Lotus Emira arrives in the USA with F1 legend Jenson Button at the wheel for a thrilling Laguna Seca film ahead of the USA public debut at The Quail.

Click here to subscribe to our print edition!

(function($){ $(window).on("resize", function(){ var sid = "49"; var object = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__img"); var animateThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProAnimateThumb"); var innerThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__thumb"); var parentWidth = "728"; var parentHeight = "90"; var objectWidth = object.width(); if ( objectWidth < parentWidth ) { var scale = objectWidth / parentWidth; if ( objectWidth > 0 && objectWidth != 100 && scale > 0 ) { animateThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); innerThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); object.height(parentHeight * scale); } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } }); $(document).ready(function(){ $(".bsaProItemInner__img").trigger("resize"); }); })(jQuery);

Fresh from its triumphant world debut last month, the Lotus Emira is making its first appearance in the USA… with a very special driver at the wheel.

Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button put the all-new petrol-powered sports car through its paces at Laguna Seca Raceway.

Like Lotus, Jenson was in California for Monterey Car Week, the Radford 62-2 – a reinterpretation of the Lotus Type 62 to be manufactured using Lotus technology – recently received its world premiere ahead of making its public debut with the Emira on the Lotus stand at The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering.

Jenson Button stated after his drive that “This is such a great circuit, most road cars on tracks don’t work, but this does.”

The Emira is an all-new mid-engined sports car that perfectly embodies the ongoing transformation of the iconic British sports car manufacturer. Its striking design is delivering exotic supercar appeal in the sports car segment, with inspiration from the Lotus Evija hypercar clear in its fluid surfaces and crisp feature lines.

Two petrol engines are available, including a new-to-Lotus 2.0-litre turbocharged ‘i4’ from technical partner AMG as well as the much-loved and characterful 3.5-litre supercharged V6 from the critically acclaimed Evora GT.

A choice of manual, automatic and Dual Clutch Transmission is available, with power output from 360 to 400 hp at launch. All versions will hit 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in less than 4.5 seconds.

The USA is a key market for Emira as Lotus transforms into a truly global performance car company, and Lotus retailers across the country have already seen strong demand from potential customers.

The Lotus Emira will be joined by the Lotus Evija hypercar and the Radford 62-2 at The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering on Friday 13 August. All three will be part of a press conference held at 9.15 am PDT (GMT-8) on the Lotus stand.

(function($){ $(window).on("resize", function(){ var sid = "9"; var object = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__img"); var animateThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProAnimateThumb"); var innerThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__thumb"); var parentWidth = "728"; var parentHeight = "90"; var objectWidth = object.width(); if ( objectWidth < parentWidth ) { var scale = objectWidth / parentWidth; if ( objectWidth > 0 && objectWidth != 100 && scale > 0 ) { animateThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); innerThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); object.height(parentHeight * scale); } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } }); $(document).ready(function(){ $(".bsaProItemInner__img").trigger("resize"); }); })(jQuery);

The post Jenson Button drives Lotus Emira at Laguna Seca appeared first on Paddock Magazine.