G05
BMW X5
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04-14-2026LAST POST
03-27-2026
I did a rough count and came up with 10 different cars in my three car fleet the last 10 years....which is a bit ridiculous but kinda fun. I think it is the hunting that I'm addicted too :confused2

Just when I think I have my forever fleet, I get another itch.

My latest itch has been the Emira.....Contemplating selling the R8 for one.

I know it's probably not financially smart considering the gated R8 is most likley going to be worth more than the Emira when the dust settles, but I think a manual Emira would be an amazing car to have....and have started obsessing over the car the last week or so.



This one hase me seriously considering it....It's like a combo of the original NSX with the driving dynamics mixed with the styling of a 458/488

The 458 has always been one of my all time favorites:love:

Image-20.jpg


someone talk me off the ledge :slap:

Any cars out there that have you thinking about replacing your current one lately???
03-27-2026
God jesus me.

I drove these, are you thinking of the i4 or the v6? I'm on the list for the v8 one they rumored to announce if it drops. If I couldn't get that the i4 with the dct is great. The Toyota V6 and manual are just ehh. Tranny isn't that great and I'm of the opinion if it isn't a good manual it isn't worth driving.

Versus the R8 it's a very different experience. It's about the same speed feeling wise since the weight and size are a bit smaller. Steering is much better, but you might find the interior a bit sparse.
03-27-2026
x622 wrote
God jesus me.

I drove these, are you thinking of the i4 or the v6? I'm on the list for the v8 one they rumored to announce if it drops. If I couldn't get that the i4 with the dct is great. The Toyota V6 and manual are just ehh. Tranny isn't that great and I'm of the opinion if it isn't a good manual it isn't worth driving.

Versus the R8 it's a very different experience. It's about the same speed feeling wise since the weight and size are a bit smaller. Steering is much better, but you might find the interior a bit sparse.
definitely has to be a manual....tried the PDK thing a few cars ago and just got bored. I swore off any sort of automatic in my sports cars after that experience, but that is just me....the DCT and PDK are great transmissions for sure, but I need to use my left foot and right hand to enjoy the engagement

I plan on test driving one soon....I will let you know what I think of the car.
03-27-2026
I tried so hard to fall in love with the Emira. I really did. I absolutely love the styling. It looks phenomenal, has a decent interior, and it's the perfect size. It's also not all that common, even in LA, which is a major plus to me because nothing is rare here. I genuinely spot more Bugattis driving around in any given week than Emiras (not exaggerating).

The excitement just fades so fast as soon as you put it in gear. The shifter is dogshit. It's the worst manual I can think of in any performance car. I hated it. The engine is also completely uninspiring. It's a low revving Camry engine with a blower. Whoop dee doo. You'd think the chassis and suspension would make up for it, but even in Sport trim it's still too soft and doesn't feel all that special.

I'm sure a proper set of coilovers, short shifter, exhaust, cams, and a tune to make it rev out closer to 8K will work wonders, but the only cars that get a pass for requiring mods to be fun are 90s JDMs.

The Emira the automotive equivalent of an unenthusiastic handjob from a Victoria's Secret model.
03-28-2026
R8 > Emira everyday all day IMHO
03-28-2026
LH44 wrote
I tried so hard to fall in love with the Emira. I really did. I absolutely love the styling. It looks phenomenal, has a decent interior, and it's the perfect size. It's also not all that common, even in LA, which is a major plus to me because nothing is rare here. I genuinely spot more Bugattis driving around in any given week than Emiras (not exaggerating).

The excitement just fades so fast as soon as you put it in gear. The shifter is dogshit. It's the worst manual I can think of in any performance car. I hated it. The engine is also completely uninspiring. It's a low revving Camry engine with a blower. Whoop dee doo. You'd think the chassis and suspension would make up for it, but even in Sport trim it's still too soft and doesn't feel all that special.

I'm sure a proper set of coilovers, short shifter, exhaust, cams, and a tune to make it rev out closer to 8K will work wonders, but the only cars that get a pass for requiring mods to be fun are 90s JDMs.

The Emira the automotive equivalent of an unenthusiastic handjob from a Victoria's Secret model.
I felt the same way about my G87 M2 that was in manual. You're spot on with how the manual feels in the Emira.
03-28-2026
Yes. I'm 40yo and have had over 30 vehicles if you include motorcycles and off road toys. :help:

The G80 is the first time I ever factory ordered and my first German car so maybe this one will be different.....I've said that many times though.....

I'm definitely the wrong person to talk you off a ledge. :lol:
03-28-2026
LH44 wrote
I tried so hard to fall in love with the Emira. I really did. I absolutely love the styling. It looks phenomenal, has a decent interior, and it's the perfect size. It's also not all that common, even in LA, which is a major plus to me because nothing is rare here. I genuinely spot more Bugattis driving around in any given week than Emiras (not exaggerating).

The excitement just fades so fast as soon as you put it in gear. The shifter is dogshit. It's the worst manual I can think of in any performance car. I hated it. The engine is also completely uninspiring. It's a low revving Camry engine with a blower. Whoop dee doo. You'd think the chassis and suspension would make up for it, but even in Sport trim it's still too soft and doesn't feel all that special.

I'm sure a proper set of coilovers, short shifter, exhaust, cams, and a tune to make it rev out closer to 8K will work wonders, but the only cars that get a pass for requiring mods to be fun are 90s JDMs.

The Emira the automotive equivalent of an unenthusiastic handjob from a Victoria's Secret model.
This sounds like the v6 model. Have you tried the i4 one?
03-28-2026
I woulda been good with the NSX. Just sayin' :)
03-28-2026
LH44 wrote
The excitement just fades so fast as soon as you put it in gear. The shifter is dogshit. It's the worst manual I can think of in any performance car. I hated it.
I never drove an Emira (nor an Evora), but have set and played with the shifter in one which had an Aerie short shifter and it felt pretty great (my benchmark is my BRZ with stiffer bushings and mounts, stronger centering springs and Billetworkz short shifter; I found a 981 Cayman GT4's manual to be meh in comparison).
LH44 wrote
cams, and a tune to make it rev out closer to 8K will work wonders
Ain't happening. People bemoan the drop from 7000 to 6800 between the Evora and the Emira - almost nobody is talking about an even higher redline. Aftermarket is mostly tuning for more power. Yes, there are replacement valvetrain springs that claim to support higher RPM, but it's a pretty major modification and one that's not at all common.

After driving an Elise I came away with mixed feelings - the steering was absolutely amazing, but the rest of the driver inputs were verging on bad. I figure that the British roadster/sportscar ethos is just not something that I appreciate. On the flip side, with so many people loving modern high power, high weight, numb steering and isolated performance cars, I guess it's just a matter of what you're looking for in a car.

Now I'm afraid to drive an Evora/Emira and be disappointed. I had a deposit on an Emira until it became clear that they'll delay much more than initially planned. The first Emiras hit the US almost 3 years after I put it down.
03-28-2026
LH44 wrote
I tried so hard to fall in love with the Emira. I really did. I absolutely love the styling. It looks phenomenal, has a decent interior, and it's the perfect size. It's also not all that common, even in LA, which is a major plus to me because nothing is rare here. I genuinely spot more Bugattis driving around in any given week than Emiras (not exaggerating).

The excitement just fades so fast as soon as you put it in gear. The shifter is dogshit. It's the worst manual I can think of in any performance car. I hated it. The engine is also completely uninspiring. It's a low revving Camry engine with a blower. Whoop dee doo. You'd think the chassis and suspension would make up for it, but even in Sport trim it's still too soft and doesn't feel all that special.

I'm sure a proper set of coilovers, short shifter, exhaust, cams, and a tune to make it rev out closer to 8K will work wonders, but the only cars that get a pass for requiring mods to be fun are 90s JDMs.

The Emira the automotive equivalent of an unenthusiastic handjob from a Victoria's Secret model.
interesting....I've seen a few videos where it always comes out on top of its mid engine competitors. The car reviews seem to rave about it for the most part.

here is one vs 718 GTS 4.0 and the C8
03-28-2026
I think you’d be mad to sell an R8 (any gen) for an Emira. The Emira looks amazing, but the drivetrains don’t compare to when you’ll have in the R8.
03-29-2026
No. Keep the R8.
03-29-2026
No Lotus model vibes with me. The R8 vibes with me.

You have owned a Ferrari; what about a Lambo or McLaren?

I like the looks of the AMG GT but have a hard time accepting MB’s (un)reliability.

But it’s your fleet and your money. Enjoy whichever decision you make. And post pics! :)
03-29-2026
Gated R8 manual will never be made again and will forever be known as the IronMan car to me. I would never sell that car if I had it in my fleet.
03-29-2026
R8 is a keeper for sure.

I think the best way to spend $100k on a sports car right now is a clean first-gen NSX.
03-29-2026
Bro, have you seen all my threads?

I am the poster boy for serial car buyers.

sometimes the moves have been good, sometimes bad (2015 C7 big mistake FOR ME)

in my view the move from the gated R8 V8 to a manual emira is not a good one

Emira is a great looking car for sure, but in my view R8 has a much more emotional engine and better manual

it depends on what you value though...if you are more about the visual appeal of a car and the handling (I think the emira probably handles better than your R8) then it could be a good move

for me I am more about the drivetrain than handling and I find that camry v6 pretty unemotional and the manual is meh

for me right now the only car I am considering replacing my 2023 R8 rwd coupe with is a 992 GT3 manual, really only because I miss manual

but the GT3s are so track focused I wonder if they will actually be more enjoyable to me as a road car
03-29-2026
x622 wrote
God jesus me.

I drove these, are you thinking of the i4 or the v6? I'm on the list for the v8 one they rumored to announce if it drops. If I couldn't get that the i4 with the dct is great. The Toyota V6 and manual are just ehh. Tranny isn't that great and I'm of the opinion if it isn't a good manual it isn't worth driving.

Versus the R8 it's a very different experience. It's about the same speed feeling wise since the weight and size are a bit smaller. Steering is much better, but you might find the interior a bit sparse.
if they put a v8 in the emira with a manual I would definitely be intrigued
03-29-2026
I’m 47. I’m on my 108th car. More than half of those were rubbish though.
03-29-2026
RabRS wrote
I’m 47. I’m on my 108th car. More than half of those were rubbish though.
holy cow! that is a lot of cars.

I am at 22 cars and similar age!
03-29-2026
46, am in the 250 range (including about 25 motorcycles) since 14. have had at least 2 cars since 14 (no I couldn't drive them yet) and as many as 8 at one time, currently settled in at 6, have been swapping them every 6 months to 1 year but I guess I got tired of it and found a good base to work around for now, not really interested in anything right now, just waiting for ZR1X allocation at the moment, but otherwise...meh.
03-29-2026
"Any cars out there that have you thinking about replacing your current one lately???"

Oh I sometimes think about moving from my M8 to a M2 (which would be my 2nd M2). Mainly to get away from the what appears to be a problematic AWD system in the M8. The M2 is RWD only and can be had with a 6-speed manual, which is what my 2023 M2 came with. (I traded this M2 in when I bought the M8.)

I could be moved to get rid of the M8 for a Morgan Super Sport but so far Morgan doesn't have a Super Sport that can be sold in the USA. A Plus 4 model exists for the USA market but I'd prefer the Super Sport with the BMW sourced 6-cylinder engine mated to a BMW automatic transmission. And the Super Sport has other improvements over the Plus 4 model.

Of course the easiest course of action is just to stay with and continue to drive and enjoy of course the M8.