In just a few day’s time, Lotus will finally be unveiling their newest model — and don’t worry, it still carries the “E” name tradition. The Lotus Emira will be just one of the several new models to be presented by the British manufacturer, and among the excitement, it has stirred up, there has also been a lot of speculation and controversy. While you can find many Lotus cars on the used car market, it isn’t as common to find them brand new, but either way, they are surprisingly affordable for the driving experience they offer. Regardless, Lotus has been far from a popular car brand in North America, but will the new generation of cars do anything to fix that?

Lotus focuses on a niche market of drivers

If you’ve ever sat behind the wheel of a Lotus, you know how truly driver-focused these vehicles are, but they do offer a more raw driving experience than many sports cars. While the more modern versions of cars like the Lotus Evora offer more comfort features and sacrifice the weight-reduction tactics used in the Elise and Exige, they are far from the most comfortable cars to get in and out of. Regardless, the unparalleled driving experience has made the car an invaluable part of many car enthusiast collections — including several that I personally own and have enjoyed driving for ludicrously long distances.

Does Lotus actually care about the North American market?

Lotus is a British manufacturing company that focuses most of its sales in the UK, but their cars are available around the world. With that being said, Lotus has drawn harsh lines in the past of what they are and are not willing to do to remain in the North American market. That became evident with changing safety standards that the Lotus Elise battled, inevitably leading to Lotus’s decision to discontinue importation and sale of the Elise to the US market. In the past few years, the only new Lotus car that you could buy in the US market, according to Motor Authority, has been the Lotus Evora.

The Lotus Emira will be the last of it’s kind for Lotus

The Lotus Emira marks the end of an era for Lotus as it will be the last entirely internal-combustion engine powered sports car that they are set to produce. Rumors have surfaced of the next two cars being hybrid or fully electric, but with the attention on the Emira, we haven’t seen much confirmed. Only time will tell how the Emira will appeal to the American market and if it will be enough excitement to land Lotus in the spotlight long-term among sports car enthusiasts and exotic car collectors.

The new Lotus Emira is certainly an exciting addition to a lineup of driver-focused sports cars, and with the new updates promised by Lotus is has all of the potential to become a well-loved addition to the American exotic car market. The Emira, along with the promise of new electric or hybrid roadsters, is sure to stir up interest, but only sales figures and time will show if these new additions will make a long-term impression on the American market.