Lotus Emira 420 Sport: the art of feeling the road

It is like wielding an exceptionally sharp Japanese knife on a chopping board that bends with every stroke: the blade can only do so much if the surface beneath it cannot provide a stable foundation.

On this platform, Lotus uses double-wishbone suspension at both the front and rear, with forged aluminium components. This layout allows precise control over wheel geometry as the suspension moves, helping keep the tyres in the most effective position relative to the road. The benefits extend beyond steering precision, contributing to more consistent behaviour during weight transfers, sustained cornering and rapid changes of direction.

The chassis setup has also been revised, with ride height reduced by 5 mm. The Lightweight Handling Package adds adjustable Multimatic DSSV dampers, a titanium exhaust, a lithium-ion battery and a carbon-fibre rear tailgate, delivering a claimed weight saving of up to 25 kg. That might not sound like much, until you ask those kilos to change direction.

Aerodynamics have also been refined. With the Lightweight Handling Package, Lotus claims up to 25 kg of additional downforce compared with the Emira Turbo used as the reference model. It completes the technical package, although the figure needs to be considered in the context of the conditions under which that downforce is generated.

In Italy, prices start at around €133,500: a substantial sum for a sports car that seems to belong to another era, even as the industry changes direction. In a market increasingly focused on displays and digital features, the Emira 420 Sport champions a different idea of progress. Not because technology is the problem, but because in a sports car it should be the means, not the end. And if this really is one of the last expressions of Lotus's traditional philosophy, it is worth asking what we stand to lose.

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