2023 Lotus Emira V6 First Edition

This Emira V6 First Edition pairs Lotus's supercharged 3.5-litre Toyota-sourced V6 with the three-pedal manual gearbox, the combination most enthusiasts consider the purest way to experience the last petrol Lotus. Producing 400 bhp, the mid-engined coupe retains the hydraulic-feeling steering and tactile, communicative character that has defined the marque, in a package far more usable than the Elise and Exige it succeeds.

First Edition cars were the launch-spec Emiras, finished with the most generous standard equipment of the early run, which gives them a degree of collectability among early adopters. This 2023 example has covered 9,410 miles, so it has been driven rather than stored, yet it is still young enough to feel close to new.

At £64,000 it sits well below the original launch pricing of a well-optioned First Edition. That makes it a relatively accessible way into a manual V6 Emira, a combination Lotus has already confirmed is on borrowed time as emissions regulations tighten.