Lotus has an illustrious history of racing and making light cars that go really fast around a race track. So, Lotus’ own test track in Hethel was the perfect location for the manufacturer to unveil their newest car, the all-new Emira GT4 race car. It is the first new model from Lotus Advanced Performance and marks the start of an exciting new era in performance GT racing for Lotus. Lotus managed to sell out the Emira GT4 at the exclusive showcase event itself.
Lotus held an exclusive event where some VIP guests got to sit in the passenger seat while Gavan Kershaw, Director of Vehicle Attributes at Lotus and a former British GT Championship winner, drove the car around the 3.5km track. The Emira GT4 has been priced at £165,000 (~Rs 1.57 crore).
The Emira GT4 is essentially a GT version of the road-going Emira and comes with a 3.5-litre V6 engine sourced from Toyota. This engine makes 400bhp and is a 6-speed sequential gearbox with paddleshifts and a limited slip differential. Staying true to the Lotus DNA, the Emira GT4 has a dry weight of 1300kg. To make the car light, advanced composite bodywork has been employed. The car was also tested in Portimão in Portugal for a week. Inside the cabin is an FIA approved roll cage and the seats have 6-point safety harness. The car itself is 4,410mm in length, 1,290mm tall and 1,664mm wide. It rides on 18-inch forged aluminium wheels shod with Pirelli GT4 rubber.
Gavan Kershaw, who has been heavily involved in the development, commented, “We knew we had an excellent starting point for the Emira GT4 because of all the work done to make the road car such a great performer. Showing off the GT4’s dynamic capabilities on the Hethel test track – which has shaped countless race cars and their drivers since Lotus moved to the site in 1966 – is a very special moment for me and all the team involved.”
Richard Selwin, Race Programme Manager, Lotus, commented, “We’re delighted with how the Emira GT4 programme has progressed. We have an appealing spec and a level of performance that’s going to thrill both customers and spectators around the world. I believe in the Emira GT4 we have a car that promises to be more than competitive.”
