Photo: linde.kari on ebay
I don't know if anyone has ever characterized the Lotus Europa S2 using these words, but if not, I would like to claim them as mine: it is the sexiest hunchback ever to walk the planet.
There's something wrong with this car's proportions. It's as if somebody started designing it from the front, went out of the room to take a leak when they were half-done with the car, and the janitor who was moping the floor picked up the pencil and finished the job. A tale of two halves, if you like.
With that said, it's not by far an ugly car. The front is very much Italian in nature, even though the British did have similar great designs of their own, while the rear looks like a win for pragmatism over embellishment. As it so often happens, utilitarian design can have plenty of aesthetic value, and that's definitely the case with the S2.
If you don't know much about the S2 - and don't feel bad if you don't - then you're probably wondering what's going on with all that junk at the back of the car. Is it some sort of weird pickup truck with a covered bed? Is it a failed shooting brake? What was the thought process behind it?
The Europa was Lotus' attempt to bring the mid-engine layout that dominated motorsport at the moment onto the road in a lightweight (how else?) and affordable package, a goal it pretty much achieved with this car. It used a 1.5-liter engine sourced from Renault (some used Ford engines, but not in the US) which developed 82 hp after the Lotus treatment (up from 63 hp) and a transaxle, and they were all housed at the back of the two-seat cabin.
This set up together with the polarizing design and its handling characteristics should make the Lotus Europa S2 a desirable collector's car. However, this particular example has gone through a lot. It was on the receiving end of some acts of vandalism back in 1979 and has been parked ever since. Every bit of glass or plastic is broken, which also left the interior exposed.
If you're wondering what's with that stick that seems to be supporting the roof, it's just that: a stick supporting the roof. The body panels are made out of fiberglass, roof included, and since there's no windshield to hold it in place, an alternative solution had to be found once the roof cracked, and it turned out to be a stick.
You're probably looking at this and wondering if it's even worth bothering to restore. It's no Ferrari, so whoever does it won't probably make a profit. Likely, they don't intend to. They may not be many, but the people who find the Lotus Europa S2 sexy feel very strongly about it. Plus, you can imagine just how much fun driving this thing can be. That's why the ebay ad has registered 40 bids already with the price currently sitting at $4,101. Better act quickly if you too think the S2 is one sexy misunderstood hunchback.
With that said, it's not by far an ugly car. The front is very much Italian in nature, even though the British did have similar great designs of their own, while the rear looks like a win for pragmatism over embellishment. As it so often happens, utilitarian design can have plenty of aesthetic value, and that's definitely the case with the S2.
If you don't know much about the S2 - and don't feel bad if you don't - then you're probably wondering what's going on with all that junk at the back of the car. Is it some sort of weird pickup truck with a covered bed? Is it a failed shooting brake? What was the thought process behind it?
The Europa was Lotus' attempt to bring the mid-engine layout that dominated motorsport at the moment onto the road in a lightweight (how else?) and affordable package, a goal it pretty much achieved with this car. It used a 1.5-liter engine sourced from Renault (some used Ford engines, but not in the US) which developed 82 hp after the Lotus treatment (up from 63 hp) and a transaxle, and they were all housed at the back of the two-seat cabin.
This set up together with the polarizing design and its handling characteristics should make the Lotus Europa S2 a desirable collector's car. However, this particular example has gone through a lot. It was on the receiving end of some acts of vandalism back in 1979 and has been parked ever since. Every bit of glass or plastic is broken, which also left the interior exposed.
If you're wondering what's with that stick that seems to be supporting the roof, it's just that: a stick supporting the roof. The body panels are made out of fiberglass, roof included, and since there's no windshield to hold it in place, an alternative solution had to be found once the roof cracked, and it turned out to be a stick.
You're probably looking at this and wondering if it's even worth bothering to restore. It's no Ferrari, so whoever does it won't probably make a profit. Likely, they don't intend to. They may not be many, but the people who find the Lotus Europa S2 sexy feel very strongly about it. Plus, you can imagine just how much fun driving this thing can be. That's why the ebay ad has registered 40 bids already with the price currently sitting at $4,101. Better act quickly if you too think the S2 is one sexy misunderstood hunchback.
Google News