New issue out now: Top Gear’s world exclusive Lotus Emira road test

A sports car with fixed-rate dampers, one engine choice (for now), the option of a manual gearbox and a handful of driving modes never feels like a cost-cutting exercise, it smacks of confidence. It says that the engineers had a clear vision of what they wanted to achieve, set the car up accordingly, and that’s the one you can buy.

The new Lotus Emira is that car – shot through with confidence, the encapsulation of a company that knows how to keep things simple but wants, no needs, to find a wider audience.

Excited? You can read our world exclusive road test in the latest issue of Top Gear magazine. It’s a new petrol-powered Lotus for gosh sakes, what are you waiting for?

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It’s not just Lotus launching V6-engined sports cars right now of course, because there’s also the small matter of the Ferrari 296 GTB – a mid-engined V6-hybrid supercar with a frankly terrifying 818bhp being sent to the rear wheels. Blimey. You can read all about our first drive in the latest issue.

But that’s not all for this month. We’ve also got your full guide to the upcoming 2022 Formula 1 season, including a sit down with Haas team boss and Netflix hero Guenther Steiner. Plus there’s the full brain download on the new Alfa Romeo Tonale and we’ve driven the car that could be about to dethrone the Tesla Model S – the deeply impressive Lucid Air.