At last! Lotus has produced a mainstream GT coupe – the
Lotus Europa S. This new two-seater capitalises on the success of the Elise and Exige, and has a lot in common with the Elise.
As with all Lotus cars, the Europa S is much lighter than the competition, so it will perform very well despite the use of a modestly turbocharged engine good for only 200 bhp. This will give the car a 0-60 time of 5.5 seconds, and a top speed of 140 mph. Goodperformance in a very practical way, but remember it will be combined with the Lotus handling which results from a low center of gravity, and well-developed suspension and steering.
Similar to Elise but softer and smoother
Although based on the aluminum frame of the Elise, the Europa S is longer and wider. The styling is pretty good – Lotus calls it ‘conservative’ and wants it to appeal to mainstream users. At the front there is a wide grille with dummy air intakes each side which each carry a small driving lamp. Above are the large faired in headlamps, which are more than reminiscent of those used on some US sedans. The front fenders curve up nicely above the hood.
This is a fastback coupe, with smooth lines, accentuated by the deep air intakes forward of the rear wheels. Horizontal slats in the tail below the rear lamps give the car a distinctive back end.
The Lotus Europa S is bigger than the Elise and Exige, but not much – after all it has the same basic frame. The wheelbase is an inch longer, and the car is 4 inches longer. To give more luggage space, nearly all the extra length is in the tail.
200 bhp from turbo engine
To power the Europa S, Lotus has chosen the GM 2.0 liter turbo engine which delivers 200 bhp at 5,400 rpm, and with maximum torque of 194 lb ft (263 Nm) at 4,200 rpm. Lotus says that this is the power output in bad conditions, and that normally, the engine is producing about 220 bhp – in other words, they rate their engines conservatively.
This engine has been tailored to suit the market, and so has plenty of mid-range performance, like most modern turbos. It doesn’t have the top-end power of the Exige S, but will more than make up for that with power from 3,000 to 6,000 rpm.
Why did Lotus choose this engine instead of the Toyota 1.8 liter 189 bhp unit from the Elise? Because the requirements of this market are completely different. Lotus reckons that the buyers will want plenty of mid-range punch rather an engine that runs up to 8,000 rpm. Also, Lotus has a good relationship with GM Europe as the manufacturer of the now defunct Opel Sportster/ Vauxhall VX-220. Even so, the 240 bhp version from the hottest Astras would make much more sense for this car, putting the power output closer to that of the competition.
The engine is coupled to a six-speed close ratio box. The suspension, steering and brakes are similar to the Elise, but aimed more at the GT market. The suspension is a bit softer and the suspension is designed to absorb shocks better than the Elise, so you won’t get that crash-through you get on pot holes and some bumps with the Elise. Not that it is a problem on an out-and-out sports car, but not appreciated by more upmarket buyers.
To give plenty of grip, the car rides on Bridgestone Potenza 175/55 R17 front and 225/45 R17 rear tires, while the braking system is similar to the Elise.
Higher level of specification
There is quite a lot of sound deadening, and the cockpit is trimmed more for comfort than on the Elise. Still, the weight has been kept down to 2,200 lb (995 kg), giving a pretty good power-to-weight ratio of around 200 bhp/tonne. That’s not much worse than the Porsche 911 Carrera. Of course, this engine has the potential to produce at least 240 bhp, and no doubt some buyers will head off to their local tuners with this in mind.
Included in the specification are ABS, central locking, leather trim and a CD/MP3 player, although the interior will still look a bit spartan compare with some competitors.
