The Lotus Emira is getting a moody makeover with the limited-edition Scura trim. Meaning “darkness” in Italian, the Lotus Emira Scura is a visual treatment that focuses on the performance car’s already striking appearance.
Only 60 Lotus Emira Scura will be available in North America, paying homage to the 2009 Lotus Exige Scura. Lotus believes this special Emira will be “highly sought after,” with a dark, “sinister” appearance. The exterior is painted Satin Nebulous Gray and features a gloss-black roof. The mirror caps and other exterior components will also serve as gloss-black accents. This definitely gives the Emira a more aggressive appearance.
The interior also gets bespoke elements to match. The seats are covered in Alcantara, an Italian-made material featuring a suede-like texture, with contrasting red stitching, and a matching red TDC steering wheel. The seatbelts are also red. This gives the interior a very dramatic appearance, but privacy glass shields will still keep it all from view, adding to the overall dark, mysterious appearance of the Scura trim.
Lotus Emira Scura offers same driver-focused experience, but darker
The Lotus Emira Scura is only changing the visuals of Lotus’ mid-engine sports car, but these 60 limited-edition vehicles will come with the Driver’s Pack for improved suspension and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Everything else is largely unchanged. This means you’re getting a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 400 horsepower and a six-speed manual gearbox with Limited Slip Differential, reaching 62 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds. The Emira features two chassis and suspension settings. Tour is for commuting or canyon drives, offering a comfortable ride with exceptional handling, while Sport has a stiffer suspension set-up for “enhanced dynamic capability and feel.”
“It’s civilized, but underneath that sleek body.. Viceral, analog. This is what happens when a supercar gets its act together,” a recent Emira ad boasted. “It’s the perfect daily. For drivers. So, are you a driver or what?”
The Emira isn’t the fastest sports car in its price range, but it’s insanely agile and a terror on the corners, which will make the Scura look like a demon on the track. I think seeing this behind me at Buttonwillow would be terrifying. A proper villain’s car.
The Lotus Emira is currently priced at $106,900 for the base model. However, it can reach $139,900 if you prefer the Clark Edition, another limited-edition trim with just 60 available worldwide. It features a hand-painted livery inspired by Jim Clark and Team Lotus from the 1960s. It’s another trim focused on visuals, just like the Scura. This leads me to believe the upcoming limited-edition trim will cost around the same due to its rarity and upgraded looks. The U.S. pricing has not been revealed just yet, but it’s already available to order if you wanna risk it.
I showed it to the other members of the Lotus Club of Southern California board and they definitely liked the aesthetic. The issue? They either already own an Emira and I can’t see them randomly trading in for this limited-edition version or they prefer the Elise/Exige. Like me. These cars offer a totally different experience, so not too sure anyone will want to go from a bare-bones track car to a plush limited-edition Scura. It will be interesting to see who finds this sinister version of the Emira worth splurging on. And I hope to see it on the track some day.
Production begins late March 2026.
Technical Specs
| Trim | Lotus Emira Scura |
|---|---|
| Engine Displacement | 3.5-liter V6 |
| Power (hp) | 400 |
| 0–62 mph | 4.3 seconds |
| Top Speed | 180 |
| Curb Weight | 3,200-ish |
|---|
