C8 Corvette Z06 Still a Dominate Force Compared to the Lotus Emira

The Lotus Emira may be an attractive, old school driver’s car, but it’s simply no match for the C8 Corvette Z06 in terms of performance. 

At this point, the C8 Corvette Z06 has been around for a while, and is slowly beginning to, well, lose some luster. By that, we don’t mean that the Z06 is any less impressive than it was when it launched, but rather, it will soon be a bit overshadowed by the C8 ZR1, which promises to provide owners with even more extreme performance. However, the C8 Corvette Z06 is still winning comparison tests and putting up shocking numbers, and that was once again the case in this comparison test from Throttle House.

The folks at TH actually ordered a Lotus Emira two and a half years ago, but one of the longer automotive delays in recent history prompted them to cancel it, though it was good enough to win their 2023 “car of the year” award. It’s powered by a supercharged 3.5-liter V6 from Toyota that produces 400 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, and can be mated to either a six-speed manual as is the case with this tester, or a six-speed automatic transmission. That may not seem like a lot, but the Emira also weighs a mere 3,279 pounds.

As for the C8 Corvette Z06, it’s powered by the high-revving 5.5-liter LT6 V8, which produces 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, flowing to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It tips the scales at 3,799 pounds, and also costs quite a bit more than the Emira – around $140k for this well-equipped example, versus $105k for the stylish Lotus, though one could opt for a base Z06 and get the price down to around $112k.

Regardless, in a straight line, the C8 Corvette Z06 simply leaves the Emira in its wake, handing it a massive gap over the course of the first drag race. On the track, the Emira is, as our hosts note, “brilliant,” however, emitting “world class levels of communication,” setting the benchmark in that regard with excellent brakes and steering, though the sticky tires made kicking the rear end out a bit of a chore. However, that wasn’t exactly an issue for the Z06.

There, the 2022 Throttle House car of the year winner once again demonstrated how amazing it is when the road turns, save for its “less than perfect” steering. Our host even calls it “twice as exciting” as an Audi R8, noting that they don’t know how the ZR1 will set better lap times than this already-excellent supercar. When the dust settles, the Emira managed a best lap of 1:11.50, which is good enough for the 14th fastest TH has recorded – faster than a Cayman GTS, in fact.

However, the C8 Corvette Z06 blew that time out of the water with a lap of 1:06.56, which is actually the fastest TH has ever recorded – slightly edging out the former number one, the mighty Porsche 911 GT3 RS. It’s an incredible result by any measure, and one that has the folks in the CorvetteForum forums abuzz, even though many members are fans of the Emira, regardless. It’s clear that the Z06 is a superior performer in every measurable category, but at the same time, it’s hard to knock the pure, traditional driving experience one can get in the latest Lotus, especially if you’re the type who prefers a more analog type of sports car.

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