Lotus Emira 420 Sport launched – Lightest and most powerful Emira yet

Lotus launched the most powerful, lightest, and most aerodynamically capable Lotus Emira yet, called the Lotus Emira 420 Sport. Designed to honour and preserve the Lotus lightweight philosophy, the Lotus Emira 420 Sport reinforces Lotus’ commitment to providing better agility, vehicle dynamic response, and driver engagement.

Behind the driver sits the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, sourced from Mercedes-AMG, producing 420 PS and 500 Nm, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission driving the rear wheels. This allows a 0–100 km/h sprint in 3.9 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 299 km/h.

Customers can opt for the Lightweight Handling Pack, which delivers improved agility and responsiveness. The pack includes two-way adjustable Multimatic dampers, a titanium exhaust, a lithium-ion battery, carbon-fibre components, and a dedicated Lotus Track Performance app to measure and record lap times.

Aerodynamics and cooling have been upgraded with a new front splitter, revised front vents, extended side sills, larger air intakes, a lip spoiler, and a louvred tailgate. These upgrades resulted in a 10% improvement in brake cooling, a 15% increase in airflow to the outboard radiators, and a 14% increase in airflow to the centre radiator. The exhaust valve airflow has also been increased by 30%. According to Lotus, these updates are also a subtle reference to the brand’s design heritage, echoing cues from models such as the Lotus Esprit Turbo.

As for driver engagement, which is crucial for cars like the Lotus Emira 420 Sport, the car now has a 5 mm lower ride height, enhancing control and feedback when combined with the revised suspension setup and high-performance tyres. Ride comfort and handling precision are delivered through the bonded aluminium chassis and double wishbone suspension. Tyre sizes are staggered, with the fronts sized at 235/35 ZR20 while the rears are at 295/30 ZR20. The tyres themselves are Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2.

Stepping inside, the cabin is designed to provide an optimum track driving experience while still supporting everyday road driving, featuring 12-way adjustable seats and new carbon-fibre gearshift paddles. Two new optional cabin packs are available: the Carbon Fibre Pack adds a redesigned driver’s display surround with unique geometry, a carbon-fibre steering wheel centre spoke, and a logo surround on the seat back. Meanwhile, the Hand Painted Pack uses the Tangelo Orange launch colour to add highlights to the centre console, steering wheel spoke, gear lever, and air vent surrounds.

Personalisation is further enhanced with an optional exterior carbon-fibre pack, which includes the front splitter, side sills, wheel arch vents, side pods, rear spoiler, and diffuser surround. Customers can choose from up to 16 exterior colours, with Tangelo Orange serving as the hero colour. Buyers also have a choice of nine-wheel designs and finishes, including the new 20-inch 15-spoke forged alloy wheels in satin dark grey.

A new feature that now comes as standard across all Lotus Emira trims is a removable tinted glass roof panel, designed for quick removal and storage behind the seats in a protective bag, inspired by the Lotus Esprit. The Lotus Emira 420 Sport is available for order with a starting price of 129,900 Euros, roughly RM 600,203 based on direct conversion rates at the time of writing. Customer deliveries for the Lotus Emira 420 Sport are set to begin by August 2026.