Lotus upgraded the Emira with a new 420 Sport variant that tightens the screws on what was already a compelling lightweight sports car. The engine is the headline: a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 produces 420 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque, making it the fastest four-cylinder production car available. Wait, that's a V6, not a four-cylinder, but the output speaks for itself.
The 420 Sport slots above the standard Emira 390 variant in Lotus's lineup. Power delivery remains sharp and responsive, staying true to the brand's obsession with driver engagement over raw numbers. The transmission pairs with that engine to deliver acceleration without sacrificing the feedback that makes the Emira special.
What matters here is that Lotus resisted the urge to bloat the car with unnecessary weight or gadgetry. The company kept the Emira's lightweight philosophy intact. That means the 420 Sport remains nimble on backroads where mass matters more than horsepower. The chassis, suspension geometry, and steering all benefit from a car that doesn't require a gym membership to hustle.
The Emira competes against the Porsche 718 Cayman and Alpine A110, vehicles that prioritize handling balance and precision over brute force. The 420 Sport bridges the gap between those rivals and heavier, more powerful GT sports cars. It offers serious pace without the bloat.
Pricing sits comfortably below six figures when properly equipped, undercut by few alternatives with this much performance and this much mechanical purity. The 420 Sport proves that Lotus hasn't abandoned its core mission even as the sports car market shifts toward electrification and turbocharging.
This upgrade addresses criticism that the original Emira, despite its excellence, felt slightly und