Lotus is living up to the promise it made earlier this month by introducing a more powerful and lighter Emira. The new 420 Sport uses the tried-and-tested AMG-sourced turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, now dialed up to 414 horsepower. That represents a healthy 54-hp increase over the standard car and 14 hp more than the Emira SE launched last August.
The four-cylinder mill is paired with the usual eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, sending 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) to the rear axle. Torque is up by 52 lb-ft (70 Nm) versus the standard Emira and by 15 lb-ft (20 Nm) over the SE. Thanks to the extra muscle, Lotus quotes a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) sprint of 3.9 seconds, making it half a second quicker than the standard Emira and a tenth of a second faster than the SE.
