Spy shots of the 2023 Lotus Emira: the last seen Lotus with an internal combustion engine

Lotus company removes from production sports cars Elise, Exige and Evora and plans to create a mid-engine model Emira in their place. The car was previously codenamed Type 131.

On Tuesday, Lotus announced the first details about the Emira model and confirmed that it will be unveiled on July 6. Sales won't start until 2022, so the Emira will arrive in dealerships as a 2023 model. The good news is that, unlike many past Lotus sports cars, this car will be sold in the United States.

These spy shots show a test mule of the Emira. They appear to show the new mechanical package hidden under the Evora's makeshift bodywork. The front and rear wheel arches are significantly widened, indicating an increase in track width.

Teaser shots suggest that the car's design was heavily influenced by the Evya electric hypercar. The first prototype in Emira bodywork is due after the July 6 unveiling.

The new mechanicals are a much improved version of the extruded aluminum platform that was used back on the first Elise, launched in 1996. This platform has been dubbed Elemental. Among the key changes are thinner door sills for easier entry and exit. Contrary to previous rumors, electrification is not supported.

Several versions of the Emira are planned with inline four-cylinder and V-6 engines. The inline four-cylinder engine will be new, while the V-6 engine is expected to be the supercharged 3.5-liter engine that Toyota uses in the Exige and Evora models, with a maximum output of about 430 hp. The inline four-cylinder engine is expected to produce around 300 hp.

As for pricing, former Lotus CEO Phil Popham said in January that the car would be available in a wide price range to increase its appeal, especially in the United States. Currently, the only Lotus sold in the U.S. is the Evora, which is priced at just under $100,000.

It is important to note that the Emira will be the last model with an internal combustion engine, as Lotus plans for an electric future. Some readers may recall that the company's new CEO Matt Windle previously collaborated with Tesla for several years to develop the first Roadster, which was built on a Lotus chassis.

Lotus has already produced a limited edition Evija model that will be available later this year. The company is also working on a new platform called E Sport, aimed at more affordable electric sports cars.

In addition to sports cars, Lotus plans to offer so-called lifestyle cars. The first of these is expected to be a crossover. It will be built on a new platform called Evolution. This platform is expected to be related to the SEA platform of parent company Geely Automobile.