Lotus evokes positive associations in all car environments. Not only have they built great sports cars - they have also helped other car manufacturers with their special expertise. Now Lotus Norges is current with 3 new models - two of them electric.
Showroom at Steen & Strøm
It was my wife who first discovered them at Steen & Strøm in central Oslo. There it may look as if Lotus is establishing a showroom in the same way as we know from, for example, Polestar and NIO. I'm not sure what the premises are going to be like, but it was interesting to catch a glimpse of one of the novelties – Lotus emira partially hidden behind a curtain. Now, it is not this model that is hyped up, it is Electric, a high-built electric SUV in the premium class that has not yet arrived. Lotus' third new model is avoid - a pure battery-powered supercar that I have neither seen nor heard anything about. Compared to the new electric cars shows Emira what Lotus stands for - the legacy of Elise, Exige og Evora. A sports car concept based on low weight thanks to the aluminum chassis, high performance based on technology rather than displacement and a chassis that works for both track driving and touring.
Lotus emira
The car that is currently parked in Oslo, Lotus emira, probably belongs to last year's production batch - First Edition. Then it has a centrally positioned Toyota 3.5 liter V6 engine with supercharger, 405 HP and - either a 6-speed manual - or a 6-speed automatic gearbox with torque converter - both from Aisin. According to Lotus' website, the First Edition with the V6 option is sold out, but cars in the standard version can be delivered from spring 2023.
The Emira Standard is equipped with a 2,0 turbocharged straight four from AMG, the same engine that sits in the Mercedes-Benz A-class A45S. In the Mercedes-Benz, it produces 421 HP, but "only" 360 HP in the Emira. The torque is 430 Nm and with an 8-speed dual clutch gearbox with rear wheel drive it should do 0-100 in 4,2 seconds. I don't know if Lotus will offer any manual option. Pricing has yet to be announced, but in the UK the Emira Standard costs £60, roughly the same as the Porsche Cayman 000 S, - and as the two models are comparable in several areas, it's not inconceivable that the Emira will be priced roughly the same as its equivalent Porsche here in Norway.
lotus eletre
In 2017, Chinese Geely Holding bought 51% in Lotus Cars. They later bought into the company. While the Lotus sports cars are still manufactured in England, the Eletre comes from a super-modern new factory in Wuhan, China. The SUV-like design is created and designed in England. I would also like to believe that the English have been involved in constructing chassis and more. The electric car concept is based on a dual motor and 4-wheel drive. The range is stated at 600 km (WLTP), the top speed at 260 km/h, and 0-100 in 2,95 seconds. As standard, the cars will come equipped with self-driving functions. They get both LIDAR, radar, cameras and software for this purpose. In terms of price, the Eletre Standard starts at NOK 897. On Lotus's websites you can configure and choose which quarter you want to have the car delivered.
Be one of the first?
- "Be one of the first to drive Eletre", beckons Lotus. I think with skepticism about being the first person to buy a brand new model from a brand new car factory in China. But in today's rapid change in the car fleet, the Lotus Eletre is no more uncertain than many other new car brands and models that appear. It's easy to like Lotus. The Eletre has not yet arrived in Oslo, but of the two models I would rather have a Lotus Emira in my garage than the Eletre, - despite the fact that I not get neither a luggage compartment of 688 liters nor a trailer hitch 🙂
See
Lotus Emira preview in Malaysia (2022 Payltan.org)
First all-electric Lotus Eletre suv rolled off assembly line (2022 emobilcar.com)
