Like other car makers, Lotus has been spending the last couple of years reinventing itself. The Elise, Exige, and Evora have all been axed in favor of the Lotus Evija, which is not only the brand’s first EV but also one of the fastest electric vehicles introduced so far. The era of ultra-light and nimble Lotus sports cars may be coming to an end, but the Lotus Emira is here for one last hurrah for the internal combustion engine. With that said, Lotus and Toyota have been working hand in hand over the years, and while the latter is planning to resurrect its own mid-engine model – the MR2 – it is Lotus that beat the Japanese car maker to the introduction of a new, entry-level, mid-engine sports car.
A More Upscale Model
It is true that the Toyota MR2 was never intended to be a premium sports car. While the Japanese compact sports car had its fair share of special versions like the MR2 TRD 2000GT, it made it clear that it was an attainable alternative to the likes of Ferrari 348. Even before its ascent to JDM royalty, the MR2 earned one of the coolest car nicknames – “the poor man’s Ferrari”.
With humble ambitions comes the use of cheaper materials, and this can be seen in the largely-plastic interior of all MR2 generations. The Lotus Emira, on the other hand, is certainly not an attainable car. While that never stopped the Elise or Exige from feeling basic inside, the Emira takes things up a notch in order to compete with other, more upscale models like the Porsche 718.
It’s also the second Lotus model, after the Evora, to feature an infotainment screen in addition to the digital instrument cluster and substantial (compared to the Elise/Exige) use of high-quality materials. The last internal combustion-powered Lotus clearly doesn’t want to be attainable and that’s something the $100,000 starting price makes very obvious.
Moreover, according to the latest information, the upcoming Toyota MR2 is going to be a collaboration between Toyota, Daihatsu, and Suzuki, which means it's going to be an affordable model. It is said to arrive in 2025, right after the GR86's retirement, scheduled for the same year.
Still Old-school Despite the Modern Features
There aren’t many high-performance vehicles nowadays that offer a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive package, combined with a manual transmission and a relatively large V-6 engine. The Emira does that particularly well, especially with the Toyota-derived V-6 engine. The 3.5-liter, 2GR-FE engine can be found in a variety of vehicles like the Toyota Camry and Avalon, as well as the Emira’s predecessor – the Evora. The engine features a supercharger, which gives the Emira an output of 400 horsepower (299 kilowatts) and 320 pound-feet (430 Nm). The V-6 variant is available with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, both coming from Aisin.
The other version of the Emira comes with the M139, 2.0-liter turbo-four from the Mercedes AMG A45 S. In the Emira, the engine is said to produce “just” 381 horsepower compared to the AMG’s 415 horsepower, although Lotus may have done its own software tweaks. This engine does not have a manual option and is paired only with an eight-speed 8G-Tronic, dual-clutch automatic, also from Mercedes.
In the past, Lotus was known for three things – lightness, simplicity, and handling. While the modern age has, pretty much, thrown simplicity out of the equation, the Emira still embodies the other two aspects. While a curb weight of 3,097 pounds (1,405 kg) is hardly lightweight according to Lotus standards, it is as light as you can get, nowadays, from a usable sports car. It is also worth noting that the Emira still features hydraulic steering, which is a rare feat nowadays as most car makers now opt for an electrically-assisted equivalent. The benefits, of course, are that the Lotus Emira is able to “talk” to the driver much better.
More Performance Than What Any ICE-Powered MR2 Can Hope to Have
While the MR2 was a quick car in its time, particularly in turbo form, the Emira takes the compact, mid-engine sports car formula and adds more power. Official performance figures for the 2023 Lotus Emira have not yet been quoted, but with at least 360 horsepower at its disposal, the 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) sprint is expected to be in around 4.0 seconds. Meanwhile, we know that the top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h). To put things into perspective, the most powerful version of the MR2 – the GT-S – could sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 5.5 seconds, which is still impressive.
As far as fast toys go, it wouldn’t matter as much, but the Emira is also the easiest ICE-powered Lotus to get in and out of. With a combined luggage capacity of 12.4 cubic feet (351 liters), it’s also the brand’s most practical two-seater yet. If Toyota really wants to bring the iconic MR2 back, maybe it should take a page from Lotus’ book, regardless of who it’s partnering with this time.