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The new Lotus Emira is part of an automotive cliche. It’s a dying breed, alongside cars like the Ferrari 812 Superfast. However, the little Lotus won’t have anywhere near that power. Frankly, it doesn’t need it. This little yellow-badged car is supposed to be a Ferrari for the masses, and the recently revealed pricing and specs prove it.

The new Lotus Emira will be the last internal combustion-powered Lotus | Carfection

Obviously, the Emira won’t be cheap, but it’ll be a lot cheaper than any new Ferrari or Lamborghini. And, because of its size, it’ll be more engaging to boot.

Engine choice means more customization for Lotus customers

A black Lotus Emira on a racetrack, shot from afar in profile
The new Emira is the last of the gas-powered Lotus legacy | Lotus

We’ve known for a while now that you’ll have your choice of two engines for the 2022 Lotus Emira. The first is decidedly different for the British automaker. It’s actually a Mercedes unit. The 360 hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder can be mated to either an automatic or manual transmission.

However, the one Lotus wants you to want is the supercharged 400 hp V6. It’s the same Toyota-derived unit found in the brilliant Evora. Given how rad the last Lotus V6 sounded, my expectations are high for both powerplants. Obviously, there’s going to be a price difference, but whatever it is will be worth paying for the extra horsepower and decibels.

The Emira is the end of the line for ICE-powered Lotus cars

A yellow Lotus Evija, the brand's electric hypercar, shot from the front 3/4 on a concourse lawn
The Evija marks the start of the electric Lotus era | Martyn Lucy via Getty Images

Unfortunately, the Lotus Emira will be the last Lotus with anything meaningful in the decibels department. Future cars will be much more Evija than Emira. For some, that’s something to be upset about. An electric powertrain very much clashes with what the brand is about, so it’ll be very interesting to see how the brand continues to stay relevant.

For now, you can have your Lotus Emira for under $100,000. Car and Driver estimates that the base models will come in right around $75,000. However, if you need to fulfill that need for instant gratification, you can order one right now for $102,846.00. That’s a pretty chunk of change, but when you’re buying the first of the last gas-powered Lotus supercars, you can expect to pay for it.

When can I buy a Lotus Emira?

A blue Lotus Emira sports car shot in a studio in profile
The Emira is a sub-$100,000 experience worth paying for | Lotus

However, should you wish to wait and try to keep your Lotus Emira under $100,000, you’ll need to wait until “early 2022.” Thankfully, it’s already September, and you can place an order from the Lotus factory right now should you wish. For now, all the rest of us can do is pine about the end of the Lotus combustion engine and hope that the brand’s last hurrah is worth, well, hurrah-ing about.

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