Harry’s Garage

[GG.]

This is kind of what I mean. 600LT not the Super Series set up on the suspension which seems to be why he ruled it out.

[scotta]

This is kind of what I mean. 600LT not the Super Series set up on the suspension which seems to be why he ruled it out.

Different use cases i suppose. Harry likes to take them on road trips. I'd more want it for track use.

[IanF]

Yes all a slightly odd decision. I think he ended up boxing himself into a corner with essentially two requirements - that it had the cross-wheel hydraulic suspension set up (i.e. not one of the baby McLarens (sport series?)) and no more than about £100k.

Going for a top of the market 650s rather than spending a bit more on a 720s makes no sense to me but then again I guess if it is "limited puduction" the thinking may be that has a positive effect on values and Yootoob views.

Personally the fact that it has the basic rear end design from a 12C (a 14 year old car) would discount it immediately in my book. It very much looks like McLaren 1.0.

This would have been my choice (though admittedly there are very few 720s in that price range) https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... qw&fromsra

I like Harry’s 650S, but that 720S is much a better option for me.. thankfully it’s not just around the corner from me!

[Jobbo]

Yes all a slightly odd decision. I think he ended up boxing himself into a corner with essentially two requirements - that it had the cross-wheel hydraulic suspension set up (i.e. not one of the baby McLarens (sport series?)) and no more than about £100k.

Going for a top of the market 650s rather than spending a bit more on a 720s makes no sense to me but then again I guess if it is "limited puduction" the thinking may be that has a positive effect on values and Yootoob views.

Personally the fact that it has the basic rear end design from a 12C (a 14 year old car) would discount it immediately in my book. It very much looks like McLaren 1.0.

This would have been my choice (though admittedly there are very few 720s in that price range) https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... qw&fromsra

Spot on, particularly the rear end design of the 650S.
Though I really like this 720S: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 1284364166 - chrome window surrounds on a hypercar must be incredibly rare

[Beany]

The chrome window surrounds put me straight back to 80s repmobiles with mid spec trim

[ZedLeg]

McLaren prices are weird tbh.

Everything not brand new seems to be randomly priced somewhere between £75k and £125k with no discernible pattern.

[MikeHunt]

I know of 2 new cars purchased since covid, both spent a lot of time going back with teething problems, and iirc more major issues too. They also depreciated like a stone. Based on this, I feel that a used McLaren is the way to do it.

I considered my 550 to be reasonably quick, but sub 6 seconds 0-100 is on another level.

[mik]

This would have been my choice (though admittedly there are very few 720s in that price range) https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... qw&fromsra

I'd be happier with a (much newer) 600LT or 720S too.

I really like the upper door "scoop" on the 720 - mainly because I had absolutely no idea it existed until I had a good look around one. Tremendously

As shown here:

[Jimexpl]

This would have been my choice (though admittedly there are very few 720s in that price range) https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... qw&fromsra

I'd be happier with a (much newer) 600LT or 720S too.

I really like the upper door "scoop" on the 720 - mainly because I had absolutely no idea it existed until I had a good look around one. Tremendously

As shown here:

It’s a big jump to a 720 Spider though, and I assume this is another reason that he went with this particular 650.

[mik]

He seemed to be quite disappointed by what is currently going on at Hethel (Heffle in Harry speak) in terms of the company’s direction but that seemed an odd reason to sell a car he initially seemed very enthusiastic about.

Harry's gonna be so dissapoint.

(I somehow missed the Emeya being announced).

[Jobbo]

Harry has posted on the PH thread, and it’s basically that he has fallen out of love with Lotus the brand. I think he did say that pretty clearly in the video, just it seemed like an excuse.

Wow, lots of good comments on here regarding the Lotus/McLaren swap.

Re reasons why I decided to sell Emira, it was more falling out of love with Lotus than issues with the car itself. I should have explained this better in the video.

I did enjoy driving the Emira, I liked the supercharged V6 as well, but I came to the conclusion the drive experience wasn’t as up to date as the design of the car was and that niggled me in a brand new car.

I had hoped the i4 would feel more on the pace but it was handicapped by the hopeless gearbox, as well as price. In the end, I just decided to move on and started looking at McLarens, as I’d always enjoyed driving them. I’m very happy with the 650S I ended up with, which you’ll find more on in a future video..

[mik]

I do think Lotus made a mistake by throttling the V6 back to 400bhp, when the Exige & Evora had 410/420/430bhp versions. It’s pretty obvious that there will therefore be more powerful Emira versions in the coming years. I’m certain there will be potential buyers who decided not to dive in and grab a 1st edition for that reason (particularly if they are currently in a car with more power).

[Jobbo]

The Emira V6 isn’t about the power. It doesn’t feel a light car and it’s refined rather than raucous. I think you’d need 600bhp to satisfy the people who think it’s not enough.

[RobYob]

Can see Harry's point.

Everyone had massive hopes for a reinvigorated Lotus with Geely money. They'd spent a long long time treading water and surviving hand to mouth.

What "we" wanted was Porschelite from Norfolk. Desirable, clever, well made sports cars backed with other well engineered popular products to make the money to make more nice sports cars.

Emira launch kept those hopes up, a beautiful car with great driving experience albeit with the venerable V6. Then the bad old days made a return, delays, price hikes, more delays, a compromised I4 that did not meet expectations and yet more delays.

Then a series of fairly ugly, seemingly quite unLotus EVs.

Could it still work? Certainly. Maybe an Emira mk2 will roll in shortly fixing all the launch cars woes. Maybe they'll dig out that small car tub for another superlight Elise/Exige brand leader to generate some positivity. Maybe Eletre and Co ARE what people will buy in droves and us Evoers have got it all wrong.

[Mito Man]

I don’t think the electric ones are selling very well either as I probably see one a month and you’d think they’d be everywhere in London?

[Rich B]

I still want an Emira - it does look good as an every day driver.

[Ascender]

He seemed to be quite disappointed by what is currently going on at Hethel (Heffle in Harry speak) in terms of the company’s direction but that seemed an odd reason to sell a car he initially seemed very enthusiastic about.

Harry's gonna be so dissapoint.

(I somehow missed the Emeya being announced).

I wonder how many sales of those they’re expecting/hoping/needing? Who is their target market exactly?

Is this to help with the group emissions average or a genuine , long term product line that they will evolve.

[Jobbo]

I still want an Emira - it does look good as an every day driver.

And I think they have achieved their aim of Porschifying it by making it usable as one.

Not sure why there seems to be such a wave of negativity about the Emira online. Not here particularly but there are some odd criticisms in the PH thread.

[Simon]

PH

You answered your own question.

I like the Emira too. People are probably butthurt that it's not an 'Elise Mk7 or whatever.

[Jobbo]

Quite a few actual Emira owners on there have commented, and a few have sold theirs for what look like similar reasons to Harry.