One of the beauties of driving/riding older cars & motorbikes is that you can actually enjoy pushing them on normal roads without going at ‘hyper’ speeds. Modern performance cars/bikes have so much performance they can only be pushed hard (safely) on the track. Therefore they can rarely be given their head without risking either yourself or your licence! Personally, as others have said, I don’t mind the looks of the Europa, I think it’s aged well 👍

When i first saw a Europa, i was a kid, and it was in the 70s. I found the looks to be sharp, distinctive, a breath of fresh air. ..and that first impression has stuck with me ever since. Because so many comment on how horrible they think it looks now a days, i have adjusted my eye sight to be able to see that one could argue that it is weird looking. ..but to me it's still the same cool looking car i fell in love with around 45 years ago. Very cool to see one on your channel.

My cousin sold his Firebird 400 prior to his tour in the Army in Vietnam. He ordered a Europa (red on black), which was delivered to my Aunt's house near where I grew up was he was still overseas. I was so thrilled when the someone from the dealership turned onto my Aunt's street and then into the driveway. For months I would grab the keys and go sit in it. As the weather warmed, the trim around the visor started falling off as the glue let go in the heat. I only got one ride in it. Loved the low to the ground experience and feel as it went through turns. The motor was low on vitamins and really detracted from the experience. The car was not up to crappy MA roads and I believe the body started cracking after a few months on the road, then the car was stolen.

I drove one of these back in 1968, it was brand new with the Renault engine. It didn’t matter that some of the head lining had come unstuck or the bonnet lifted up over 80mph because of the pressure buildup in the plenum, it handled like nothing I’d ever driven before. At the time I owned a 1963 3.8 E- type roadster and seriously thought about swapping to the Lotus. I now own an Evora.

The joy of "driving". No ten minute segment on infotainment and how big the wheels are. The things that modern life demand of vehicles too often detract or distract from the experience. Certainly not the prettiest Lotus, but in that colour scheme and on those wheels, it's spot on.

Now this Lotus has the original pop and bang, love that vintage raw engine sound devoid of modern day synthetic engine sound. Nice one Jay

Nothing odd about that car, it's still stunning today, just as it was 50 years ago.

Exactly What modern cars don't have... FEEL The elise series of cars continued that until the end Good Video 👍

Dear God, I'm a teenager again! At about 08:40 when you shout "come ON!" you got exactly the right sound of the intake roar on twin DCOEs: that's a proper blokey party trick.

“The visibility is pretty good, as long as you’re looking straight ahead.” Said without irony. LOL

My first experience in a Lotus was a test drive with my brother-in-law to be in a 1973 Europa Special, red with gold pin striping. I was 13 years old, at the time, but that ride still is still an automotive high point in my life. There is a descending 270° cloverleaf freeway off ramp in my home town that is marked 25mph. We went in a 55mph and came out at the bottom doing 70 mph! The tires had begun to moan a little, but the car just stuck to the road. We braked for the signal light on the other side of the overpass and the Europa simply hunkered down into the road and stopped. No rebound. It was all uncanny. I've always loved the unique styling, especially the Twin Cam body. To my eyes, it and the original Elan are the essential Lotus ethos. Yes, I love the Esprit, the Elise and even the mid 70s Elite, but the Europa is the one that most clearly IS Lotus.

What a privilege! I grew up about 300 yards from a Lotus Europa and was always amazed with the car. Now I am approaching 60 it still remains one of my favourite cars of all time. You are a very lucky man, James...

A couple of weeks ago I was out and about in my local area and saw a McLaren 570, a Mercedes AMG GT, a Lamborghini Huracan Evo, a Ferrari 458 and a Europa. Of all those it was the Europa that I wanted which was by far the rarest and most interesting. In the 1970's I had a Matchbox Europa and I have loved them since.

Cars have become so fast and so techy, that the fun has been designed out of them. We all want safer cars, but if you’re a petrol head and you really enjoy driving, it’s tough to beat cars from the 70s, 80s and early 90s. Another great video, keep them coming.

The JPS lotus europe of 1973 or 74 was awesome in black and gold. As a teenager I thought it was awesome as it came out. Never drove one. Thanks Jay

I had a matchbox toy one of these, same colour. When I was about seven I saw a real one parked on the street; I was gobsmacked as I hadn't realised it was a real car. Even aged seven I couldn't believe how low it was

Damn you Jayemm, you've made me feel totally inadequate. Having owned three Elans in the 70's and 80's I set my ambition on one of these and fully expected to get one, "one day". Now in my 70's and a relatively poor pensioner I have to finally accept this won't be happening. I'll have to settle for second prize, my trusty old MX5. Can you please run the review again, and pan it this time. You'll make an old man very happy.

I'm particularly attached to the Europa Twin Cam. Back in the day (in my early 20s) there were a few about where I worked in Westminster as Len Street, Lotus dealers were down the road in Chelsea. What with Lotus winning the F1 car constructors in 1972 and 73, the Twin Cam and Special was the car to have and this left Lotus struggling to sell the front engined Elan Sprint. I had to wait until the early 80s to add a 1975 Europa Special to my Lotus stable and it was well worth the wait. Definitely a rung up the ladder after the Sprint with more rubber on the road, delicious handling and that twin cam engine sounds no better than in a Europa. Glad you JayEmm liked the test drive. I thought you would.

Had a friend in Aberdeen had a Europa Special in 1973 which had been breathed on by a company called Norvic. The engine had been bored and stroked to 1760cc and he had the bills the previous owner had provided to verify the work done. If I remember correctly some £600 had been spent on the engine but I can’t remember the power output from the dyno bench test. He gave me a run in it once on the back roads around Cults and don’t think I’ve ever been in a car since that sat on the road like that Europa. Was like being on rails.

I remember seeing Jacques Cousteau (the oceanographer) driving one of these in Los Angeles (where they made his television series). His offices were down the hall from mine, and his staff always referred to him as The Captain.

YES! At last, a Europa on test. Brilliant. OK, there are a few bits that look odd, don't care. If ever a car deserved the description "greater than the sum of it's parts", this is that car. It was my first poster car in the late sixties and could still be if my wife allowed such a thing as car posters. Good man Barry, thank you for making this possible. So glad you enjoyed it James. excellent video.

That has really brightened my day. So glad you enjoyed it as much as you did. Always look forward to seeing you back in a Lotus.

I love the Breadvan styling!

What a beautiful machine. Thank you to Barry and yourself for sharing this with us. I would much prefer a drive of this over the latest mclaren or Lambo 😎

You guys need to look up a 1970’s film , 11 Harrowhouse, starring Charles Grodin, Candice Bergen , James Mason and Sir John Guilgood amongst others. The car chase sequence involving Ferrari Dino ( sounding far sweeter than Tony Curtis’s oil burning example in The Persuaders , and a Lotus Europa same spec as this model , jumping over hedges and going through huge pipes no less , great stuff!

I saw my first europa when I was in high school in the 80's at a tiny little used car dealership. My buddy and I turned around and had a good look at a burgundy '72. The staff, quite correctly, didn't let us drive it but I have always remembered how different it looked than everything else on the road. Its great that you are getting to the point in your career that people are giving you cars to film with without reservations. Cheers man.

I had a 1972 Europa Twin Cam in yellow for several years in the late 1970s. Wonderful car to drive on winding roads. Acceleration and handling were phenomenal.

Yes, what a fantastic little car. My dad owned one when my sister and I were little, four of us traveled 350 miles to Cornwall in it, before health and safety obviously. Great memories.

The most sporty looking Hearse ever produced!

The Europa was and will always be my absolute favorite Lotus. It may not be beautiful, but it's sure is damn cool looking. And that's fine with me.

The “hearse meets Elan” looks, were never appealing to me, but everything else is sublime - the pedal box looks like it was lifted directly from a period racing car. The steering is so quick, it’s as if you don’t have to move your hands at all, you just “think” opposite lock, and the correction occurs - blissful!

Totally gorgeous car.....probably my first mechanical crush as a young lad in the 70's & still looks stunning! Fantastic review J!!!!

Originally Ford approached Lotus back when ford were looking for someone to help design the GT project. Lotus showed ford a rear engined design which looked a lot like a prototype europa with a v8 engine in the back. Lotus insisted on the new car being called the Lotus Ford GT. Sadly the car was never built and Ford settled with Lola. A V8 Europa was built called the GKN Europa. Would love to see someone build a Lotus Ford GT based on the concept art the lotus originally displayed to Ford.

I remember seeing Europas racing at Oulton Park in the late 60's and being amazed by their awesome roadholding at Old Hall corner! Nothing could match their cornering ability!

I own an S1 slightly uprated. It is so much fun to drive like you noticed and it is an absolute magnet for attention. Park next to a million pound car and that fades into obscurity next to the little Lotus.

Nostalgia. I’m 45, I remember occasionally seeing them outside the pub in my village on the East Yorkshire coast in the summer in the 80’s. All the coast traffic passed through and we used to sit on the bench in the village looking for cool cars, the Lotus Excel, Eclat and Espirt you’d see often. I loved these though. Such a cool and striking car.

One of Chapman's imperatives for all the Lotus designs was making the suspension arms as long as possible, at the back they start literally each side of the diff, and that's what gave them their superb ride (and handling by dint of consistent camber angle). Take a look under contemporary Rolls and you'll find the same thing (at the front). Another designer who followed this philosophy is Lee Noble and again, ride quality completely unexpected from such light cars.

Thanks for the video!! I had one once...a 1973 JPS Europa. Absolutely fantastic car...never had any issues with it...very reliable and a blast to drive.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I had a Series 1 back in the mid to later 70's and your exploits mimicked mine when I first got it. I was always working on it to fix things but was always a joy when running properly. The steering feel was uncannily accurate. I also reckon I would still remember the sequence of contortions needed to get in and out of one now!

I had a Kermit green Europa Twin Cam in the late 70's for a while. Great fun and quick enough but you always had to go home the same way you came to pick up the bits that fell off! I didn't mind as it was all part of being a Lotus owner. LOTUS, Lots Of Time Using Spanners! or Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious.!

These early lotus are really special as the genius that was Colin Chapman was so hands on with the design and development of these cars With his mantra of ‘Build in Lightness’ he was the original Gordon Murray - not surprised it handles so well. Other lotus of the same era lotus seven and elan are legends too if they have not been messed with….

just Awsome!!...... I remember seeing one of these cars as a 15 year old in the mid 1970s and it was mind blowing.... Still is in 2021.... Just gorgeous I envy the guy who owns this beauty...

What a weird and wonderful car. Love it. Great review - gives a real sense of of the thrill and joy of driving a classic small Lotus. This is up there with Harry Metcalfe's review of his Elan Sprint. Well done - and thank you

Had a 72 JPS. Out of all the cars I've had in 75 years this is the one I regret selling. Sold a 72 240z at wholesale to buy it in 73. Great car.

I can see Harry asking you for Barry's number so he can make him an offer. A nice one for the garage.

When I was a kid my neighbor had a black Corvette Stingray and the Lotus ES, in orange (obviously not factory, now that I’ve watched your superb video, but a repaint) I really loved it; such an eccentric car!

As a child I remember seeing George Best in Manchester in his europa. Great memories!

Great rear camra position, to be able to see the rear suspension working and the gear change oprating as well as the odd flame was lovely.

My dad had one when I was born which although I don’t remember I was aware of growing up from photographs. I’ve always liked the look of it personally but seeing how much fun you had has really enlightened me as he had a bit of experience in formula Ford so would’ve appreciated its handling. Thank you!

Hey Jay . I worked on & drove countless Elans & Europe’s during my apprenticeship at Roger Clark Cars . My opinion is you drove a top notch Europa & a below par Elan plus 2 ( mostly because of the seat lift spacers ) . Try another Elan ( maybe Harry Metcalfs ) Sprint . I think you would change your view ! Top notch as always . Greetings from Perth , Western Australia.

Had mine since 1979 on the original chassis now with a twinlink rear suspension 150BHP and Toyo R888R's...Great vid on my 64th Birthday! Europa owners dont care about the back end looks as that view is for the cars they overtake!

Lotus Europa's are very SPECIAL indeed. I've had a blue 73 & a purple 74 . Magical

Yes, the lines are very strange. But in person they look much better, if for no other reason than it's size - it is TINY. I first saw one with my brother in the parking lot of our elementary school in Merritt Island, Florida, in the early 70s, and it blew our minds. Now there's someone right around the corner from me in Raleigh, NC with a red one. So great to see.

I love the sound of twin forties. Cracking car..lotus just flow with the road. I always fancied a europa

I completely agree with Johnny! I fell in love with one nearby our house when I was a kid. Probably about 1980. I wouldn’t turn one down now 😍

I grew up in a little village in Warwickshire and a guy in the village had 2 of these in the 80s I was transfixed on them as a kid as it was the only sports car I’d ever seen close. Still think they look cool!

Thank you for this video. Since I first saw one of these unique looking sports cars back in the 70’s as a boy and even owning my own Matchbox version it has intrigued me. Great to see you having so much fun in one!

"I feel like a playboy, i need some gold chains" ... what a top review on this forgotten classic. Looks like it was a cracking road drive. Thanks Jay and Barry..😃

Dammit - I thought I was done with classic cars (I’ve had an E type, Espada and 70,s 911) but this really has me thinking about going back into those murky waters. Always loved the looks of the Europa - it was my favourite Matchbox car as a kid, lol and I’ve always known it had good handling but you really brought that out in this video JayEmm. Thank you!

I lusted after one of those in the 70s, ended up with an Elan plus two with the same twin cam engine. Both lovely cars.

I tip my hat to Barry,for buying it in 1974 and keeping it for all these years. While I don't fit in one (at 6ft 5" ) I always admired the shape and general design,and the JPS colours is just the cherry on the top 👍 Is that interior door lock/open handle an Allegro/Austin item?

I’ve seen these things being driven around before and wondered about their place in history, being so peculiar looking. Thanks for explaining that a bit. It’ll be cause for a new sense of appreciation the next time I spot one. Great presentation. Phenomenal channel as always. 👍

Always thought it was a great design. Wanted one desperately when I was in college. Drove past showroom many times to see it displayed.

I worked at the Lotus factory in Hethel Norfolk from 1969 to 1971 on the P5 Europa assembly line. Bodies were bolted to the steel chassis at that time. Great video. Renault engines with bigger inlet valves. Low in height with the lowest drag coefficient in a production car at the time. My brother started there when Lotus first moved to Norfolk from Cheshunt. I am 76 now and drive a 2001 Corsa b. Fond memories walking round to the Team Lotus Unit in my lunch break chatting to my brother.

No James it’s not the oddest looking Lotus, there are plenty of other ones which take that mantle, eg the Elan from the mid 1990s and the Eclat and Elite from the 1970-1980s. The Europa on the other hand is seriously cool looking.

Among my S2K, Exige and Europa, I would pick my Europa for the most delicate precise and exquisite handling for the sheer enjoyment and probably you would agree on it. Thanks very much for the video again and look forward to more of your videos ! Cheers from Jay in US

This is one for which I've been waiting! Had a very good Europa model when I was 10 and despite my father telling me it looked like a truck, I was enamored with it.

One of my favourite cars! It's the perfect approach to a sports car, and the closest a common man can ever get to feeling like Jim Clark.

This car was my poster boy car when I was younger, the look did it for me, and being a lotus knew handling would be great

That's either the best episode you've done James or, maybe, it just appeals to me. Most likely both. What a car. What scenery. What a soundtrack.

i had one of these but with age i had to sell it ,for no reason i gain extra weight and started to have dificultie in entering the car but i loved it . It had such a high-quality of driving not going to say it was the best but one of the best cars i had, it seems it glued it self to corners and when younger it felt confortable, today Lotus it´s seems to be not fashionable but still very nice cars if one like sport driving. Today it seems that cars are bought to show others not because one tried it and liked the way it drives

Hi Jay, your impression on Europa was spot on and the best driving review I’ve ever watched !

I had one in around 1974. Very similar but it was the smaller version from matchbox. Loved it. This certainly sounds better than mine did.

Saw one of these at a rally cross meet-up once, and I'm so, so envious right now!

I also have a 1972 Europa, but mine is a Twin Cam/Special Frankenstein. Factory pinstripes and rocker panels (it was made in Sept, the final month for TC's). Special wiring but TC dash. Original paint! I love it to death. Your HP figures on the TC and Special are fiction though lifted from original printed articles. The US version was actually 105 HP in US spec (Stromberg's, no Webbers in the US spec) but the factory advance of 5 degrees was for emissions. When you advance it to 12 degrees, it bumped to 116 HP. Also, electronic ignition etc. helps too. The "big valve" head only added 2-3 HP; it was a marketing scheme only. The sloppy shift linkage can be addressed; mine isn't akin to a fishing trip for gears. Lots of literature on what to do there.

You can't beat JPS colours on an old lotus.

It's a big thumbs up from me too James. The Europe really is the gentleman racer. I presume you were in Scotland but you could have just as easily been driving through the Alps in a Miura but for a fraction of the cost. As someone who loves the opening sequence of the Italian Job the idea of a 60's/70's mid engined car driving through mountain roads is pretty much the dream.

Fun fact - bought our first house for almost the exact same price as a then-new Europa. Whilst we all need a roof over our heads, the Europa would have been a lot more fun along the way. Of course, that house (not ours anymore) is now worth 5x what the Europa is worth today, but personally, I’d take the Lotus.

Great car without question! It’s ‘bread van looks’ makes complete sense when you actually see it’s size & scale in real life. Epic machine.

A mate of mine in Japan has a JPS ed Europa Special. He's owned it over 20 years and said he'll take it to tne grave. It's such a cool car. Drives like it's on rails. Such a cool experience.

Had one of these brand new in my village when I was growing up. Just about the coolest car on the road that year. Super low was cool, mid-engined was race tech and the Lotus brand was riding mega high due to all of the F1 success. The black JPS special with the gold pinstripes was the coolest of the cool. A car spotters wet dream.

Honestly I don't understand why people say it's not so great looking. Colin Chapman designed in exactly what was needed without add-ons.

Great to see this! One of my boyhood favourites. I remember checking one of these out in a showroom when I was about 10. Couldn’t convince my dad to buy one though! 🤣

Been hoping for this review!!!!

Ah snap, now I miss my big valve special again. I had to sell it when I left active duty, needed the $$. Owned for 9 years. Drove it from Florida to Texas, to Arizona, to New Mexico, to Arizona to California then back through Arizona and on to North Dakota. A very liveable car and between the passenger side and the trunk, carried everything I needed.

I know the owner the car and the road a gentleman, great car and a fantastic road. Cheers Jim

Oh my god My favourite journalist driving my dream car ! The 1/64 tomica model car of this is what got me into cars. There’s less than 5 of them here in Thailand but if I’m lucky, maybe one day, when I’m older, I can convince one of the owner I’m worthy of owning their lovely car. Love your channel, great cars, great content, great stories. Thank you James Martin.

I still miss my '69 S2. Best car I ever owned.

I remember being in the back of my parents sedan as a child I the late sixties when we were passed by a very fast Lotus Europa. My impressionable little mind has never forgotten it.

Great vis really enjoyable and an interesting car. Its a lot better than I ever suspected (by the sounds of it). Good - love old Lotus's.

Back in the day, it was advertised as the closest thing to experience driving a Formula 1 car. A little far fetched but not by much. I was driving a friend's 1974 TC Special in the mid 70's. He paid $5k USD for it. I loved it then and love it even more today. Well done JMM, thanks for the video.

I always liked the looks of the Lotus Europa and I still have two Matchbox Europas to prove it.

Having driven one of the Europa's the good report is no surprise. As a drivers car it is up there and surprisingly tractable and comfortable.

Remember watching a pair of the works versions, painted white with a green stripe down the middle, racing at Mallory Park in the mid 60s. Seem to recall they were called the Type 47.

Back in the 70s as a 20 year old one of these was on my shopping list. I looked at 3 and they all disappointed, not least the looks! I settled on a +2 130S in green with a silver roof that used the same 'Big Valve' engine. It was a far better car to look at and drive. It was also attractive to the female species of the planet, something that was important to 20 something year old lads 😁 - Nice review Jay

When I was a teenager in the early seventies, I used to regularly see a bright yellow Europa on a road not far from where we lived. Even then it was a pretty rare sight but such a striking little car whether you liked it or not! Colin Chapman was one of the greatest designers ever, very sad when he passed away quite young in 1982.

Always one of my favourite cars since I was a kid. Amazing that it holds up so well 50 years on. The looks are definitely a Marmite thing. I loved it since I was about 8 or 9 years old, so maybe not very objective!

Thanks Jay love the video your enjoyment and surprise at how good this car is to drive was great to watch. Love the sound of that engine, pure driving pleasure

I saw this car as a kid and just fall in love with it

Between 1990-20012 I owned a 1973 Europa John Player Special, and it was a gorgeous little car in black and gold. It was also a seriously fast little car that handled like the steering wheel was connected to my brain. Luckily I’m a mechanic who specializes in European cars, and my father was a Lotus mechanic, so I was able to keep the Europa in top shape. They do break down more frequently than say, a Porsche, but they’re also quite easy to fix. I live in Connecticut and the Europa (as well as any other sports car I’ve owned) had always been garaged in winters, as well as on any days rain was predicted. This no doubt prolonged the life of it, had I lived in a dry climate I would’ve driven it daily and put on massive miles yearly. These cars are extremely addictive to drive, and they’re far more capable than you would think. In the US the Europa is pretty rare, and most car guys I know would make jokes about how small it was, and that it must be a slow little toy. They always shut up after a high speed run on winding back roads, or full out on the highway. You get a Europa on a challenging empty road and few cars will be able to keep up with you. I had another 1974 Europa that was used for racing at Lime Rock park and it was unbelievable on the track. Colin Chapman knew what he was doing. It’s just too bad Lotus’s never had German or Japanese build quality.