Closely related to the Evora, the Emira is the last hurrah for internal combustion as far as British automaker Lotus is concerned. As expected of a midship sports car designed to handle like it's on rails, the Emira was adapted for GT racing.
Hethel's favorite son originally revealed the GT4 in May 2022. Back then, Lotus asked £165,000 before tax (or $207,825 at current exchange rates). The supercharged V6 of Toyota origin was advertised with 400 ponies on tap. Lotus eventually changed its mind, with the 3.5-liter engine now boasting 455 horsepower and the price kicking off at £179,000 ($225,455).
The late Colin Chapman's company further confirmed that production is currently underway. First customer vehicles will be delivered this summer, and the Emira GT4 will further be displayed at the British GT Championship's Snetterton round to attract more customers. To whom it may concern, Lotus isn't present on the grid this racing season. 2 Seas Motorsport, which is running the V8-powered Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, is currently leading the championship with 144.5 points compared to 68.5 for the BMW-fielding Century Motorsport.
More than 10% pokier than originally advertised, the Emira GT4 is – of course – subject to performance balancing and handicap weights. The racecar's lightest configuration is listed as 1,360 kilograms (2,998 pounds) thanks to composite panels, forged aluminum for the wheels, and a stripped-out interior.
Converted to GT4 specifications by RML in Wellingborough, the Emira GT4 isn't capped. Lotus will gladly sell as many units as they can per annum, although we don't know how many the peeps at RML can produce in a 12-month period.
Equipped with dry-sump lubrication and Motec engine management, the 2GR-FE behind the driver's head is rocking a Harrop TVS 1900 supercharger. Its name comes from Eaton's Twin Vortices technology, and 1900 refers to displacement in cubic centimeters. Capable of hitting 7,000 revolutions per minute, said V6 belts out 500 Nm (369 pound-feet) of twist.
Although it looks and sounds eerily similar to the road-going Emira, the GT4 is a very different animal in many respects. For example, the FIA-approved fuel cell and Hewland sequential transmission. Motorsport wiring harnesses also need to be mentioned, along with two-way adjustable dampers from Ohlins, competition brakes, Bosch-supplied adjustable ABS, and Pirelli-supplied slicks. The rubber shoes measure 265/645 by 18 inches up front and 305/600 by 18 inches out back.
Differences between road and racing cars also include an FIA-homologated roll cage, a HANS-approved seat, a six-point harness, isolator switches, and – in the event of a fire – an electronic fire extinguisher system. Lotus also optimized the aerodynamics of the GT4 since it unveiled the prototype in May 2022, with said bits and pieces redesigned to suit both fast and flowing circuits as well as tight and twisty racetracks.
Lotus' new GT4 challenger isn't likely to dominate its class in the 2024 British GT Championship. A class win – or maybe two – should be possible against the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GT, McLaren Artura, and the Aston Martin Vantage.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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