Lot details
Registration No: SRM346R
Chassis No: 72011388P
Mot Expiry: Jan 2010

Colin Chapman's exquisitely-shaped, minimal Europa built on the experience gained from Lotus' experience in designing and building lightweight, winning racers for both Sports and Formula racing. Intended to take the company upmarket from the Seven it had been producing since 1957, and sold as a more sophisticated sister to sit alongside the Elan, the first Europas, using a glassfibre body atop a steel spine chassis and all-independent suspension, were 1470cc Renault powered. Automotive writers, unused to such lightness and sophistication, described the Europa as the nearest thing to a Formula car for the road. In 1971, the rear deck was lowered to improve rearward visibility and the chassis got the extra power it needed, from the Elan's 1558cc Lotus-Ford Twin Cam, which produced up to 126bhp in Big Valve guise, giving easily over 120mph in ultimate Europa Special five-speed form. In all, around 9,300 Europas were built between 1966 and 1975.

The acknowledged guru of all things Europa is Richard Winter of Banks Service Station and Europa Engineering, and he race prepared this car for the vendor in 2000 for the HSCC `70s Road Sports series, using a new, stronger chassis, new lightweight body, new, stronger Renault five-speed transmission, plus all safety gear - in short, pretty much the ultimate Road Sports-spec Europa - at a cost of £30,000. Since then the vendor has campaigned the car extensively throughout Europe, including several podium places, most notably at Spa, and has spent £70,000 on its upkeep over the past eight years. Most recent expenditure includes a new steel-crank John Smurthwaite motor producing a reputed 155bhp, plus refurbished gearbox and new clutch. Understandably, he describes the engine and transmission as "excellent", while the body and paint are "good" and the interior necessarily "sparse", though the car remains road registered as per Road Sports rules. As a 1972 car, it is theoretically eligible for a historic class (free) road fund licence. However, a trip to the supermarket or up the M1 would be uncomfortable to say the very least! This represents an opportunity to purchase a seriously competitive and attractive competition car that has been properly and expensively looked after, apparently needing nothing to race, hillclimb or sprint. "Pretty, fast and ready to win!" concludes the vendor.