Lotus Europa S 2007 Review

Not so much
>> Cramped cabin
>> Poor rearward vision
>> Daily-driver focus doesn't go far enough

The Lotus Exige and Elise models are hardcore, no compromise machines that do exactly what they're supposed to do -- go like hell. But their hard-edged dynamics and lack of comfort are not to everyone's taste and their daily useability on public roads is questionable. Stepping up to the plate then, is the Europa S.

Lotus calls it "user friendly". But it's really a matter of degrees. Compared to almost anything else in the market it is still very rigid and uncomfortable. Up against the Lotus Elise, however, it's positively luxurious.

There's no denying the Europa is beautiful. Sitting on Lotus-designed 17-inch alloy wheels it is slightly longer and more elegant than the British company's other models. It will therefore probably appeal to more refined tastes. And while it is still eye-catching, it doesn't scream 'Boy Racer'. Well, not too loudly anyway.

Lotus cars have never been renowned for their lavish equipment lists but the Europa S has plenty of welcome standard kit -- and there are almost no options barring non-standard paint.

There's a full leather interior with full carpeting and sound insulation coupled with Bridgestone Potenza tyres for a slightly more compliant ride and lower road noise. And there's more: driver and passenger airbags, air-con, electric windows, ABS, leather ProBax seats, Alpine radio/CD player with MP3/iPod interface and remote immobiliser/alarm system.

No complaints here and despite all these niceties weight has been kept down to just 995kg.

MECHANICAL
The Europa S features a GM 2.0-litre 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 147kW/272Nm. It's mated to an aluminium close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox (no auto option).

Don't laugh you with the hairy-chested V8. The S's all-important power-to-weight ratio is an impressive 148kW per ton with a specific output of 73.5kW per litre -- more than enough to embarrass many larger performance cars.

The engine is said to produce 90 per cent of its maximum torque at only 2000rpm, giving the car great pulling power in almost any gear. Off the line acceleration is impressive too with 0-100km/h coming up in only 5.5secs. Maximum speed is 230km/h.

Lotus cars of old had a terrible reputation for unreliability. Jump to 2007 and those worries are largely behind the company. Now screwed together very well and with a reliable GM drivetrain, Europa S owners can spend their time enjoying the drive, not just admiring the gorgeous shape as it languishes in the garage.

PACKAGING
Lotus originally spruiked the Europa S concept as being a 'gran tourismo' with the moniker "business class by Lotus" but a rethink -- especially in light of a future 2+2 model due next year -- meant the GT tag was dropped. It was a good decision too, because the Europa S is still a hard-edged sportscar not an opulent cruiser.

Two areas where the Europa has the edge on other Lotus products, however, are in passenger and luggage accommodation. Compared with the no-compromises Elise, the Europa contains a bigger boot -- 154 litres to the Elise's 112.

The mighty side sills of the Elise chassis have also been cut away (but reinforced with aluminium for rigidity) and the roof curvature increased to provide an additional 90mm door aperture over the Exige and Elise.

Though this improves the ingress and egress situation a little, it's still a bit undignified getting in and out -- requiring considerable flexibility. Note to self: remind mum that mini skirts are still out of the question.

SAFETY
As might be expected of a Lotus the Europa S is a bare bones motor car -- compared with almost anything else on the road -- but it doesn't skimp on safety.

Before we rattle off a load of acronyms and the airbag count, one should never forget that safety starts with braking and handling. And in this department Lotus has few peers. The ability to slow down and safely steer away from danger -- in other words to avoid accidents in the first place -- will save more lives than any airbags or fancy electronic gizmos.

That said the Europa S does feature driver and passenger airbags -- quite a feat for a car of this type -- and ABS.

The marque draws the line at traction control. That's the responsibility of the nut behind the wheel!

COMPETITORS
It's difficult to line the Europa S up directly against anything else in the market. Lotus sees the Porsche Cayman, BMW Z4 and Audi TT as potential rivals but really a Mazda RX-8 might be closer to the mark. However, with a cheaper pricetag and four seats it still doesn't line up directly against the Europa.

Where the Europa S may find a niche is with existing Lotus customers looking for a slightly easier car to live with. The Europa expands Lotus' range of cars beyond the hardcore weekend warrior and dips its toe in the water of the daily driver market.

To an existing Exige or Elise customer who is used to fanging their wheels around racetracks on club days -- and perhaps using the car for weekend country drives -- the Europa S may appeal as a slightly more driver-friendly alternative for more regular use.

The Europa's 147kW and 995kg therefore is a heady mix for fun.

The sportscar's natural habitat is tight, twisting roads and here the car really excels. Despite the fact Lotus is spruiking the Europa purely as a road car, the best news for Lotus' traditional fans is that the Europa S could still be used as a weekend track weapon without any problems.

For most people the car is still probably too hard-edged to contemplate as a daily driver -- rippled road surfaces rock the stiffly sprung chassis and the driver and passenger sitting on top.

The tight ProBax seats keep you securely in place during hard cornering and are reasonably comfortable over medium distances. But the pedals are positioned very closely together in the tight driver's footwell so it's best to wear driving shoes or slim-fitting footwear.

At over six feet tall I found my left knee cap fouled the leather Momo steering wheel and gearlever when changing into fifth and sixth. In short, I was not comfortable in there.

The luxury and daily usability of the car should not be laboured though. Lotus is about driver enjoyment and in this regard the Europa delivers in spades. For the money not much can touch it for pure driver enjoyment.

And if potential customers view the car in this light they won't be disappointed. It might not be a daily driver, but it is a Lotus for grown-ups.

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