In spite of the ongoing global pandemic and many countries having restrictions on movements, it appears that Lamborghini owners in China can still enjoy motoring in their supercars. The carmaker’s subsidiary in China recently held the Esperienza China Giro ‘Journey into the Vast’ which saw 42 of the supercars travelling over 800 kms in the northwestern region of the country.
An iconic annual event since 2015
This is the seventh time since 2015 that the Lamborghini Esperienza Giro China has been run. It has become an iconic annual event of the brand, bringing Chinese customers an exclusive and extraordinary driving experience in an exploration of China’s spectacular landscapes.
This year, the 5-day journey started from Yinchuan and passed through the colossal Helan mountain range with its distinct peaks and valleys, experiencing local culture and beliefs with blessings at the Fuyin Temple. The fleet then came to the expansive desert as the tranquil red light of the setting sun fell on the Yellow River and the stars started to shine in the darkening skies, and drove along the stunning Route 66 of Zhongwei to reach the quaint ancient villages of Beichangtan.
Finally, the fleet came to the Tonghu Grassland with its unique beauty of desert, lake and oasis; and then visited the Lanzhou Danxia Geological Park to enjoy the precious sight of the red bed of Danxia against the blue skies and steep cliffs.
Fun in the sand for Urus owners
In the Tengger Desert, owners of the Urus got to try its off-road capabilities, especially with the Sabbia (sand) mode. With its active torque vectoring, the Super SUV still offers the agility and precision on sand dunes even though there is reduced grip. Of course, for owners of other models, this fun exercise was not available.
The event also included a ‘Lamborghini night’ in the depths of the desert. The owners stayed in the Desert Star Hotel that beautifully integrates regional and modern design elements, immersing themselves in the natural beauty of the desert’s green oasis, starry skies, and rustling sand.
In Japan too, Lamborghini has kept the spirt of motoring alive with its cross-Japan project known as UNLOCK ANY ROAD JAPAN. Using only the Urus SUV, the event had media as participants and the route was more than 6,500 kms. It started at the end of April and ran for around one month. Starting from Fukuoka in the south, the route passed through cities such as Hiroshima, Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, and Kanazawa and then travelled north along the Sea of Japan to reach Tokyo.
A warranty is like medical insurance – you pay for it hoping that you never have to make a claim but if you are seriously ill, then you will be so glad you have the insurance. With a warranty for motor vehicles, it’s the same thing. You have the coverage which gives peace of mind, and if the vehicle runs fine, then you don’t need to make a claim. But should there be a failure, the warranty will likely cover repair or replacement costs that can sometimes be shocking.
All new vehicles come with a warranty of a certain period, typically to cover manufacturing defects or faults that are not due to the owner’s usage. These warranties end at some point – either based on time or mileage – and then the protection ends.
For vehicles up to 8 years old
For Hyundai owners who want the continued peace of mind after the original warranty ends, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) now offers an Extended Warranty Programme for selected Hyundai models. The vehicles should no longer than 8 years from the manufacturing date and with a travelled mileage of under 300,000 kms on the fifth year from the car’s original purchase date.
Applicable models are the AD/MD Elantra, LF Sonata, TL/LM Tucson, DM Santa Fe and TQ Starex. To qualify for the Extended Warranty programme, the vehicles must have a good service record at authorized Hyundai service centres in Malaysia, and owners are required to send in their vehicles to an authorized service centre for a routine service according to HSDM’s recommended service interval.
Hyundai models that qualify for the Extended Warranty programme include the Elantra (above) and Santa Fe (below).
“Most extended warranty programmes by a car brand are offered by premium and luxury car brands but we are offering this programme for Hyundai cars as we are confident of the quality of our vehicles, and we want to help our customers maintain their cars longer with peace of mind,” said Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director of HSDM.
Functions like a new car’s warranty
While the original factory warranty is included in the purchase price of the vehicle, the Extended Warranty requires payment of RM1,280 annually to remain in effect. The Extended Warranty will function just like a new car’s warranty but covers mileage of not more than 30,000 kms a year. It covers internal and primary components of the transmission system as well as other electrical components of the engine, transmission, motor and modular parts of the vehicles.
It also covers complimentary repairs and parts replacement while under warranty. The coverage limit per claim is set at RM10,000. However, any item that has been claimed beforehand can be claimed again should it be proven faulty with a claim of up to RM50,000 on the total aggregate (until it is fulfilled).
Geely Holding (or more correctly, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in full) has been building up its portfolio of brands over the past two decades. While allowing the brands – which include Lotus, Volvo, Polestar and Proton – to operate autonomously, there has also been a strong effort to fully utilise the available synergies that such a large group of companies enables. Sharing resources can give a competitive edge in the business and Geely Holding has therefore not just developed the car companies but also looked at how it can create its own ecosystem for other elements.
One important area is powertrains and while each of the companies has had its own R&D in this area, a ‘centralised’ powertrain company would be beneficial to the group. To establish this, Geely Holding has announced a joint-venture with Volvo Cars to create Aurobay, a new company that will be in the powertrain business. The new company will be a global supplier of complete powertrain solutions including next-generation combustion engines, transmissions and hybrid solutions.
Aurobray will get Volvo’s engine facilities
Aurobay will initially be jointly owned by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding and as part of the creation of Aurobay, Volvo Cars will transfer all assets in its wholly-owned subsidiary Powertrain Engineering Sweden, including its engine plant in Sweden as well as the related R&D team, along with its engine plant in China and other relevant assets to the joint-venture in coming months.
The creation of the stand-alone joint venture and the transfer of assets allows Volvo Cars to focus fully on the development of its new range of all-electric models in coming years. The company aims to have 50% of its global sales volume made up of fully electric vehicles by 2025, of which 50% will be hybrids using powertrains supplied by Aurobay. By 2030, it will no longer sell vehicles with combustion ends and offer only fully electric models.
For Geely Holding, the new entity will benefit from the addition of a strong R&D team and technologically advanced and efficient combustion engines and hybrid powertrains for its portfolio of brands, creating a strong base for substantial operational, industrial and financial synergies.
Supply to other companies outside Geely Group
The new business also has plans to supply customers outside of the Geely Holding Group, with the objective of becoming a leading player in the supply of high-quality, low emission, cost-efficient powertrains solutions. The supply of engines to other companies isn’t something unusual and larger carmakers have been doing so for a long time. For example, Proton used to source engines for the Waja and Savvy from Renault.
Besides making and supplying powertrains to Geely Holding Group companies, Aurobray will also supply them to other companies.
Besides the new powertrain business, Geely Holding and Volvo Cars have other plans for collaboration. These include sharing of electric vehicle architecture, joint procurement, autonomous drive technologies and aftersales.
“As shareholders and portfolio-managers of both wholly-owned and listed companies, Geely Holding sees significant benefits from deeper partnerships and alliances whilst maintaining independence,” said Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Holding. “We are encouraged by the potential synergies and growth opportunities created by this collaboration, which will create two even stronger globally competitive companies in the rapidly changing world of automotive technology and new mobility services.”
Continuing its journey towards electrification and carbon neutrality, Bentley Motors has introduced a hybrid powertrain for its third generation Flying Spur. Declaring the new variant as ‘the most environmentally friendly Bentley to date’, the introduction of the Flying Spur Hybrid establishes a family of Bentley hybrids for the first time.
In developing the hybrid powertrain, Bentley has made sure there are no compromises to luxury or performance. The new powertrain combines a 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine with an advanced electric motor (E-motor), delivering a total of 544 ps/750 Nm (21.5% more power than the Bentayga Hybrid). The E-motor is powered by a 14.1 kWh lithium-ion battery and can be charged to 100% in as little as two and a half hours (depending on the region and facilities used). The power electronics convert the energy stored from the high-voltage battery to supply the E-motor or supplement the existing 12V vehicle electrical infrastructure.
In the early years of hybrids 20 years ago, performance was not a strong point. However, with advancements in the technology, it is now possible to have high performance in hybrids. The Flying Spur Hybrid has virtually similar capabilities as the Flying Spur V8 in acceleration, going from 0 to 100 km/h within a claimed 4.3 secs.
The combination of a highly efficient engine and the advanced E-Motor delivers the same flexibility and practicality associated with the W12 and V8 powertrains, achieving a responsive, engaging and refined experience. Using a constantly varying combination of engine and electric motor output, the Flying Spur Hybrid is claimed to be the most efficient Bentley ever, with a capability to cover over 700 kms on a full tank.
The interior of the Flying Spur Hybrid has a striking combination of the very latest integrated technology, beautiful materials and design prowess, combined with the features required for a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The automatic Start/Stop switch has been replaced with a control for the three E Modes – EV Drive, Hybrid Mode and Hold Mode, enabling the driver to manage the battery usage during a journey. EV Drive mode is engaged as soon as the car is switched on, and maximises the electric driving experience. This is ideal for city driving and for shorter journeys.
The flow of energy can be viewed via the infotainment screen where statistics can be seen and the timers for charging of the vehicle can be set. Additional e-motion information is available to the driver via the instrument panel, heads up display and centre screen, including range, battery level and charging information.
To provide further feedback to the driver, the instruments include additional information showing when the car is operating solely in EV drive, regenerating whilst decelerating or using the combustion engine.
The Flying Spur Hybrid comes with a portfolio of intelligent and intuitive equipment tailored to the driver and passengers. An embedded SIM is provided, meaning My Bentley connected car features no longer require customers to provide their own data connection. My Bentley in-car and remote services is a continually-developing range of services available to customers through a dedicated app, available both on Apple iOS and Android mobile platforms.
As with every Bentley model, the Flying Spur Hybrid can be ordered from a range of over 67 exterior colours. The Blackline Specification offers a contemporary alternative to exterior brightware including a black version of the optional illuminated electrically deployed Flying B radiator mascot, and for a more contemporary exterior aesthetic.
Pricing starts from £160,000 in England (about RM921,000) and Bentley dealers are now accepting orders. The first customers can expect to receive their cars before the end of the year.
Lamborghini has unveiled the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae as the final production model of the V12 supercar. 600 cars will be available – 350 in coupe form and 250 roadsters. Pricing will start from around 422,735 euros (about RM2.08 million), with production to start before the end of this year.
“The Aventador LP 780-4 denotes the final, purest, timeless naturally-aspirated production V12 Lamborghini,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President & CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “It delivers the essential 12-cylinder experience in terms of inimitable design, engineering solutions and the most emotive driving experience, and is the definitive Aventador concluding an extraordinary era. It is the last of its kind, delivering the maximum power and conclusive performance expected from Lamborghini’s current V12 engine.”
Besides the purity of the original Aventador concept, the LP 780-4 Ultimae captures all the power and performance of the Aventador’s 10-year evolution, including the know-how of the Nurburgring-Nordschleife record SVJ powertrain set in July 2018.
Essentially a SVJ under the skin, it incorporates the purest features of all Aventador editions since it first appeared in 2011. The 12-cylinder 6.5-litre ‘Longitudinale Posteriore’ (LP) engine delivers 780 ps – 40 ps more than the Aventador S and 10 ps over the SVJ – to its permanent 4-wheel drive. Transmission is via Lamborghini’s lightweight Independent Shifting Rod 7-speed shifting system, providing robotized gearshifts in up to 50 milliseconds.
The Aventador LP 780-4’s unique, extremely rigid and lightweight carbonfibre monocoque, and extensive use of carbonfibre throughout the body, contributes to its dry weight of just 1,550 kgs. The coupe version, weighing 25 kgs less than the Aventador S, delivers the same weight-to-power ratio as the SVJ at 1.98 kg/ps, accelerating from 0 – 100 km/h in a claimed 2.8 seconds and hitting a top speed of 355 km/h. From 100 km/h to standstill is said to be done in 30 metres.
Lateral control is optimized through 4-wheel steering, introduced on the Aventador S, to give agility at low and medium speeds and enhanced stability at high speed. Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS) on the front axle is calibrated for responsive feedback with sharp turn-in while adapted to integrate with the active rear-wheel steering on the rear axle. Separate actuators respond in five milliseconds to drivers’ steering movements, allowing a real-time adjustment to steering angles enhancing cornering properties.
The permanent 4-wheel drive, due to the rear-wheel steering, is calibrated to allow more torque to the rear axle so that when powering off, less torque is shifted to the front axle to allow sporty but safe oversteer behaviour.
The LP 780-4 Ultimae’s design adopts a specific front bumper concept for increased aero load on the front, with longitudinal performance similar to the SVJ. Delivering the state of the art aerodynamic performance, the front splitter and open ‘mouth’ directs additional airflow to optimize aerodynamic efficiency, engine and radiator cooling.
The active aero system’s rear wing moves into 3 positions, dependent on speed and the drive mode selected, optimizing the car’s overall balance. Vortex generators created in the front and rear of the underside maximize air flow and assist with brake cooling.
The driver and passenger environment is refined, with a new collection of tone-on-tone colours that are elegant while recalling the Aventador’s powerful original design cues taken from the world of aeronautics. The LP 780-4’s comfort seat is taken from the Aventador S, with the ‘Ultimae’ name embroidered into the seat bolster, while the A-pillar driver dashboard area carries the 001 of 350/250 reference to the limited editions.
The customizable TFT digital dashboard displays driver modes as well as controlling in-car connectivity. Apple CarPlay manages voice activated communications and entertainment, with the Lamborghini telemetry system available as an option for those wanting to celebrate the last Aventador on track.
Peugeot, which won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1992 and 1993 as well as in 2009, will return next year to the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with its new-generation hypercar, the 9X8. Now under development, the 9X8 showcases Peugeot’s Neo-Performance strategy which combines technology and sportiness in both the carmaker’s road and racing cars.
A project between Peugeot Sport and Peugeot Design, the 9X8 is a direct successor of the Peugeot 905. The designers worked closely with engineers to explore new aerodynamic solutions and styling ideas. Greater flexibility, allowed by the WEC’s new technical rules regarding aerodynamics, permits new thinking that favours the emergence of innovative cars, allowing for new creative processes and a break away from established procedures to produce a hypercar for a completely new era.
What ‘9X8’ means
‘9X8’, the designation, is derived from a combination of the brand’s motorsport heritage and vision for the future. The ‘9’ continues the series used by Peugeot on its previous endurance racing cars. The ‘X’ refers to the all-wheel drive technology and hybrid powertrain. The ‘8’ is common across all of Peugeot’s current models – from the 208 and 2008 to the 308, 3008, 508 and 5008.
The 9X8’s front and rear lighting signatures, which take the form of three claw-like strokes, are familiar Peugeot trademarks, while the brand’s new lion’s head logo features at the front and on the sides of the car. “Since the 9X8 is a Peugeot, the original sketch that steered our work portrayed a big cat ready to pounce, a stance which we have suggested by the slightly forward-tilting cockpit. The overall lines of the Peugeot 9X8 express the brand’s styling cues, while its sleek, racy, elegant forms inspire emotion and dynamism,” explained Peugeot’s Design Director, Matthias Hossann.
No rear wing necessary
The finely-chiselled details of the rear-end design includes the quip ‘We didn’t want a rear wing’ above a wide diffuser. Rear wings were first seen at the Le Mans 24 Hours on the Chaparral 2F which contested the race in 1967, meaning this is the first time their use has been questioned in more than half a century. The 9X8’s innovative rear stems from research carried out by Peugeot Sport’s engineering team as they worked to ensure the model was as aerodynamic as possible, whilst maintaining an eye-catching style.
“The absence of a rear wing on the Peugeot 9X8 is a major innovative step. We have achieved a degree of aerodynamic efficiency that allows us to do away with this feature. Don’t ask how, though! We have every intention of keeping that a secret as long as we possibly can!” said Jean-Marc Finot, Motorsport Director of Stellantis (Peugeot is part of the Stellantis Group).
Distinctive cockpit colour scheme
“Inside, we wanted to take a special approach to the cockpit which, until now, has tended to be a purely functional and indistinctive aspect of racing cars, with no brand identity whatsoever. The combination of our colour scheme and Peugeot’s i-Cockpit interior styling signature have provided the 9X8’s cockpit with a distinctive feel and make it immediately identifiable as a Peugeot.”
Peugeot HYBRID4 powertrain
The 5-metre long racing car has a rear-mounted, 2.6-litre, bi-turbo, 680-bhp 90-degree V6 as part of the Peugeot HYBRID4 powertrain. The system output gets another 200 kW from the front-mounted 200kW motor-generator unit powered by a high-voltage 900V high-density battery pack.
The battery pack is located in a carbonfibre casing inside the car’s monocoque structure, behind the driver and underneath the fuel tank. It has been designed to combine durability with consistent performance during races of durations of up to 24 hours, and even beyond.
Although the system output is over 500 kW, the regulations set a maximum power output of just 500 kW during races. The regulations also forbid the use of electrical energy below 120 km/h, so the motor generator unit only engages once this speed has been reached. The car must pull away from standstill under the power of its internal combustion engine alone.
At full power, the power output is limited to 300 kW and adjusted as a function of the power delivered by the motor generator unit at 200 kW which is directly dependent on the battery level. When the motor generator unit comes into use, the car automatically switches to 4-wheel drive, thereby modifying its drivability.
When the battery pack is empty, the engine reverts to 500 kW power output and the drivetrain reverts to rear-wheel drive. During races, the battery will be fully charged prior to the start by means of a mains-connected plug-in hybrid charger. Once on the track, the battery will function completely independently and be charged only by the kinetic braking energy recovery system.
‘An extreme laboratory’
Peugeot’s CEO, Linda Jackson, says there’s more to the company’s involvement in endurance racing than the sporting aspect. “Endurance racing is a form of motorsport that provides us with an extreme laboratory, which explains why our association with Le Mans is so strong. More significant perhaps than the results we obtain on the racetrack are the opportunities it provides to prove our technology and the fruit of our research work in a race that throws extreme conditions at you for 24 hours,” she said.
“Le Mans gives us a competitive environment to validate the hybrid systems and technologies we are currently developing to reduce the fuel consumption – and therefore CO2 emissions – of our road cars. The teams at Peugeot Sport are proud when they see their research carried over to our production models,” she added.
Peugeot last raced and won at Le Mans in 2009 with the 908 HDi FAP which had a 5.5-litre V12 turbodiesel.
These are difficult times for everyone and reducing expenses is even more important than ever before. To help those who own a Volkswagen vehicle, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has come up with a few initiatives that can save them money and give them some ‘breathing space’.
Extended payment plan with 0% interest plan
Vehicles need to be serviced periodically, even though their usage may have decreased considerably due to the restrictions of Movement Control Orders over the past year.
For those who send their vehicles to selected authorised Volkswagen dealers, there’s a flexible payment plan which allows them to spread out their bill over 6 or 12 months. Even better – no interest rate will be charged (terms and conditions apply). However, payments must be by a credit card.
20% service discount
Those who have registered for Volkswagen Care Plus (VCP) will enjoy more savings. These include three 20% rebate vouchers for maintenance service at authorised Volkswagen service centres. The vouchers can be used from the fifth year of service and the following two services during the period of 3 years. Additionally, customers will enjoy 2 years of free roadside assistance under VCP (terms and conditions apply).
30% discount for repairs
Every ringgit saved is a ringgit earned, and this is the basis of VPCM’s Repair Packages offerings. There’s a 30% discount on selected Repair Packages when they repair their cars at authorised Volkswagen service centres. This is applicable for Volkswagen models older than 5 years.
The Volkswagen Insurance Plan (VIP)
The Volkswagen Insurance Plan (VIP) has many benefits which will prove valuable if repair claims are necessary after an accident. If the vehicle is not more than 10 years old, there is no betterment cost for any replacement parts used. The comprehensive coverage includes various value-added services without any extra charges. Additionally, there is an agreed sum and insured value for vehicles up to 10 years old in the event of total loss.
Other VIP benefits include prioritised claim approval, windscreen replacement approval within 2 hours, roadside assistance with 24-hour emergency towing, and assurance that repair work conducted at authorised Volkswagen Body & Paint centres are in accordance with Volkswagen repair standards and only genuine parts are used.
Visit www.volkswagen.com.my for more information or to locate an authorised dealer and service facilities anywhere in Malaysia.
With the Lotus Elise, Exige and Evora ending production this year, a single model takes over their places – the new Emira. Apart from being an truly all-new model in over a decade, the Emira also marks the end of an era – that of Lotus sportscars with internal combustion engines. The British carmaker has confirmed that moving forward, the next models appearing later in the decade will be powered only by electricity.
The Emira (which means in ‘commander’ or ‘leader’ in some languages) is the first all-new Lotus sportscar to be developed under Vision80, the company’s strategic plan guiding the transformation of Lotus as it moves towards its 80th anniversary in 2028. Acting as a catalyst to further enhance brand awareness globally, it’s spearheading the repositioning and expansion of the Lotus retail network ahead of the arrival of a family of new vehicles.
“The Emira is a game-changer for Lotus. It stands as a beacon of everything we have achieved to date in the transformation of the business, the embodiment of our progress. It is a highly significant milestone on our path to becoming a truly global performance car brand,” said Matt Windle, MD of Lotus Cars.
New design language
Bridging the transition from one era to a new one, the Emira has new design language, some of which has already been seen on the Evija hypercar. Sculpted surfaces and technical detailing, delivering exotic supercar appeal in the sportscar segment, are complemented by a new and more premium approach for Lotus in terms of forms and materials with higher build quality than ever before.
The influence of the Evija is evident in the fluid surfaces and crisp feature lines. The lineage is even more obvious on the prominent leading edge of the bonnet, with unique-in-class exit vents to guide airflow over the car and optimise aerodynamics. The bonnet houses the current version of the iconic Lotus roundel, its first appearance on a new Lotus sportscar and slightly larger than on previous models.
The fully electric Evija hypercar.
Active aerodynamics unnecessary with clever engineering
Aerodynamics have always been at the heart of the Lotus since the company was founded in 1948, with Colin Chapman coming up with many innovations. It is a philosophy inextricably linked to delivering outstanding performance whether a car is on the road or racetrack. And the approaches taken are kept simple – no active aerodynamics as clever engineering means they’re not needed.
The Emira is the only model in its class to create passive downforce that’s precisely balanced between the front and rear axles at all speeds, perfectly tuned to the weight distribution and suspension geometry of the car. It means as downforce increases with speed, generating exceptional grip through corners, the handling characteristics remain constant, precise and predictable.
Lotus Sports Car Architecture
The Emira has been developed on a new lightweight bonded aluminium chassis, technology pioneered by Lotus and which remains part of the company’s sportscar DNA. Known as Lotus Sports Car Architecture, it debuted with the Elise. However, for the Emira, every dimension is different to any previous Lotus chassis and it is fabricated in an all-new facility as well.
The car, which has a target weight of 1,405 kgs, has two defined chassis and suspension settings. Tour is tuned for everyday road use, delivering the optimum blend of Lotus dynamic performance and handling with a more comfortable ride. Sports is available with the optional Lotus Drivers Pack and provides a slightly stiffer suspension set-up for enhanced dynamic capability and feel. Hydraulic steering provides excellent feedback for the driver.
Two engine options
Customers will have a choice of two engines, with the familiar Toyota-source, Lotus-engineered supercharged 3.5-litre V6 being available initially. This will produce 360 – 400 bhp and 430 Nm, with a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time claimed to be less than 4.5 seconds with a top speed of up to 290 km/h.
Mercedes-AMG M139 engine to be offered with the Emira.
The second option will be a Mercedes-AMG 2-litre turbocharged unit, the M139. This is currently the world’s most powerful production 4-cylinder unit. Depending on the state of tune done by Lotus engineers, the German engine could provide up to 416 bhp and will come with AMG’s 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Interior design – a huge leap ahead
Within the 4412 mm long and 1895 mm wide body, the cabin follows traditional Lotus principles of putting the driver at the very centre of the experience. The cockpit environment, with minimum distractions, has essential controls easily reached and efficient ergonomics.
There’s a huge leap forward in all aspects of the cabin, from the contemporary design and quality of materials to the increase in storage space, fit and finish, attention to detail and abundant advanced technology now integrated. The modern technical finishes create a premium experience for the driver – ‘technology with soul’ – and some details added pay tribute to the heritage and sporting success of Lotus.
Examples include the positioning of the gearstick on manual cars, which echoes that of the iconic Esprit, and the semi-exposed gear linkage visible at the base of the centre console on V6 manual cars, as on the Elise and Exige. Adding to the sense of theatre is the protective red cover over the start/stop button.
The early Lotus cars had the bare minimum of equipment in the cabin. It was the trade-off for the exhilarating drive that could be experienced. However, this singlemindedness gradually changed over the decades and comfort and convenience features found their way into the cabin. In the Emira, the two seats have 4-way electric adjustment, with the option to upgrade to a premium sports seat with 12-way electric adjustment.
Besides the flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, features available include keyless go, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, electric folding door mirrors, parking sensors, auto-dimming rearview mirror, curtain airbags, launch control, and even a stolen vehicle tracker.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are also provided, such as adaptive cruise control, anti-collision system, fatigue alert, road sign information, vehicle speed limiter, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert, and lane change assist. Purists may be unhappy about this ‘overload’ of technology but these systems are generally non-intrusive, activating only when needed to prevent an accident.
The first public display of the Emira will be at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England which starts tomorrow. Orders are now being taken worldwide for the car which has a starting price of 72,000 euros (about RM354,000). The first customers will get their cars from March next year.
Here’s what Jenson Button, former F1 World Champion, says about the Emira: “You always expect a Lotus to have good mechanical grip through the low-speed corners but there was plenty of downforce in the high-speed corners too. That means the feeling of great balance is the same no matter how you’re driving it. It’s exceptional and I’m a big fan. I’m still in shock at the price. Starting at under £60,000, it’s fantastic and means so many people are going to have the opportunity to experience it first-hand. It’s being called a ‘junior supercar’ but it would give a lot of supercars a run for their money… and it’s more comfortable than most of them!”
