred the DCT.

@@nigel.w You are spot on. I had the choice of all three and went A110S

The A110 is a little more true to the lotus spirit isn't it? If they offered it with a manual and it came to the US of truly have one. Even ss a lotus super fan.

@@SpencerPlanton Clearly without driving an Emira

AFAIK the S and the GT have identical chassis tunes. Only the "no letter" version that used to be the Pure has the "original" suspension that Gordon Murray found good enough to look at it as his benchmark for his GMA T.50 There is a great Carfection comparison in which the Alpine Pure and the S are compared on a Spanish or Portugese road by Henry Catchpole. Again the Pure gets the vote.

@@fritzbrause6332 Nope, the GT has identical engine setup of the S, but the chassis of the base version. Wouldn't make sense to slap a GT badge on a track suspension car after all

@@fritzbrause6332 There are two distinct upper models for good reason. The S and GT have completely different chassis setups. S is for Sport (smooth roads/track); GT is for grand touring (soft/comfortable). S also has more sport oriented interior; GT has luxury oriented interior. Both have uprated power.

I own a Légéndé (252 hp) with the springs and rolling bars of the S on it Not stiffer but deff more settled in high speed turns and changes of direction. The best of two worlds and indeed a diabolical tool. Can’t be happier!

Thanks!

That's very kind of you Ralph K, thank you! Let us know what you think to our upcoming videos too!

But what if its your only car? The problem with the Lotus is that its still very much a 2nd/3rd car. I don't have kids. But I own a 987.2 Cayman as my only car and its perfect for just me and my wife and dog. While at the same time I can fit my 2 person drop stitch kayak plus all the kit that comes with it. You simple cannot do that in the Emira/4C/Alpine. That's what sets the Cayman apart. You can say the same thing about the 911. But those are for rich people.

@@ForgetfulFoot I haven't shopped or driven these cars, but I suspect what you say is true. One car, Porsche. Second car, Lotus. Second car you intend to track on occasion, Lotus with the track set up as an easier decision. It's really hard to deny the looks of Lotus. I can't think of a better looking car for the money... possibly, ever.

16 Cayman GTS owner here too. I recently drove a 718 spyder with the 4.0 and I will say that engine is quite a bit different than the 3.4 we have, IMO it lacks some of the character that we have. So as a weekend proposition, the lotus seems far more special.

@@Poorschedriver 718 GTS 4.0 owner here and even though I love the sound of 981, the new engine itself is way better. Not only is it faster, but the torque and overall powerband is a lot better, and makes the car much more of a joy to drive.

4cyl abortion of a Porsche. Sell it

Yes, even though it doesn't look as good, at least to me, and is undoubtedly ageing, the GTS 4.0 is still a true thoroughbred, and residuals will almost certainly be in its favour in the medium term. However, in the short term, for those with early build slots, I suspect they will be able to flip their cars for profit, likely in the region of 10k.

Cayman is a big money maker for the far larger Porsche company. Lotus was never going to outsell it. Better to offer something different. All the Emiras sold out quick so it looks as if they achieved their objective.

I’ve had a 4.0 GTS for over a year now. They are very good for everything.

@@mrlotusmic ….and on all roads too 😀

i daily my evora (emira-old) and have 85,000+ on 3 of them. I drive it everywhere and haul lots of kids and stuff.

Thank you!

Bear in mind the Emira was a left-hand drive pre-production hack as well. Harry Metcalfe has just bought one, so it will be interesting to follow his ownership experience.

they did both in real life when I test drove it and in this video, sadly

This is the reason, why I didn't order the valved "sports" exhaust for my Alpine. The pops are one thing. The fake induction noise via snorkel from engine bay to cabin is another one. That snorkel can however be removed easily, so you don't have to put up with this at least.

+1.. The exhaust pop-pop intrusion is obnoxious. An easy fix I'm told.. Gotta luv the Alpine A110... For now I'll keep my time-honored '98 Carrera S (993) ..

Suspect the mic was also picking up more than other noises - road engine wind, as it sounded strange.

Not really a thing. I drive it daily and it's absent in normal mode and fun in sports mode.😉

If I get one I plan on having it retuned to hopefully getting closer to 500hp without having to add any mods. Think that would be ideal

@@mattjubie I had the same thoughts myself!

I thought that too.

Exactly true. One of the most articulate motoring journalist I've listened to for a long while and actually understands the machines he's presenting. Excellent work.

They’re not very noticeable in reality, especially in normal mode…

Thanks Werner!

We completely agree Ary! They're all amazing!

Thanks!

A very interesting question!..

I raced a Ferrari 458 there I’ll take that. But I’d buy a C8 Corvette over all of them.

Black wheels

How have you found the GTS gearbox? If u rev it out.... you are over speed limit in second, sometimes first. Find it frustrating. Would be great to be able to shift a couple of times to get up to motorway speed....

@@gymbeats6050 I’ve got the automatic gearbox. I find it okay, feels a little heavy at lower speeds but that helps keep within city limits.

@@paulcain9442 enjoy bossman 👍

Thanks Doug, that's really great to hear! Keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming videos :)

That's so great to hear, thanks wellrunssports! See you on the next video!

Enjoy that detuned engine with the locked ECU. Lotus got you to pay 2x the price of a CLA for a neutered engine. Crazy

@@pcsullog this man knows what's up

The GT4 was boring - interesting, where did you drive it, what was boring about it - did it have the CF buckets, what cornering g did you get to, what were the problems with the Cayman chassis was it too stiff - it is one of the stiffest cars ever built ~ 40,000N/deg - how does this impact on the wheel rate, what was wrong with the suspension to soft at 40N/mm front ~ 80N/mm rear is the wheel rate not matched to the chassis stiffness? what sway bar settings did the car have?. Why don't the Porsche GT division cars depreciate. Perhaps you should try one round a track on the clock against your NSX ;). I wouldn't put the Cayman GTS or GT4 down as boring cars - I doubt few would.

You took a car and modified to be a raw track car. Of course anything stock in today's modern era will not feel as exciting. But as someone who's owned a wide range of cars, out of the box, the GT4 is hardly boring and one of the most exciting cars you can buy full stop.

In that case, Top End, you will likely find all new cars boring! The Emira is far from an original NSX replacement. I think the closest thing to a new NSX, apart from the new NSX, is the original Audi R8 V8 manual. Maybe a McLaren is closest in philosophy. Problem is reliability and longevity. Your car is very hard to find a replacement for, as I'm sure you know. The new NSX is underrated, but its tech is both its strength and its Achilles heel. Most Honda dealers can't work on it now, let alone in a few years and very unlikely in 30 years. The Emira is a very poor relation. No intention of making a car to rival Ferrari. No big budget, build the best car possible, sell every car at a loss philosophy. Instead, resurrect an old car, will an old outsourced engine from a family car, plus a crude means of increasing power, put on some new clothes, develop it over several years with little actual investment, and end up with a new car that struggles against an ageing but thoroughbred rival. You ordered an Emira on looks alone? You came across as quite a serious person until you said that!

@@pcsullog Really, I disagree - old cars are a reflection of their time and often, just not that good. Moreover, they usually require significant work to make them even remotely good. Boring is simply a reflection of someones mindset. The Cayman is a lot of fun, even the base model has great track manners and is great on a back road. Calling the GT4 boring doesn't ring true most would agree its a load of fun and its regularly touted as one the best drivers cars out there. Moreover, something like the GTS strikes a really nice balance between capability and compliance, something few sports cars really achieve.

We totally agree Ernie, they're awesome! Keep your eyes peeled for more of our future comparisons :)

Interesting comment, these cars are actually on my short list, how would you describe your experience and how is the Giulia much better?

The Giulia is an all-round utterly brilliant car, the design process being the opposite way around to the Germans with the Quadrifoglio being designed first by Ferrari engineers seconded to Alfa and the lower models being derived from it which is why they all have a carbon-fibre prop-shaft for example. The GQ has perfect 50/50 weight distribution so it behaves like a mid-engined car most of the time with loads of grip from a sublime chassis and yet it is RWD with loads of power so you can have a different kind of fun should you feel like it. It is a saloon and looks awesome, even better in real life than in any photos or videos. The sense of occasion is just as strong as in the other cars mentioned. I also love the rarity and the fact people don't know what it is. I have driven the Emira since the comment above and my expected order of preference was correct. They are all great cars although if you choose a Porsche the 981 generation is much more enjoyable than the 718 in my experience and I did end up buying a 981 Spyder whilst waiting for my Giulia. I hope that helps a bit and good luck with your choice! @@a.h.403

@@memo3872 Thanks for your reply ! Very helpful indeed, we can clearly see how you like this GQ ! Now I really hesitate between GQ, Lotus Evora GT410 sport and Alpine A110S. Living in the Alps, I just fear the GQ would be a little too heavy despite all its qualities and Lotus pr Alpine would make more sense.

You're a very lucky chap/chapess with all those Alpine passes on your doorstep! I guess if it's compact and light you're after and I wouldn't blame you as some of those hairpins can be three-point-turn sharp then I guess the Alpine wins but I think I would still choose the Evora which is a great car, not to discount the GQ which carries its extra weight with much aplomb@@a.h.403

Can I quote you when I talk to my wife about why we need to buy this car for our family?

Thanks for sharing your take Jose!

I'm not sure how much Lotus change out on the engine, but Lotus are not going to be allowed to operate the engine beyond the OEM design parameters set by Toyota. Tuners can take a risk, whereas Lotus as an OEM respecting Toyota's wishes and their agreement, as well as offering a warranty, cannot. (AFAIK Lotus change out nothing on the engine internals and are already stressing the engine more than a standard Camry V6/GS350 by way of the supercharger, but if Lotus indeed change out the oil pump, conrods, valve springs and so forth to support high rpm then fair enough, in that case it would be strange that Lotus wouldn't operate the engine up to the rpm to what it's capable of.) Edit -- from reading forums, it seems the exhaust camshaft is the only internal engine part which Lotus change from the original engine (the injectors and intake manifold are also different). So if the engine cannot turn to 8000rpm within OEM reliability requirements in a Lexus GS350 or Toyota Camry, I don't see how it can suddenly turn to 8000rpm within OEM Toyota reliability requirements in a Lotus? :)

@@TassieLorenzo Yes you are correct Toyota won't let lotus rev it part the OEM spec, but I'm trying to approach this from an aftermarket perspective. The thing is, the 2gr generally has low to mid range power in our Camrys, not high end power, and we know that Toyota reliability targets have always been very high and they over engineer their engines(same is the case with the gr Yaris). If you look at the dyno graphs from any evora with the supercharged v6 we know that it produces it's until the redline, and they don't lose power even when redline is raised to 7k. I'm not saying change every part of the engine, but these small changes go a long way on improving the driving experience.(although it's my personal opinion)

Honestly, try the 981S, you'll probably get good money for a 987.2. The 981S can be safely tuned to 350bhp, but it doesn't need it. The steering software can be changed to the gt3, for more feedback. The 981 sounds better than the gts 4.0, with or without the filter. They are on the same platform, the 981 looks better from the front to me, it's also half the proce of the gts 4.0. You can upgrade the infotainment, but I just bought a Bluetooth receiver instead. The car is reliable and a safe bet for your money, esp as the boxster/cayman will be replaced with EVs later this year.

@Jay-xr3sb I actually sold my 987.2 base manual just before the covid prices tanked. Then a few months later got a 981 Base PDK for the same price I sold the 987.2 base manual for. The 981 is an amazing car. So much better looking and way better put together on the inside. I found a used aftermarket AWE exhaust thats going on the car next week. The steering software is also on my to do list. I really like PDK. The cable operated manuals felt pretty average. If i ever get another porsche manual. A numeric upgrade is mandatory. I really want a 981 GTS. Or a high spec 981 S. But with the interest rates. Prices are still too high for me. Hopefully I can get one in a few years before they become true collectors items

@@ForgetfulFoot nice, congrats. Is the steering feel really that much better in the 987? The 981 S offers much more value than the gts, I got mine for £31k, the same condition gts would be £45k. I don't think the sport chrono os really needed. I considered the base, it actually revs more freely and sounds a touch better. I have a tycan on loan while mine is in the shop (padm failure under warranty), its blistering fast but nowhere near as fun as the 981

@@Jay-xr3sb There steering feel is better in the 987. 981 feels a bit unnecessarily heavy. However just like any steering rack (hydraulic or electric). You get used to it over time. The whole steering feel argument is definitely a bit overblown. I will be looking into the GT3 steering software. The benefits of the 981 far outweigh any negatives. Only complaint I have is that the boot area is slightly smaller then the 987. The 981 isn't as good for golf bags or blow up kayak. Agreed. Sport chrono is not required. Sport mode is enough. Especially out of warranty. The dynamic engine/trans mounts will be expensive to replace. And I have no interest in launch control. Manual would be good for rev match though! I wish I had the sports design paddle shifter wheel. But honestly, I have been quite happy shifting manually via the gear selector. The gear selector has a nice damping to its shifts. PSE would be good. But the stock exhaust is great. And the used aftermarket exhaust should satisfy. Retro fitting a PSE is too expensive. And the carnewall mod too inconvenient for me. In Australia I paid $76000 AUD ( £39.5k) for my base 981 (only options are PASM, PDK and satin black carrera S wheels, rhodium silver). An S now would roughly set me back about $100,000 AUD (£52.5k). GTS even more at around $120,000 AUD (£62.5k). I bought mine after the post covid dip. Prices previously were about 20% higher then what I paid. Previous owner purchased mid covid for about $100,000 AUD (£52.5k). He lost 24k in the 2-3 years before selling to me. You get 90% of the fun with the base. However the extra power/torque of the S would be nice. If I ever buy another one. I will be trying to get an S/GTS. Interest rates are just too painful atm. Not worth it.

@@ForgetfulFoot I hear you, prices are wild your way, but it's all relative. I've got a failed mount right now, warranty will deal with it. If I jeep it long term out of warranty, then I'll replace with passive mounts and find a way to clear the fault. I'd love a rev match manual, but gears are too long to bother, it's mainly a constant cross shift between 2-3 for the power. Can't wait for it back

I had a gts and now have a gt4. Great car but a little less comfortable as a daily driver than the gts. I have the carbon buckets which I love but make it pretty tough to get in and out of. Styling wise it has a lot more presence

@@pabs5581 Couldn't live with GT4 for street driving and the buckets in general. Rented one for a week and knew on day 1 it would have to be the GTS for me. Sadly, in the US dealers are allowed to mark them up and mark them up they do by $25K+