Lotus Could Install A V8 Engine In The Emira, And It’s Not The One You Anticipate | Carscoops

      Geely-owned brand is in need of a new engine for its Toyota V6, as it won't comply with future emission regulations.

      Lotus is contemplating installing a V8 engine in its Emira to replace the existing V6. The supercharged Toyota V6 currently used will not meet Euro 7 emissions requirements. The brand is evaluating engines from its existing suppliers, including AMG.

      In addition to its shift away from an exclusive EV strategy, Lotus is reportedly contemplating an upgrade for the Emira sports car, which was originally intended to feature only a four-cylinder engine.

      Currently, the Emira offers an AMG 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 400 hp (406 PS) alongside a less efficient but more engaging Toyota supercharged V6 that also delivers 400 hp and is the only variant offered with a manual transmission.

      While Lotus had planned to phase out the V6 to focus solely on the AMG engine, high demand for the V6 in the US means that the Emira will retain both powertrain options. However, since the Toyota engine will not meet the new Euro 7 emissions laws, Lotus must identify a replacement, likely a V8. This potential shift towards a V8 has been confirmed by Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng, who stated that the team is "currently investigating the feasibility of the V8."

      It seems that the V8 might come from AMG, as suggested by Lotus Europe’s head and the leader of the brand's Hethel facility in an interview with Autocar. While Matt Windle did not explicitly reference a V8 engine or mention the German manufacturer, he did indicate that "there are some opportunities with the current supplier of engines, so we’re looking at it."

      AMG already provides its bi-turbo V8 engines to Aston Martin and supplies inline fours to Lotus, making this option plausible, assuming the V8 can fit within the Emira’s rear chassis configuration (the AMG’s hot-vee architecture should assist with this).

      If this news had been released a couple of years ago, another possibility might have been the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 used in the Lexus RC and LC. However, while these models are still sold in the US, they were discontinued in Europe last year due to "legislative and homologation issues," making them highly unlikely as options.

      Regardless of the engine that Lotus chooses for its first V8 sports car since the Esprit was discontinued in 2004, there is a strong hope that it can successfully integrate a manual transmission—something Aston managed briefly with the AMG-powered Vantage, despite poor shift quality.

      A more pressing issue for Lotus is resuming Emira shipments to the US. The company halted exports to America last month after President Trump's tariff announcement. Windle mentioned to Autocar that he is awaiting the details of the recent agreement to lower tariffs to 10 percent before resuming Emira shipments.