Lotus has unveiled the all-new Emira GT4 race car with customer deliveries set to get underway late this year.
There will be more from DSC on the car after experiencing the Emira in the capable hands of Lotus Cars’ Director of Vehicle Attributes Gavan Kershaw, better known perhaps to DSC readers with long memories as a past British GT Championship race winner. The DSC Ed. was the first member of the media to experience the new car from a passenger seat – you’ll see and hear more of that in the next day or so!
The Emira GT4 is the first new model from Lotus Advanced Performance, the bespoke vehicle and experiential division of the business launched earlier this year as a key objective for a company that has lofty aims on a global scale.
This week’s event follows last September’s announcement that Lotus would create a GT version of the critically acclaimed Emira road car. Order books for the Emira GT4 opened at the time and the car has already sold out for the first year of production with Lotus actively targeting a global marketplace for their new baby race.
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.”
The new car shares a high percentage of componentry with the roadgoing Emira but with uprated brakes (demonstrated to very good effect by Kershaw on the Hethel Test Track), and with the already lightweight Lotus going on a further diet. The project has been a collaboration with Lotus and RML Group.
The development team were tight-lipped on the subject of a race debut for the car but an appearance in the British GT Championship in 2022 looks highly likely, the car having already been subjected to SRO’s Balance of Performance process with final homologation close to hand.
On the level of current sales, again numbers were not offered up but the cars will be produced in batches of c.5 cars with 2022 production already sold out, deliveries to customers starting in the final quarter of the year. Sales projections meanwhile are already into the hundreds, a Lotus delegation are set to attend the Bathurst 12 Hour later this month and there are eighter confirmed sales or very solid prospects already in hand in the USA, Japan and Europe.
The advanced composite bodywork makes the car exceptionally lightweight and is coupled with Toyota’s race-proven 3.5-litre V6 engine and optimised GT4 aerodynamics derived from the road-going Emira’s advanced exterior design.
Since last September’s announcement, the Hethel-based development team has focused on precision engineering to deliver outstanding dynamics and high-speed stability. Many hundreds of hours of validation work have taken place on the test track, and over the winter the Emira GT4 also headed to Portimão in Portugal for a week. In addition to the better weather, it’s one of the most challenging circuits in Europe, making it the perfect destination to validate aero performance and component reliability.
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.”
Simon Lane, Director, Lotus Advanced Performance, added: “Lotus’ commitment to motorsport is world-renowned and is one of the key elements of enhanced customer engagement within this recently launched division of the business. We have exciting plans for Lotus Advanced Performance – there is much more to come.”
Lotus has been synonymous with racing success ever since the Mark I, a trials car hand-built by founder Colin Chapman in 1948, and the company has pioneered many of the technical innovations which make racing the thrilling sport it is today. The impressive roll-call of honours includes seven Formula 1 Constructors’ titles, six Drivers’ Championships and victory in the legendary Indianapolis 500.
Most recently Lotus has been racing with the Evora GT4, which won prestigious races and championships including in British GT, Dubai 24hrs, Barcelona 24hrs, European GT, Sepang 12hrs and the Pirelli World Challenge.
Lotus aims to fulfil customer orders for the Emira GT4 race cars during 2022, increasing production for 2023 in line with global demand. Interested parties are invited to contact the Lotus motorsport department directly via motorsport@lotuscars.com
More from the day at Lotus in the coming days
Lotus Emira GT4 tech spec and target performance data
- Engine – Toyota V6 2GR-FE, dry sump, Motec engine management
- Cubic capacity – 3,456 cc
- Power – 400bhp*
- RPM – 7,200rpm*
- Supercharger – Harrop TVS 1900
- Transmission – Xtrac six-speed sequential with paddleshift actuation and LSD
- Fuel tank capacity – 96-litre FIA FT3-approved, with dry brake filler
- Electronics – Motec dashboard with data-logging. Motorsport wiring harness
- Suspension – Double wishbone front & rear. Two-way adjustable Ohlins TTx dampers. Front and rear anti-roll bars.
- Brakes – Competition specification brake system. Bosch adjustable Motorsport ABS
- Tyres – Pirelli GT4 265/645×18 (front) and 305/680×18 (rear)
- Safety equipment – FIA-homologated six-point roll cage, FIA-compliant HANS-approved seat with six-point harness. Electronic fire extinguisher system / isolator switches
- Dimensions – Length 4,410mm / height 1,290mm / track 1,636mm
- Weight/Mass – 1,300kg* without fluids
- Body – Extruded and bonded aluminium chassis with composite panels
- Wheels – Forged aluminium
- Price – From £165,000 (excluding taxes & delivery)
*Subject to balance of performance
