Lovely spec Europa S....

[Zebede29]

Top Gear mag have just taken on a new long-term test Europa S in a cracking colour combo - Phantom Black with the saddle-tan leather Luxury Touring Pack. The contrasted colours look fantastic and the silver grilles on the outside make the car look superb in my opinion

The mag has given it a very nice warm welcome and have got the car for a year, lets hope they always give the car a glowing review in the ongoing 12 months to help Lotus with their overall sales and keep them in profit.

If TG like it, sales must surely benefit. I for one hope so anyway, I like the Europa's looks (in the right colour) and although it's a tough car to sell into its target market, I think it does at least show that Lotus have decent sized cohoonas

[Hollywood Wheels]

They'll probably judge the car as they seem to judge all others........namely.........

1) Whether the stereo is 'Ipod compatible'
2) How heavy the clutch is in solid traffic jams (none of their lazy arses seem to know about trains, as they seem to spend their whole lives sitting in traffic jams. The A406 jammed at 8am on a weekday?! You don't say!!!!!)
3) How much luggage space there is for a weekend in Tuscany
4) How much the editor liked it when he borrowed it for two days.

The TG testers are just a bizarre bunch to me, they don't really strike me as car nuts. No doubt they'll slag the car off at the end and recommend a silver Audi TT instead.

Edited by Hollywood Wheels on Friday 5th October 20:51

[Zebede29]

To be fair the initial full-page welcome write-up was very complimentary, the author stating that Lotus have designed a pretty car with a lot of appeal to both genuine drivers and the "less automotively educated".

Hope they do the car justice in the coming months

[MW666]

There is one in that exact spec behind my office. - the interior looks fantastic.
The exterior shape is just wrong with awkward,clumsy design details - like at the rear.

think it would have been better has they gone for a retro shape (elite???) and marketed it a style car, for those less interested in dynamics - but still able to perform. - as it seems to now with the 225bhp upgrade

Overall, it just doesn't work as a design now - so will not get better with age.

What would be the cost of reskining and re-launching? - could lotus save this model?

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

I love the look of the Europa, didn't till I saw it in the flesh. GF really likes them as well, so might have to be adding one next year for her, budget permitting.

[hahithestevieboy]

Nice. It looks like i may have to buy a copy. These things seem to be on the classified ads for 25-30K. I may have to have a punt when the ones with the upgraded interior/brakes/ecu come down to 25K. I wonder how much thorney will end up charging for their 330bhp upgrade. That'd absolutely fly.

[Boggy]

Always loved the Europa and Mrs Boggy might yet buy one in Saffron yellow. Don't write if off just yet. I've driven the latest version and it is wicked, I'll say the same thing I've been saying all along, drive it before you judge it! Not interested any longer is anybody's view who hasn't even driven it

Boggy

Edited by Boggy on Monday 8th October 09:25

[S Works]

I heard about this from a mate who works at the Beeb a few weeks ago. Saw it in the car park and asked me what it was. He thought it looked great.

[Zebede29]

Although not quite the same as TG's car, look at this classified ad and tell me its not a lovely car!

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/242375.htm

Mmmmmm yum yum - and at a good price too IMHO, especially with the ECU upgrade and Tracker

Lucky buyer <jealous>

[Boggy]

Zebede29 said:

Although not quite the same as TG's car, look at this classified ad and tell me its not a lovely car!

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/242375.htm

Mmmmmm yum yum - and at a good price too IMHO, especially with the ECU upgrade and Tracker

Lucky buyer <jealous>

Car is stunning, if they only dropped the price in the first place. Mrs Boggy wants one but were not paying any more than 30k seen a new one in Polar Blue, they will add the 225 bhp upgrade in with the price £29,995

Boggy

Edited by Boggy on Monday 8th October 12:10

[Zebede29]

I want a Europa S now lol

[hahithestevieboy]

Boggy said:

Zebede29 said:

Although not quite the same as TG's car, look at this classified ad and tell me its not a lovely car!

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/242375.htm

Mmmmmm yum yum - and at a good price too IMHO, especially with the ECU upgrade and Tracker

Lucky buyer <jealous>

Car is stunning, if they only dropped the price in the first place. Mrs Boggy wants one but were not paying any more than 30k seen a new one in Polar Blue, they will add the 225 bhp upgrade in with the price £29,995

Boggy

Edited by Boggy on Monday 8th October 12:10

Seriously nice. Definately the best one yet (for a standard-ish car). Saw a black one with the tan interior at the open day which was superb and sat in the red one (hideous colour combo). New interior feels and looks gorgeous and definately gives the car a reason to exist. Price is still too rich for me tho.....

[DucatiGary]

have you tried getting in one ?

seriously difficult as there is a ridge thats raised towards the rear of the door opening and then the steering wheel is out more than the elise, so you hold it closer to your chest, which I actually prefer than the stretched arm to the wheel thing going on in the elises but this aslo makes getting in and out a bit of a farce as the gap to get into is blocked by the pertruding steering wheel.

other than that, I guess they are ok.

[bobo]

possibly the only problem now with the europa is the eagle that should arrive next yr.

if the original europa dash didnt kill off the product then surely the eagle will???

shame... with the upgrades its not a bad car at all!

[hahithestevieboy]

bobo said:

possibly the only problem now with the europa is the eagle that should arrive next yr.

if the original europa dash didnt kill off the product then surely the eagle will???

shame... with the upgrades its not a bad car at all!

I found getting in and out fine, but then again I am biased.

Lotus keep making the elise and exige more comfortable which IMHO dilutes their purity and undermines the europa as a unique product.

I think that when the prices drop far enough, I will end up getting a "black and tan" (one for the irish eh) and get thorney to soup it up in stages. I wonder how much their 330bhp conversion will cost???

[Christian43]

Went to see the black and cream Europa last week and had to buy it! I have been looking at Europas for the last year and wanted to wait a bit longer before buying one but this one was too good to miss. Wife has finally forgiven me (just)!

Nice to be back in a Lotus again. I know the Europa could do with a bit of tuning to be a serious track car but even in standard form they are great fun and easy to live with.

cheers

Christian

[Boggy]

Christian43 said:

Went to see the black and cream Europa last week and had to buy it! I have been looking at Europas for the last year and wanted to wait a bit longer before buying one but this one was too good to miss. Wife has finally forgiven me (just)!

Nice to be back in a Lotus again. I know the Europa could do with a bit of tuning to be a serious track car but even in standard form they are great fun and easy to live with.

cheers

Christian

Nice one sound's cracking can you post some pictures?

Boggy

[Christian43]

will do when the sun come out.

[Boggy]

Christian43 said:

will do when the sun come out.

Is this the one Chistian?

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/242375.htm

Boggy

[mnewlyn]

that black and cream europa (christian's?) is so beautiful it nearly brings a tear to my eye, I get the same feeling looking at those pictures as i did ten years ago when I bought my elise.

Although I still love the elise, I must be ready for something new, exige or a europa.