Europa S ... Screw you, I like it.

[Bavarian Motorist]

I have heard and read some horrible reviews of the Europa S. The Turbo kills it...it's the antithesis of what a Lotus represents.... it's under-powered...


I like it, though.


It's just a little over-priced...










What's up with the hatred?


Silence the violence. Increase the peace.

[Allan Gibbs]

I think it's nice too. But it's just in comparision to the Elise/Exige, it's a bit tame - which is probably the market Lotus was probably looking for.

I always thought of the Europa as a stop-gap car until Lotus could build something less spartan than the Elise/Exige (Eagle). Europa's side sill are still pretty high compared to other cars.

[lateapex]

Originally Posted by Bavarian Motorist

Europa S ... Screw you, I like it.

Screw me?
Indeed, what's up with the hatred?

And you've driven one?
If not, no offense, but your opinion doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot compared to the reviewers who have spent some time actually driving it.

[mevistox5]

The problem with the Europa is that it is targeted at........ eehh well nobody really knows. For the real enthousiast it looks too tame. For the more luxery orientated it's too impractical (getting into/out of the car). They recently added a touring package option, but in my book that's not the key to making the car a succes.

As for power. The turbo does not kill it. It really feels quick.

[Ian]

That silver one looks so much like a Mitsubishi.

[greenbluff]

Originally Posted by Ian

That silver one looks so much like a Mitsubishi.

Ditto, on the nose, peeyuke.

Jim

[Zerofail]

It's just a little over-priced...




What is the proposed price for the car? Looks aside, I like it any time a new and interesting "choice" is added to the pool of available vehicles. It is not a new "sport inspired" mini van with DVD player or sport utility vehicle that neither offers "sport" or "utility" so I have to give it a thumbs up. However I will have to agree the silver does nothing for the lines of the car.

[mikester]

But, to each their own !

Have you seen one in person yet ? Not many have, right ?

I'll reserve judgement until I see one. Personally, I don't not like it.

[Bavarian Motorist]

Originally Posted by lateapex

Screw me?
Indeed, what's up with the hatred?

And you've driven one?
If not, no offense, but your opinion doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot compared to the reviewers who have spent some time actually driving it.

It's a 2300 lb car with a 2.0l turbocharged engine. The torque has to be there (relative to the Elise, anyway) and I'm the sure driving dynamics are pretty good as you would expect from Lotus. I'm not as much concerned about that. It's probably no Elise/Exige, but it's not supposed to be.


Just the reviewers forgot that this is a GT car, not a sports car (or so Lotus says)



I will concede that for a GT car, it sure can use some more luxuries. The interior resembles the Elise/Exige...



Price, as I remember, is about $70,000 in USD. Too much for what it is.



I still like the concept. Just needs refining.

[mevistox5]

Originally Posted by Bavarian Motorist

Price, as I remember, is about $70,000 in USD. Too much for what it is.
I still like the concept. Just needs refining.

It's about 9% cheaper than the Exige S overhere.

[Randy Chase]

I think it looks pretty good in person.

[Bavarian Motorist]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=117136



Here's a review I read with a video.



According to them, it's 41,000 GBP which WAS (not anymore) $77,000...




According to them, it's based directly off of the Opel Speedster, which makes sense since it has a GM engine, NOT the Elise or Exige. If that's the case, why is it so expensive?


Does the turbocharged Opel Speedster cost that much?

[Bavarian Motorist]

Originally Posted by Edmunds.

But at least the driving position is fine, despite the nonadjustable steering wheel. You sit low, with the steering near your chest, as if you're wearing the car. Then you remember the 200 horsepower behind you, the fact that it has just 2189 pounds to propel, and that Lotus claims 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds away and, for a moment, you think it might be OK after all.

Done in by the engine
And at first, it is all rather promising. Driven gently, the engine is clearly more refined than the very vocal Toyota motor; the softened suspension serves up a distinctly comfortable ride even on poorly surfaced Brit back roads; and all the weighting for controls, from the pedals to the steering, are just right. That's a pure Lotus trait. The only problem is, you're not driving it like a Lotus should be driven. So you find the road, the nerve and the right frame of mind, sink your foot to the floor and wait for the fun to begin.

And that, in a nutshell, is the problem. You have to wait. Every time you hit the gas, that turbocharged engine has a little think and then delivers what you asked for. In a normal car, you'd forgive it and might even expect it, but a Lotus needs to react to your foot as swiftly as your foot reacts to your brain, otherwise the chain of command is broken and that sense of being part of the machine is lost. You can't even execute heel-and-toe downshifts, not because of poor pedal layout, but because by the time the engine responds to your kick of the throttle, you're already in the next gear.

Not coming to America...sigh (of relief)
The shame of it is that the Lotus side of the Europa, the chassis, remains sublime. The steering is precise enough to make most coupes feel sloppy by comparison, grip levels are such that no sane person will unstick it on a dry road, and the brakes are simply mighty. But it's no better in any of these regards than the most basic of Elises despite costing nearly half again as much. And it makes little sense as a Grand Touring car either: Cabin noise levels are too high and the gas tank too small to make covering serious distances much more than a chore.

All of which leaves me to conclude you should be glad the Europa is not on sale on the American side of the Atlantic. It means the U.S. can enjoy the wonderful, brilliant and proper Lotuses that remain true to their creator's vision without having your view of the marque polluted by the needless and compromised sideshow that is the Europa S. Truth is, it doesn't feel like a Lotus, but an underachieving imposter wearing Lotus badges. Which, of course, is exactly what it is.

Wow...these guys feel very passionately about Lotuses.

[Feffman]

Nice article on the Europa S on Lotus Ltd's front page at:

http://www.LotusLtd.org or http://www.LotusCarClub.org

Feff

[neilt]

Well I like it and have a factory build on order due later this month - in Krypton Green!

Will have the 220bhp upgrade and black leather dash; both an improvement on what most people did not like on the original car. After having a Caterham R300, Elise 111R & Exige I wanted a car that was more practable, had more space and was better for long journeys. This is exactly the market that Lotus aimed it for.

[Donbecker]

Screw you, it looks like a Mitsu Eclipse from the side.

[Allan Gibbs]

Well, if we're all done screwing each other , do you think the Europa will still be around when the Eagle comes out?

[Bavarian Motorist]

Most likely. I can't see them producing a model for only 2-3 years and then cutting it off.

[charliex]

Originally Posted by Bavarian Motorist

Most likely. I can't see them producing a model for only 2-3 years and then cutting it off.

yeah its not like they've ever done that before or anything

[bikeman]

[quote=Bavarian Motorist]I have heard and read some horrible reviews of the Europa S. The Turbo kills it...it's the antithesis of what a Lotus represents.... it's under-powered...
I don't think it's an ugly car The front end a little funky below the headlights, other then that I like it.