Lotus cars set for Indian market entry with Emira and Eletre models
The Emira is a typical Lotus with all of its curves intact while Eletre is an all-electric SUV. British luxury sports carmaker Lotus is all set to make its debut in India on November 9 through New Delhi’s Exclusive Motors. With two cars in the starting lineup, we could potentially see a whole host of new Lotus cars coming to our shores over the years. For now, take a look at what we are expecting on launch day.
Design-wise, the Emira is a typical Lotus with all of its curves intact. Featuring the signature tiny sports car styling, the Emira features full-LED headlights as a standard feature. Its side ducts serve a dual purpose by directing air to the engine for cooling. The car sits on 20-inch alloy wheels that are complete with the Lotus Drivers pack. (Image: Lotus)
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Inside, you'll find digital instrumentation and a generously sized central touchscreen. Now, while the Emira is essentially a successor to the previous Lotus sports cars like the Elise, Exige, Elan and Espirit, what the Emira does better is in the fit and finish department and comfort features. (Image: Lotus)
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Door pockets, cup holders, soft-touch trim elements and supportive seats all make up the interiors of the Emira. Weighing in at a respectable 1,405 kg, the Emira maintains Lotus's commitment to lightweight design, although it's slightly heavier compared to some of the older iconic models. (Image: Lotus)
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Powering the Emira is a choice of two engine options. The first is a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine sourced from Mercedes, delivering an impressive 366 hp and 430 Nm of torque. This is then mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, propelling the Emira from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds. But for those who want more, the second option is a muscular 3.5-litre V6 from Toyota, generating an astounding 405 hp. (Image: Lotus)
This V6 engine offers either a manual or automatic transmission and boasts 420 Nm (with the stick) or 430 Nm (automatic). With the V6 under the hood, the Emira can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in a mere 4.2 seconds and has a top speed of 290 km/h. When it does arrive, the Emira could be priced between Rs 2.5 crore and Rs 3 crore (ex-showroom). (Image: Lotus)
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Looking towards the future, the Eletre is Lotus all-electric SUV. Now, the Eletre is extremely un-Lotus-like, but there is no denying it will turn heads thanks to its modern design and sharp styling. (Image: Lotus)
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The Eletre will be offered in three variants – Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R. While all three variants will be powered by the same 109 kWh battery pack, the Eletre and the Eletre S get a 611 hp motor that twists at 710 Nm. (Image: Lotus)
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The Eletre R, on the other hand, is the performance variant of the SUV providing 918 hp of maximum power and 985 Nm of torque. According to Lotus, the Eletre as well as the S variant are capable of being propelled from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds whereas it takes just 2.9 seconds for the R variant to complete the sprint and reach a top speed of 265 km/h. (Image: Lotus)
Over on the inside, the driver’s display is a slim 30mm high panel that seamlessly expands horizontally to merge with the 15.1-inch primary HD infotainment screen. Augmented reality HUD (head-up display) comes as standard and customers get to choose between two audio systems from British brand KEF. (Image: Lotus)
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The standard system is a 15-speaker setup which can be optioned out for a 23-speaker 2,160-watt unit Uni-Q and 3D surround capabilities. (Image: Lotus)
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles