[supafamous]

Originally Posted by Traum

The Cayman GTS 4.0 would be the natural direct competitor against the Emira in every regard -- MR, similar weight, similar hp/tq.

I would pick the Porsche over the Lotus all day, everyday because I am a Porsche fanboi, and I trust that the Porsche would be more solidly built. But the Emira is certainly the more eye-catching car.

What I am not sure is -- which engine would be the more enjoyable one to pick? On paper, the Toyota V6 is a touch faster, and I am going to guess/bet that it will also be the more reliable engine. But of course the AMG 4-banger is very attractive too, at least in terms of output.

Only the V6 has the manual so that would be the decider for me but, like you said, this competes with a 718 GTS and the 718 GTS is an incredible car and Lotus can't really compete against the budget that went into a 718. There might be a couple niches where the Lotus is better (better looks for example) or more suited to a particular buyer but why get this over a 718 GTS? (I wouldn't kick it out of bed though).