According to Lotus, the upcoming range of Emira will get rid of its Toyota 3.5-liter V6 and Mercedes-AMG 2-liter turbo four-cylinder engines, replacing them with a brand new 3-liter twin-turbo engine showcased by Horse Powertrain earlier this year. As part of the Focus 2030 plan, announced by Lotus’ CEO Qingfeng Feng right before the Financial Times Future Car Summit, new Lotus Emiras will hit the market in 2027.
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First launched in 2021, the Emira was equipped with a six-cylinder naturally aspirated Toyota engine paired with a six-speed gearbox. Years later, the AMG-made turbocharged engine borrowed from A35 and A45 hatchbacks was introduced. Going for one single engine will allow Lotus to give its two-seater coupe some extra oomph, as Horse’s twin-turbo engine will make 536bhp and 516lb-ft of torque, which is over 130bhp and 206lb-ft of torque compared to both engines.
The W30 engine will also be available in hybrid form using a crank motor that has 402 bhp of power or by installing an additional motor of 602 bhp. The drive is not yet known, but definitely a dual-clutch system will also be included.
Prior to the introduction of its new V6 engine, Lotus plans to manufacture its current version in special editions, beginning with the one which it claims will be the most powerful and lightest variant of the Emira ever seen, which will be introduced in a few weeks’ time.
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For many years, there have been many stories circulating about the future of sports cars at Lotus, such as the idea that the next Emira is expected to be all-electric, and even if the Esprit was considered as a successor, it would also have been an option with batteries. However, this shift of course had to happen because of the lack of interest for 100 per cent electric sports and supercars. For example, Lotus even resorted to using Horse Powertrain’s technology in their hybrid and range extender models, the Eletre and Emeya, despite being designed as pure electric cars.
