Europa - spec levels

[tom77]

Hi all,

Does anyone tell me the differences between the Europa and Europa S? I've doing some digging around and can't find anything.

Cheers,

tom.

[carryondentist]

Same thing really.

The Europa S was the launch car.. For 2008 Lotus changed the range to replace the Europa S with the Europa (ablet with a little price drop) and then had a range topping Europa SE with the lux leather pack and wheel / brake update.

[jazzyjeff]

carryondentist said:

Same thing really.

The Europa S was the launch car.. For 2008 Lotus changed the range to replace the Europa S with the Europa (ablet with a little price drop) and then had a range topping Europa SE with the lux leather pack and wheel / brake update.

Well, that's what Lotus announced at Geneva in March... but has anyone actually seen an SE spec car (or even a 'downgraded' S model) for sale or demo at a dealer? Anyone???

JJ

[carryondentist]

jazzyjeff said:

Well, that's what Lotus announced at Geneva in March... but has anyone actually seen an SE spec car (or even a 'downgraded' S model) for sale or demo at a dealer? Anyone???

JJ

Good point, I assumed they were out there somewhere

[tom77]

carryondentist said:

Same thing really.

The Europa S was the launch car.. For 2008 Lotus changed the range to replace the Europa S with the Europa (ablet with a little price drop) and then had a range topping Europa SE with the lux leather pack and wheel / brake update.

Aaah, I see. So prior to the launch of the SE model they were all Europa S'?

[Twit]

yep, all the base ones were labelled 's'

The majority are still in base mode, some have been upgraded - mine has the 225 engine ECU change, the brake upgrade and the interior. That makes it basically an SE except for the wheels and the suspension (I think the SE has been lowered??). The wheels on the SE are gross mind you so no loss there!

Best bet is to find a nicely priced standard car and then send it back to Hethel so that they can do all the extra bits to it. When you buy the car get all the upgrades rolled into the price of the car.

As for SEs themselves, I very much doubt that there will ever be one in a dealer on spec, they will be ordered - if any are ordered at all??

[tom77]

Twit said:

yep, all the base ones were labelled 's'

The majority are still in base mode, some have been upgraded - mine has the 225 engine ECU change, the brake upgrade and the interior. That makes it basically an SE except for the wheels and the suspension (I think the SE has been lowered??). The wheels on the SE are gross mind you so no loss there!

Best bet is to find a nicely priced standard car and then send it back to Hethel so that they can do all the extra bits to it. When you buy the car get all the upgrades rolled into the price of the car.

As for SEs themselves, I very much doubt that there will ever be one in a dealer on spec, they will be ordered - if any are ordered at all??

Cool.

The reason I ask is that I think I might go for this one :

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/537929.htm

They make no mention of the 'S' part in the ad so but it's got the ECU/brake mods so it's all good.

Europa here I come!

[Twit]

Yeah, seen that one - looks Ok and decent price! Looking at the pics I can't see the brake discs that clearly but if the upgrade has been done it will have drilled discs - not sure that car does!

The engine upgrade makes a big difference to the mid range and the difference between a car that has had the upgrade and one that hasnt is marked. I would suggest that you go drive a standard car so that you can feel the difference and check it actually has been done!!! There are no outward signs, so you do need to be sure! Also, the Lotus one gets it to 225 not 235, I'm not sure what upgrade claims 235 so ask them! It may just be someone who is not clear about the product.

Then get it back to Hethel for a proper interior!!! Actually, for me, that is the best upgrade as it lifts the whole car. The next step for me is Thorney for the exhaust...

[tom77]

Twit said:

Yeah, seen that one - looks Ok and decent price! Looking at the pics I can't see the brake discs that clearly but if the upgrade has been done it will have drilled discs - not sure that car does!

The engine upgrade makes a big difference to the mid range and the difference between a car that has had the upgrade and one that hasnt is marked. I would suggest that you go drive a standard car so that you can feel the difference and check it actually has been done!!! There are no outward signs, so you do need to be sure! Also, the Lotus one gets it to 225 not 235, I'm not sure what upgrade claims 235 so ask them! It may just be someone who is not clear about the product.

Then get it back to Hethel for a proper interior!!! Actually, for me, that is the best upgrade as it lifts the whole car. The next step for me is Thorney for the exhaust...

Good advice. I'm calling them tomorrow about it so I'll be sure to ask them about these details....

The problem is getting to drive one to see what a standard one is like. I'm in Edinburgh and MMC haven't had one in a while and there are no other Lotus dealers nearby. If any local Europa owners would like to take me for a drive I would be much obliged!

[ad220]

Talking about the Europa specs, I test drove one on the weekend that didn't have the starter button. Was this just very early cars?

[jazzyjeff]

ad220 said:

Talking about the Europa specs, I test drove one on the weekend that didn't have the starter button. Was this just very early cars?

From what I've been told, the starter button was part of the 'Super Luxury Pack' (tan leather etc.) on 2006 and 2007 model cars, but was standardised for the 2008 model year? Can anyone confirm this?

Also, if the 'new' range ever surfaces, apparently the SE will have the starter button but the 'base' car won't...

JJ

[Redlake27]

I have a 225hp S. I believe all factory fitted 225hp cars have cross drilled brakes as part of a 'Performance Pack' but I may be wrong......

The SE has been tested by the press (they had a test event in Scotland), but no reports yet.

[jazzyjeff]

Redlake27 said:

I have a 225hp S. I believe all factory fitted 225hp cars have cross drilled brakes as part of a 'Performance Pack' but I may be wrong......

Well Stratstone told me that you could buy the 'Performance Pack' as a single unit (power upgrade, brakes and suspension tweaking) or in individual components. Hence why they might remap some cars but baulk at doing the disc upgrade...

JJ

[Twit]

jazzyjeff said:

Well Stratstone told me that you could buy the 'Performance Pack' as a single unit (power upgrade, brakes and suspension tweaking) or in individual components. Hence why they might remap some cars but baulk at doing the disc upgrade...

JJ

Thats correct. The 225 upgrade is engine only, the brakes are extra. So just because it has had the 225 does not mean it wil have the brakes etc.

Not sure about the starter button. Mine has one ut it also has the upgraded interior etc.

[tom77]

Twit said:

jazzyjeff said:

Well Stratstone told me that you could buy the 'Performance Pack' as a single unit (power upgrade, brakes and suspension tweaking) or in individual components. Hence why they might remap some cars but baulk at doing the disc upgrade...

JJ

Thats correct. The 225 upgrade is engine only, the brakes are extra. So just because it has had the 225 does not mean it wil have the brakes etc.

Not sure about the starter button. Mine has one ut it also has the upgraded interior etc.

Just in case anyone is interested. The silver one in the link above has upgrades by Thorney, including the brakes. No drilled discs but I'll call them tomorrow to find out exactly what was done.

This is increasingly looking like the Europa for me. Not my ideal colour but it's growing on me and the price/milage combo makes it extremely attractive.....

[jerrytlr]

Twit said:

jazzyjeff said:

Well Stratstone told me that you could buy the 'Performance Pack' as a single unit (power upgrade, brakes and suspension tweaking) or in individual components. Hence why they might remap some cars but baulk at doing the disc upgrade...

JJ

Thats correct. The 225 upgrade is engine only, the brakes are extra. So just because it has had the 225 does not mean it wil have the brakes etc.

My local dealer assures me that the 225 upgrade always has to come with the brake upgrade too. Lotus dealers are not allowed to do only the engine power upgrade....

I would be a bit suspicious of a car that claims to have had the factory upgrade but does not have the drilled disks - not saying it's not possible, just that it would warrant some further investigation!!

Cheers,

Jerry

[Redlake27]

I had a local Lotus dealer convince me that their graphite car had a 225hp map. After having a test drive (it took three visits to turn their sales apathy ino a test drive) I found the car had the lumpy characteristics I'd read about in tests of the standard 197hp car. It also didn't have cross drilled brakes, so I assumed they were kidding about the ECU and went elsewhere.

Both 225hp cars I drove had the cross drilled brakes and were noticably smoother in their power deliver, if still not totally linear.....

[jazzyjeff]

jerrytlr said:

Twit said:

jazzyjeff said:

Well Stratstone told me that you could buy the 'Performance Pack' as a single unit (power upgrade, brakes and suspension tweaking) or in individual components. Hence why they might remap some cars but baulk at doing the disc upgrade...

JJ

Thats correct. The 225 upgrade is engine only, the brakes are extra. So just because it has had the 225 does not mean it wil have the brakes etc.

My local dealer assures me that the 225 upgrade always has to come with the brake upgrade too. Lotus dealers are not allowed to do only the engine power upgrade....

I would be a bit suspicious of a car that claims to have had the factory upgrade but does not have the drilled disks - not saying it's not possible, just that it would warrant some further investigation!!

Cheers,

Jerry

Great, so Stratstone are telling porkies JCT600 also told me I could buy the bits separately.

Oh, and I recall when I spoke to Dick Lovett one of the first things the salesman told me was that it had traction control

You'd think that people selling a limited range of specialist cars would know their product...?

JJ

Edited by jazzyjeff on Wednesday 9th July 10:34

[Movano]

jazzyjeff said:

jerrytlr said:

Twit said:

jazzyjeff said:

Well Stratstone told me that you could buy the 'Performance Pack' as a single unit (power upgrade, brakes and suspension tweaking) or in individual components. Hence why they might remap some cars but baulk at doing the disc upgrade...

JJ

Thats correct. The 225 upgrade is engine only, the brakes are extra. So just because it has had the 225 does not mean it wil have the brakes etc.

My local dealer assures me that the 225 upgrade always has to come with the brake upgrade too. Lotus dealers are not allowed to do only the engine power upgrade....

I would be a bit suspicious of a car that claims to have had the factory upgrade but does not have the drilled disks - not saying it's not possible, just that it would warrant some further investigation!!

Cheers,

Jerry

Great, so Stratstone are telling porkies JCT600 also told me I could buy the bits separately.

Oh, and I recall when I spoke to Dick Lovett one of the first things the salesman told me was that it had traction control

You'd think that people selling a limited range of specialist cars would know their product...?

JJ

Edited by jazzyjeff on Wednesday 9th July 10:34

Definitely possible to order the 225 upgrade without the cross-drilled discs. I have such a car on order.

Will report back on whether it has an engine start button, or any other detail changes, just as as soon it arrives!

Movano.

[edo]

jazzyjeff said:

Well, that's what Lotus announced at Geneva in March... but has anyone actually seen an SE spec car (or even a 'downgraded' S model) for sale or demo at a dealer? Anyone???

Autocar tested one this week and liked it
http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/Lo...