The Lotus Emira could become the first model from the Geely-owned performance car brand to offer V8 power since the Esprit V8 was axed in 2004.
Autocar reports Lotus is investigating the installation of a Mercedes-AMG-sourced petrol V8 to replace the V6 in the Emira, the automaker’s last internal combustion-engined (ICE) model, because it won’t meet upcoming Euro 7 emissions legislation.
“We are currently investigating the feasibility of the V8,” Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng told investors during the company’s recent earnings call.
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Introduced in 2022, the Emira was intended to be Lotus’ final ICE model, and is currently sold alongside two electric vehicles (EVs): the battery-powered Emeya large sedan and Eletre large SUV.
It’s available with an AMG-sourced turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 268kW of power and a Toyota-sourced supercharged 3.5-litre petrol V6 producing 298kW.
Lotus previously said it was committed to releasing a higher-output version of the Emira, after initially planning to phase out the V6.
The V6 has proved popular in the US, the world’s biggest sports car market.
But Mr Feng’s confirmation that Lotus is now considering a V8 for the Emira, which came in response to a question from a dealer about an even lighter and more powerful version of the mid-engined coupe to rival the Porsche 911 GT3, came after he ruled out boosting the power of the V6 because it won’t comply with Euro 7 regulations.
Speaking with Autocar, Lotus Cars Europe CEO Matt Windle didn’t confirm the Emira would receive V8 power, but did say the company was investigating more powerful options from its current engine supplier (Mercedes-AMG).
“The US is an incredibly important market for us for the car [Emira). It always has been. So we’re looking at the market demand for the product going forward,” he said.
“It’s a very, very competent product that we probably haven’t exploited to its full already, so we are looking at all the options.
“There are some opportunities with the current supplier of engines, so we’re looking at it.”
It’s unclear how extensive – and therefore expensive – the engineering and development programs would be for the Emira to receive AMG’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, which also powers the Aston Martin Vantage sports car and DBX SUV.
Last year the Emira posted a sales record of 5272 units, accounting for 20 per cent of the brand’s total volume.
But Emira exports to the US ceased after the country’s 25 per cent import tariff took effect in April, and US sales of the Eletre and Emeya were halted after North America imposed a 125 per cent tariff on Chinese-made products.
US exports of the British-built Emira are yet to recommence following the recently agreed deal between the UK and US to lower tariffs on UK-built goods to 10 per cent.
Mr Windle told Autocar that Lotus’ original plan to eventually replace the Emira with an electric sports car has yet to be signed off as the company continues to assess the EV market.
“Is the market ready for an electric sports car? I don’t really know the answer to that yet,” he said.
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