Lotus published the first live-action video and shots of the new Emira GT4 racecar after making its debut in a VIP event at the Hethel track in the UK. The new racecar was first previewed in September 2021 and is the first model coming from the newly-established Lotus Advanced Performance division, developed in collaboration with the RML Group.
Gavan Kershaw, Director of Vehicle
Attributes at Lotus and former British GT champion, drove the Emira GT4 on
Hethel’s 2.2-mile test track, joined by a 1965 Lotus Type 30. During the event,
VIP guests were offered multi-lap rides to experience the racecar’s performance
from the passenger’s seat. Luckily the British automaker took some video
footage from the hot laps so we get to watch it attack the curbs while
listening to the unrestricted sound of its exhaust.
Most of the development work took place in
Hethel, UK, but it also traveled to Portimão, Portugal. The Emira GT4 gets a
prominent front splitter, a massive rear wing, and 18-inch forged wheels shod
in sticky Pirelli GT4 tires. The revised chassis setup includes two-way
adjustable Ohlins TTx dampers, new front and rear anti-roll bars, and race-spec
brakes with an adjustable ABS from Bosch. The Toyota-sourced mid-mounted
3.5-litre V6 engine produces 400 hp thanks to a Harrop TVS
1900 supercharger and a Motec engine management system. Power is sent to the
rear wheels through an Xtrac six-speed sequential transmission with the help of
a limited-slip differential.
In line with regulations, the Emira
received an FIA-homologated roll cage, a racing seat with a six-point harness,
an electronic fire extinguisher system, isolator switches, a data-logging
system, a motorsport wiring harness, and a 96-liter FIA-approved fuel tank.
According to Lotus, the racecar weighs 1,300 kg without fluids,
while a street-legal Emira tips the scales at 1,405 kg. The
Lotus Emira GT4 sold out for the first year of production, with pricing
starting from £ 165,000 (US$ 204,258) excluding taxes and delivery costs. Following
the growing demand, Lotus plans on increasing production for 2023.
