STABLE TO PADDOCK

LOTUS EMIRA RIDE Brit firm maintains motorsport legacy with GT4 version of new sports car

- Tristan Shale-Hester

ANYONE who has been fortunate enough to have driven a Lotus will understand the appeal of the firm's sports cars. That baton is now being carried by the Emira, which was launched as a new addition to the range after the Elise and Exige went out of production.

However, Lotus isn't just a big name in the road-car business. The Norfolk-based firm also has a huge motorsport pedigree and there has always been a strong link between the two sides of the company.

Although the days of founder Colin Chapman have long passed and Lotus no longer has a Formula One team, that passion for motorsport still remains and the latest expression of that driving force is the reason we've been invited to the famous Lotus factory at Hethel.

It's here that we witness the unveiling of the firm's latest racing car, the Emira GT4. This is a ready-built racer that private teams or individuals can buy and compete with.

"Lotus should be in motorsport," says the manufacturer's managing director Matt Windle after he pulls the wraps off the new GT4. "At Lotus, we only put stuff on the car that needs to be on there; there are no bells or whistles. It's a sleek design and it's quick."