Lotus’ New Six-Figure Sports Car Got A Reality Check At Auction

The Lotus Emira had only 305 miles on the odometer and came with a clean Carfax report.
It has an MSRP of over $100,000, but failed to sell at auction despite being practically new.
Equipped with a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 producing 400 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque.

After a series of delays, the Lotus Emira has finally reached U.S. customers, but early signs suggest it’s not generating the kind of enthusiasm one might expect for a new sports car. This week, a nearly new Emira failed to sell at an online auction, topping out at a high bid of $79,500, failing to meet reserve.

This particular Emira is a 2024 V6 First Edition model that had a retail price of $100,330. MSRPs for these cars start at $93,900, and this car has the $2,150 six-speed automatic transmission, $1,400 Full Black Pack, and $530 black Alcantara steering wheel. It has been driven just 305 miles (491 km) and includes a clean Carfax report. Evidently, no one was willing to spend enough to buy it.

Read: Lotus Just Made The Emira More Affordable And That’s Not The Only Surprise For 2026

While the Emira likely won’t go down as an icon quite like the Elise and Exige, it remains a very good sports car. Power is provided by a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 engine with 400 hp and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm).

There’s no other car quite like the Emira on sale, but you can buy some brilliant, lightly-used performance cars for $100,000 or less, including a well-equipped Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray 3LZ. In that context, even with its Lotus charm, the Emira starts to look like a harder sell.

Bring a Trailer

Despite the auction outcome, this particular Emira does make a strong visual impression. Finished in Seneca Blue Metallic, the car is set off by black 20-inch forged wheels and bright red brake calipers. Aesthetically, it’s everything you’d want from a modern Lotus – lean, aggressive, and unmistakably stylish. Compared to the much larger and heavier C8 Corvette, the Emira holds its own in terms of design and proportions.

Based on the result of this auction, it seems likely that prices of the Emira will continue to fall, despite its great qualities. While that’s bad news for those original buyers who waited a long time to take delivery, the Emira may soon become a very tempting choice for buyers in the used market looking for a fun weekend toy or track machine.