Lotus Breaks with Tradition: A V8 Dream Roars into Focus

For those still questioning whether Lotus can surprise the automotive world, the answer has just thundered in. The storied British marque, long reliant on the Toyota Camry’s 3.5-litre V6, is on the brink of a dramatic transformation — eyeing a twin-turbocharged V8 to redefine its flagship sports car, the Emira. Once famed for featherweight machines that needed little more than modest engines, Lotus is now aiming squarely at the heavyweight division.

CEO Qingfeng Feng recently confirmed to investors that a top-tier Emira variant is under serious consideration. With the current Toyota-sourced V6 nearing obsolescence due to impending Euro 7 regulations, its days are numbered. In its place, insiders point to a likely candidate: the Mercedes-AMG twin-turbo V8.

Launched in 2021, the Emira originally featured the Toyota V6, tuned to an impressive 406 horsepower and paired with a six-speed manual or an Aisin automatic. It was a satisfying combo for many, but not for the power-hungry American market, where even the base four-cylinder variant struggled to spark interest — even if offered gratis.

Matt Windle, head of Lotus Europe, remained tight-lipped but hinted strongly that Emira’s capabilities remain far from exhausted. The AMG V8 would be a logical evolution: existing partnerships ease integration, and few alternatives offer similar pedigree or punch. If realized, this move would mark Lotus’s return to V8 territory for the first time since the Esprit V8 bowed out in 2004.

The only cloud over this high-octane horizon is packaging. The Emira’s compact dimensions raise questions about whether it can physically accommodate such a robust engine. But for a brand built on defying expectations, squeezing a V8 into a lithe frame might be the kind of engineering challenge Lotus was born to conquer.