Lotus Might Switch Out the Emira's V6 for This Monster Motor

Miami Herald

22-05-2025

In spite of the brand's mantra of "simplify, then add lightness" philosophy, British sports car manufacturer Lotus may have a trick up its sleeve to make its most prolific gas-powered car compliant with new, stricter vehicle emissions regulations in a key region where it sells cars.
According to a new report from Autocar UK, the Colin Chapman-founded brand may turn to its new engine partners, Mercedes-AMG, to provide a new V8 powertrain that can be stuffed behind the seats of the Emira. During the company's recent earnings call, Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng said that the Geely-owned company is committed to offering a high-performance version of the Emira sports car, and that it is "currently investigating the feasibility of the V8" from AMG.
If you spend a lot of time noodling around car configurators online, you would know that Lotus currently offers Emira buyers a choice between two engines that live behind the seats. The first is a 2-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder called the M139, supplied by Mercedes-AMG and used in various models, including the SL43, C43, and C63 S E Performance. The second motor is a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 sourced from Toyota, which has been used in past Lotus cars.
Although Lotus claims that both engines produce upwards of 400 horsepower, the CEO felt that upgrading and boosting the power of the Toyota supercharged V6 would not be a good idea, since the antiquated unit wouldn't comply with the Euro 7 emissions rules set to take effect in 2026.
Originally, Lotus intended to phase out the V6 and solely offer the AMG turbo-four. However, the sudden popularity of the six-pot in the United States, an important market for the Brits, surprised Lotus execs.
"The US is an incredibly important market for us for the [Emira]," Lotus Cars Managing Director and Lotus Europe CEO Matt Windle told Autocar in a statement. It always has been. So we're looking at the market demand for the product going forward,"
Although he didn't confirm that a V8 was coming to the Emira, he said that the automaker is "looking at all the options" for more powerful powertrains, adding that "there are some opportunities with the current supplier of engines." He also noted that the mid-engined Emira is a "very, very competent product that we probably haven't exploited to its full potential already."
If Lotus were to manage to adapt the Emira chassis to shoehorn the 4-liter AMG V8 also found in the Aston Martin Vantage and DBX, it would mark the first time in nearly 21 years that it offered a V8-powered car in its lineup. The last V8-powered Lotus was the Series 4 Espirit V8, which was sold from 1996 to 2004, powered by Lotus's own 3.5-liter twin-turbo type 918 V8.
However, the inklings of a more powerful version of the Emira came during Lotus's earnings call on the suggestion of Kevin Coelho, a self-identified Lotus investor and California-based exotic car dealer, who asked if the company had any plans to make a "hardcore" Emira in the tune of Porsche's 911 GT3RS, with "a high revving V6, manual transmission, lightweight," adding, "I think that would do amazingly well here in the US market."
In response, Feng spoke through an interpreter who noted that "almost 50%" of Emira sales are to US customers, adding that it is "very clear that our US consumers would prefer an engine or model with a higher horsepower and higher RPM."
I got a chance to drive an Emira about a few months ago, and I found its 4-cylinder turbo AMG engine to be more than adequate as a loud, peppy powertrain that makes the 3,200-pound beast feel like a nimble beast around the course that was set up.
But knowing the kind of customer that is attracted to Lotus, it should be noted that the V6 is the only engine option that can be equipped with a manual transmission option. While I would personally configure my [figurative] Emira with a DCT because I anticipate bumper-to-bumper traffic, offering the choice is the difference here. It's not just the engine, it's also the gearbox, and for American buyers with the money to buy a Lotus, that's where their hearts decide.
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