The Lotus Emira finds itself in this latter zone. It straddles the hinterland between supercar and sporty runaround. You can argue that its speed, looks and general feel put it up there with its most high-end rivals, but it has a few touches that have it nestling outside as a different breed.
Let’s be clear though: referring to the Emira as a sports car is no bad thing. Lotus, as a brand, is known for producing vehicles that focus on handling and driver engagement, with a degree of practicality in the mix as well.
Many supercars claim you can use them as your everyday ride, but those who try to do so might agree that keeping them for best is probably a better option. The Emira, however, can claim to be rather more usable than many of its rivals, despite being a two-seater.
The speed is, of course, terrific – 0-100kph in just over four seconds with a top speed that plateaus at around 290 kph. Admittedly, that doesn’t sound overly practical, but no one is suggesting anyone attempt those figures outside of a track environment.