Lotus Emira to drop Toyota, AMG engines in switch to new 536bhp hybrid V6 from Horse
Posted by CostaQuantaa@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 32 comments
CostaQuantaa@reddit (OP)
No more manual and:
>The unit is mated to a four-speed automatic transmission with an integrated electric motor.
fissionmoment@reddit
A four speed auto? In 2026? Am I missing something or is this completely insane.
Got to be a misprint, right? Please?
Careless-Trick-5117@reddit
Even with flappy paddles you’ll be shifting once every 5 minutes with how long the gear ratios will probably be :/ this might be it for Lotus for me, at least. Was once my favorite car manufacturer, this is sad to see
JimmyGodoppolo@reddit
No, hybrids don't need as many gears as traditional ICE
cookingboy@reddit
Yet my Artura has 8 gears, and so does the 296GTB iirc.
I can’t think of any other hybrid performance cars with less than 6 gears, can you?
Phosphorus444@reddit
For those wondering.
reward72@reddit
It is my attainable dream car. If they ever make a convertible version I would make a bad financial decision. But no manual would kill the dream instantly. What are they thinking?! Whoever is in charge is out of his mind.
rs_scribble_964@reddit
4-speed automatic? In a Lotus sports car? Am I reading that correctly?
JimmyGodoppolo@reddit
Hybrids don't need as many gears as traditional ICE.
Still a bummer to lose any stick option...
MikeofLA@reddit
Yeah, but even an auto is disappointing with only 4 gears to go through.
TheAntiAirGuy@reddit
What the fuck is this title?!
Skull_Reaper101@reddit
it took me 5 read to understand
uwillloveeachother@reddit
what’s hard to understand?
SizeableFowl@reddit
Horse
AteYerCake4U@reddit
"Neigh"
Jesus_es_Gayo@reddit
Hort
Recoil42@reddit
Lotus Emira to drop Toyota, AMG engines in switch to new 536bhp hybrid V6 from Horse
enfuego138@reddit
“Lotus made the decision to focus on the six-cylinder partly due to reaction from the US market, which has driven demand for the Toyota-supplied V6. “They told us that they love the V6 engine, and actually the V6 version is our best-seller in the US market,” said Feng.”
They wanted the manual transmission. A four speed auto is not really going to do it.
LongjumpingLock5875@reddit
No more manual is certainly a choice given the 88% take rate on the manual transmission version...
https://www.motor1.com/features/784165/manual-transmission-sales-2025/
Would be like if Subaru only offered the automatic BRZ.
Mannginger@reddit
I think it's a little more muddy than that on the Emira. If I recall they launched the car only with the old Toyota V6 and manual (Although maybe they had a version with the terribhle Evora Auto box)?. The modern/DSG autos only came with the AMG 4 cylinder which was launched much later.
Personally I love this decision. I've moved away from manual cars these days but would have loved a V6 Emira - with this decision It'll definitely be on my consider list in the future although a 4 speed box sounds like a super weird decision so will have to drive one to see what it's like.
Joooooooosh@reddit
The owners at Lotus have clearly lost the plot. The board within Lotus must just be riding the money wave, knowing it’s going to crash.
Lotus’ entire brand image is light, nimble, excellent driving sports cars.
So what was done with the Geely investment…
Electric saloon, Electric SUV and a push into the sporty GT market. A 4 speed hybrid auto, really?!? They’ll sell about 5 of them.
Just make a lightweight manual sportscar for goodness sake.
jse000@reddit
From circling the drain to down it. RIP.
MarshallHurtado@reddit
Put a manual in it, you cowards
RT023@reddit
No manual....are you kidding me lotus?
mettaxa@reddit
The future is not looking good for anything
Dragonasaur@reddit
Lotus is Chinese-owned, so of course auto-only and EVified (hybrid in this case)
Don't know what else people were expecting, Chinese cars are never about dynamics and driving, just design and numbers to show off
Sensitive-Gur5554@reddit
WHY
maximumchuck@reddit
It's in the article. The current V6 won't meet upcoming emissions regulations and the supplier of the new V6 is a Geely owned company.
assblast420@reddit
For anyone else who hadn't heard the name: Horse is powertrain company established in 2024, split-owned by Renault, Geely, and with Saudi Aramco as a minor stakeholder.
And they're apparently huge, with 19000 employees.
Astramael@reddit
According to the article, Horse is an automotive brand.
Pyrochazm@reddit
Horse?
xamdou@reddit
Can't read the article because it's asking for consent to do a bunch of bs.
What?