Lotus Europa
Lotus Europa | ||
---|---|---|
Kerb weight 610 to 710 kg (1,350 to 1,570 lb) | | |
Chronology | ||
Successor | Lotus Esprit (Europa only) |
The Lotus Europa name is used on two distinct
The name was later revived in the Type 121 Europa S, a sports car based on the Lotus Elise produced from 2006 to 2010.
Europa (1966–1975)
By the mid-1960s, the mid-engine vehicle configuration was well-established as the optimal design for Grand Prix cars, however almost no road vehicles yet used this arrangement. Lotus planned the Europa to be a volume-produced, two-seater mid-engine sports coupe built to reasonable cost, quite an ambitious goal for the time. Like all Lotus vehicles of the era, the Europa was designed and built following Colin Chapman's oft-stated philosophy of automotive design: "Simplify, then add lightness". To this end, a number of ingenious design approaches were made by Lotus to allow it to economically overcome the many challenges presented by the novel mid-engine arrangement.
Production of the original Lotus Europa ceased in 1975, with a total of 9,230 cars of all models having been built.[2]
Design features
The Europa used a lightweight, folded and welded "minimalist" boxed-steel
Engine and transaxle
The sourcing of suitable engine, gearbox and final-drive components was considered critical to the success of delivering a low-cost mid-engine vehicle. Chapman was keen to diversify beyond the Ford components heavily used in earlier Lotus vehicles, and settled on using the engine and combined transmission/final-drive transaxle units recently released by Renault for their 16. The 1,470 cc (1.5 L) Renault engine was a light and modern design, while the matching Renault 16 transaxle seemed almost ideal for the Europa project. In the Renault, the transaxle sat ahead of the engine, driving the front wheels. By relocating the combined engine/transaxle unit to the rear of the car and rotating it 180 degrees in plan, Lotus could obtain a ready-made modern mid-engine configuration - albeit one with four reverse gears. By repositioning the differential crownwheel within the final drive assembly (made possible by the symmetrical split case), the direction of rotation of the output shafts was reversed, thus correcting this shortcoming.[4]
The Renault 16's engine's design met Lotus's requirements. It used an aluminium
For Lotus' use, the Renault engine was given a number of key improvements, including a higher compression ratio (10.25 instead of 8.6), larger inlet valves, revised valve timings, dual valve springs and a twin-barrel carburettor. These changes lifted the engine's power by 23% from 63 hp (47 kW) at 5,000 rpm to 82 hp (61 kW) at 6,000 rpm. For US export, a de-tuned 1,565 cc (1.6 L) version with a maximum output of 80 hp (60 kW) at 6,000 rpm was fitted.[5][6]
Later, Europa models were fitted with the same
When Renault introduced their most powerful 16 TX model in 1973, it included a strengthened 5-speed transmission. Lotus quickly offered this gearbox as an option in the Europa, along with their Big Valve twin-cam engine.
Suspension
The Europa's four-wheel
The rear suspension was a heavily modified version of the
Series 1
The Series 1 or S1 Europa (also known as Lotus Type 46) was announced for sale to European markets on 20 December 1966. The first cars were delivered in France in February 1967. Volkswagen owned the rights to the Europa name in Germany, so cars for sale in Germany were badged Europe rather than Europa.
The S1 was fitted with a modified
Only 296 examples of the S1 were manufactured (chassis numbers from 460001 to 460296). These cars had extremely light and minimalist construction, with fixed side windows, fixed seats (adjustable pedals needing the use of tools), no door handles, no internal door covers, and an aluminum dashboard. The steel chassis central beam was sandwiched (incorporated) within the fibreglass bodywork, thus reinforcing stiffness, but making repair rather complicated.
Series 1A and B (around 350 built) had removable side windows, wooden dashboard, and internal door panel covers which could accommodate the windows once taken off. Series 1B had a redesigned rear panel, with new, rectangular light clusters.[citation needed]
Including the S1A and S1B (which incorporated some of the later S2 changes) variations, 644 Europa S1s were manufactured.
Series 2
The Europa Series 2, or Lotus Type 54, was introduced in April 1968 (approximately chassis number 0645 onwards). The S2 used the same 1,470 cc Renault engine and mechanical components as the earlier Series 1, but added a number of key refinements including opening electric windows, adjustable seats, a new fully carpeted interior and a polished wooden fascia panel for the dashboard. The most significant change was the switch from fully bonded construction to the use of bolt fasteners to attach the fibreglass body to the backbone steel frame. While reducing the
Early examples of the S2 were externally almost identical to the S1 with the exception of the new windows.[10] From early 1969, secondary front indicator lamp nacelles were added between the headlights, and larger door handles were used in place of the S1's push-button items. During 1968 a number of Europas (and Elans) were produced bearing black-and-silver Lotus badges on the nose and steering wheel in place of the customary yellow-and-green ones. The official Lotus Cars website[11] states these "black-badge" vehicles were to commemorate the death earlier in 1968 of Jim Clark, Lotus's champion Formula One driver, however this is debated by other sources.[12]
Contemporary road tests for the Europa S2 recorded a top speed around 120 mph (195 km/h), 0-60 mph acceleration times of 9.3 seconds, standing 1/4 mile times of around 16.7 seconds, and an overall economy of around 30 mpg (9.4 L/100 km).[10][13]
United States
A small number of Series 2 vehicles were modified to be "federalized" for export to the United States. These Federal Type 54s had the low front fenders (guards) of the European model and the larger 1,565 cc engine of the later Lotus Type 65. In 1969–70, the Type 65 (also known as S2 Federal) was introduced specifically for export to the U.S., with additional changes to the body, chassis, suspension and the powerplant to better comply with U.S. D.O.T. standards. Among the changes, the engine was a slightly modified emission controlled Renault 16TL 1,565 cc unit rated at 80 hp rather than the 1,470 cc engine of the Type 54. The front suspension was changed to make the front end of the car taller along with taller front fenders to raise the headlamps. Road & Track magazine tested the Federal S2 and recorded 0-60 mph acceleration time of 9.6 seconds with a top speed of 116 mph (187 km/h).
In total, Lotus produced 3,615 Europa S2s.[14]
Twin Cam and Special
In 1971, the Type 74 Europa Twin Cam was made available to the public, with a 105 hp 1,557 cc Lotus-Ford Twin Cam engine (113 hp US "Federal" version with standard emissions control and Big Valve engine with Stromberg carburetors, until the end of production) and a re-designed bodyshell to improve rearward visibility. Initially it was available with the same gearbox as the earlier cars, once the supply had been exhausted in 1972 a new stronger Renault four-speed gearbox (Type 352) was introduced. Mike Kimberley, who rose to become chief executive of Group Lotus, then a new engineer at Lotus, was appointed Chief Engineer of the Europa TC project. 1,580 cars were shipped as Europa "Twin Cam" before Lotus switched to a 126 hp "Big Valve" version of the engine.
In Europe and rest of the world markets, the Big Valve "Europa Special" version was aspirated by a Dell'Orto carburettored version of the same engine; it also offered a new Renault five-speed (Type 365) gearbox option. It weighed 740 kg (1,631 lb); Motor magazine tested a UK Special to a top speed of 123 mph (198 km/h), recorded a 0–60 mph acceleration time in 6.6 seconds, and ran the 1/4 mile in 14.9 seconds. In the US version of the Europa Special, where the Federalized version of the Big Valve had already been introduced earlier in the Twin Cam model, the only changes were larger brakes and the optional five-speed transmission which would become standard on the special in 1974.
Introduced in September 1972, the first 100 Lotus Europa JPS Specials were badged and painted to honour
In the end the numbered dashboard plaque distinguished the first, original, 100 JPS cars from other black Europa Specials.
In total 4,710 Type 74s were produced, of which 3,130 were badged "Specials".
Type 47 and 62
Although the original Europa was intended as a clubman's sports racer to replace the
The engine, gearbox and rear suspension were completely different from the standard Europa and were taken in their entirety from the Lotus 23/Lotus 22 Formula Junior cars with a Lotus-Ford Twin Cam based 165 hp (123 kW) 1,594 cc Cosworth Mk.XIII dry sump engine, and a Hewland FT 200 5-speed gearbox and suspension with reversed bottom wishbone, top link and dual radius arms. The front upright was specially cast in common with the F2 version of Lotus 41X to accommodate larger Girling brakes for the later 47A model (which had the Alfa Romeo tail lamp shared with the Europa S2) with reinforced front frame.
The Type 47 exact production numbers are unknown, the last car was 47GT-85 but it is unlikely that 85 47GT's were produced, estimates vary from 55 to 68 during the years 1966–70. Although the 47GT is the best known, a few 47F's were produced, these had the detachable body similar to the S2 Europa, but retaining the large wheel arches and side vents of the 47GT. Fitted with a tuned Ford cross flow engine but with the Renault gearbox and rear suspension of the Europa. At the request of parts supplier GKN, Lotus built the 47D as a show car. The 47D has a slightly enlarged chassis and body to fit a Rover V8 engine. At the time the 47D was built, it was capable of 0–100 mph (0–161 km/h) in 10 seconds.
As a mobile test bed for the new 2-litre Lotus 907 engine being developed for the forthcoming Elite and Eclat, the Type 62 was produced. Only two such cars were ever made. These were space frame cars with F1 suspension to handle the 240 hp power output from the engine. Although deliberately made to resemble the Europa, in practice the only connection to the Europa was a few of the Europa's body panels. It won its class in its first event the 1969 BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch with John Miles and Brian Muir at the wheel. Replica 47's and 62's are bespoke-manufactured by Banks Europa Engineering, in several variations.
Specials
Throughout its life, the Europa attracted the attention of many Lotus and non-Lotus automotive customising businesses who offered "special" versions in small numbers to the public. Among these was the Swiss Lotus importer, who made two special versions of the S2 fitted with the
in 1972, a Bristol based company called GS Cars has produced a variant of the Lotus Europa. This version is based on the standard Lotus Europa Twin Cam, but has new bodywork which bears some resemblance to the Maserati Merak. The GS Lotus Europa was limited to 17 units. However, only 5 are known to still exist.[18][19]
Europa S (2006–2010)
In 2005, Lotus released images of a new GT type car called the
The Europa SE was unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show on 5 March 2008. The SE was an upgraded model with more comfort in mind, intended to bring in more customers. The SE has the same engine as the S but it was modified to bring power to 225 PS (165 kW; 222 hp) and torque to 300 N⋅m (221 lb⋅ft).
References
- ^ Cardew, Basil, ed. (October 1974). "Motor Show Review 1975 Cars: Lotus Europa Special". Daily Express: 27.
- ^ ISBN 0-900549-48-3.
- ^ ISBN 0-900549-48-3.
- ^ ISBN 0-900549-48-3.
- ^ ISBN 0-85696-504-9.
- ^ Lotus Cars. "Europa S1/S2 Workshop Manual (Tech specs section)". Lotus-Europa.com.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84425-413-2.
- ^ Ludvigsen & Colin Chapman, pp. 123, 291
- ISBN 0-907073-19-0.
- ^ ISBN 0-907-073-492.
- ^ "Lotus Heritage 1960's". Lotus Cars Australia. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ "Urban Myths About Cars". PistonHeads Gassing Station. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ISBN 0-907-073-492.
- ^ Trummel, Reid (January 2014). "1970 Lotus Europa S2". Sports Car Market. 26 (1): 58–59.
- ^ Braunschweig, Robert; et al., eds. (11 March 1971). "Automobil Revue '71" (in German and French). 66. Berne, Switzerland: Hallwag SA: 366.
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(help) - ^ "EUROMONTAGNA.COM since 1993". www.euromontagna.com. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ "Lotus Europa". Chip Foose - Official Home of Foose Design, Inc. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ "LOTUS GS EUROPA any info". The Lotus Forums. November 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- ^ "Rare Lotus GS Europa offered by H&H article selected by Artebellum". Artebellum. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
Further reading
- Clarke, R (20 January 1992). Lotus Europa Gold Portfolio 1966-75. Brooklands Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1855201118.
- Francis, Dave (1997). The Lotus Europa: Derivatives & Contemporaries 1966-1975. R B Publications. ISBN 978-0952808619.
- "Lotus Cars 1948–1990" article from 1992 International Lotus Convention (program guide), published by Golden Gate Lotus Club
- Harvey, Chris (1982). Lotus: The Elite, Elan, Europa. G T Foulis & Co Ltd. ISBN 978-0902280854.
- Herzog, Bob (31 May 2012). Europa Euphoria: The semi-technical and semi-humorous account of the restoration of a Lotus Europa. Lotuszog. ISBN 978-0615641195.
- Sanei-shobo (2009). The Lotus Europa. NEKO Publishing. ISBN 978-4777009022.
External links
- 2008 Lotus Europa SE Archived 5 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine—Motor Trend
- Lotus Europa Site
- Forum dedicated to the Lotus Europa
- Lotus Europa Registry and Knowledge Base
- Lotus Europa at pistonheads.com—photographs and information
- Europa Census—car registry, photographs, information in French and English
- race-cars.com Lotus Type Reference
- Lotus adds Europa SE for 2008—from Autoblog
- Lotus 47—Lotus 47 registry and information