Europa was Colin Chapman’s intended modern replacement for
the phenomenal but agricultural Seven yet retained the simplicity and appetite
for motorsport competition.
The basic idea had been hanging on the design offices wall as
far back as 1963 and the end result was a mid-engined, two-seat enclosed sports
car with a fibre glass body that tipped the scales at barely less than 700kg and
was so low that it made Ford’s GT40 look like an MPV.
Breadvan Front View
It was far more modern in concept than the Elan and some say
even flimsier yet never caught the public's imagination so well, even though it
also starred in The Avengers. But the Europa didn't have the class of the Elan
– and even Tara King was no Emma Peel either.
Only the 1990’s Elise recaptured the spirit of the Europa
and their popularity means that the 60’s original is a forgotten Lotus these
days. But with Elan prices rocketing perhaps it’s time to have a good look at
the Lotus ‘breadvan’.
History
1963 Initial thoughts turn to a new affordable bang-up-to
date Lotus made for road and racing to replace the Seven and be notably cheaper
than the Elan. This sidelined the expensive if excellent Twin Cam engine and
thoughts initially turned to units which already came with their own
transmissions, such as the Mini and the Imp.
Salvation came to Chapman while wandering about the Paris
Motor Show where Renault was proudly showing its all new 16 hatchback, powered
by a 1470cc all alloy four-cylinder. Renault was sweet-talked into a deal so
specially tuned the engine for a sportier 78bhp.
1966 First Europa was called the S1 but UK enthusiasts
couldn’t get hold of any because they were chiefly for export as the company was
quite worried about harming Elan sales.
First cars were real oddities; they had no opening windows
(but relied on a pressurised ventilation system), seats were also fixed, so you
adjusted your driving position by moving the pedals, and the plastic body was
bonded to an Elan-style chassis which gave it a completely smooth underside. In
effect this was 'ground effect' thinking by Chapman a decade before he used it
in F1 racing!
Interior trim has been revised, and parts relocated
1968 Only around 650 S1s were built, because, for the UK
market, the more conventional S2 was introduced, still with the same engine
(although in America “Federal” versions boasted a larger 1565cc version of the
Renault engine but, predictably, emissions regulations stifled it back to just
80bhp) and underpinnings. Now the windows (electrically) opened, the seats slid
and the body could be removed from the typically Lotus rust and accident-prone
chassis.
1971 Race versions always used Lotus-Ford power from the
outset so it was a logical step to offer the Elan’s 105bhp unit in the road
cars, phasing out the Renault-powered derivatives.
1972 Just a year later, and the Europa Special came on
stream boasting the same big valve head as found on the Elan Sprint to pump out
126bhp plus the availability of a five-speed gearbox. At $3,290.25, Specials
were hardly the cheap sports car Lotus intended yet this model outsold the
lesser TCs by 2 to 1, with around 4500 finding homes globally.
Breadvan On Road
You could always sport a Lotus version because stylists at
last trimmed down the bulky buttresses that you either liked or loathed but it
did mean better rearward visibility and removed the ‘bread-van’ stigma Europas
suffered from.
Also out this year was the distinctive John Player Special
version. Dressed in black with gold pin-striping, it rightly laid claim to the
title of Sexiest Lotus Ever – before the Esprit (which used the Europa's
chassis albeit modified) took over in 1975.
The Europa never fulfilled its intention of a low cost road
racer, costing much the same as an Elan, which was always the more popular car.
Nevertheless, more than 9200 were churned out both factory-built or as a DIY
project, 5000 odd being the more desirable TCs, 3103 being the Specials.
