How many left?

[juanm]

I was driving between Basingstoke and Reading yesterday and saw my first ever Europa S/SE on the road (not counting my own). Pale blue and in need of a serious wash!

It got me thinking about how many of the 3-400 car built are left. Where have they all gone? Am I driving around in a rare car that shouldn't be used as an everyday tool?

Has anyone got any reliable data?

[kambites]

http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q...

Looks like there were never more than 123 registered on the road in the UK and there's still 112.

[Captain Muppet]

juanm said:

Am I driving around in a rare car that shouldn't be used as an everyday tool?

Yes it is rare, but you should keep driving it. Massive waste of a lovely car otherwise.

[J2LOT]

kambites said:

http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q...

Looks like there were never more than 123 registered on the road in the UK and there's still 112.

Figures on 'how many left' are a heap of crap. The Europa S came out in 2006 - they have about 100 registered at the rate of 20+ per year before that & SE from 2008?! SE were only over 2 years and there were only ever 18 made ( they have 19 over 5 years)

From memory -Lotus advised that 457 were made in total and 18 were SE. That is worlwide though so don't have figures for the UK

You can get a certificate of provenance from Lotus which will tell you were your car was amongst those made (I have no 5 )but other than that its guess work as to how many are left. Best to use it though, its a waste to have it sitting in the garage.There are some on the Lotus 121 group on Facebook that have covered over 100k miles and still going strong

Edited by J2LOT on Thursday 28th February 10:04

[kambites]

Hmm, maybe those just registered as "Lotus Europa" are original ones?

[Toaster]

juanm said:

Am I driving around in a rare car that shouldn't be used as an everyday tool?

Just drive it , keep it well maintained and enjoy, mine was fabulous well used and always happy to keep it in top condition. It has now disappeared but someone has it sitting in their garage I just hope they enjoy taking it out

Is it me but I do think there are a lot of similarities between the Europa S and the new Exige V6 more so than the existing exige

(just putting on my asbestos fire suit in readiness for being flamed)

Edited by Toaster on Thursday 28th February 20:52

[Minismiles]

juanm said:

I was driving between Basingstoke and Reading yesterday and saw my first ever Europa S/SE on the road (not counting my own). Pale blue and in need of a serious wash!

It got me thinking about how many of the 3-400 car built are left. Where have they all gone? Am I driving around in a rare car that shouldn't be used as an everyday tool?

Has anyone got any reliable data?

That was me!!

Your the first in the same colour for me too!

She has been give a good clean now!

I think its a perfect everyday car (for me at least) I get out in it every time I can!

[John D.]

Toaster said:

juanm said:

Am I driving around in a rare car that shouldn't be used as an everyday tool?

Just drive it , keep it well maintained and enjoy, mine was fabulous well used and always happy to keep it in top condition. It has now disappeared but someone has it sitting in their garage I just hope they enjoy taking it out

Is it me but I do think there are a lot of similarities between the Europa S and the new Exige V6 more so than the existing exige

(just putting on my asbestos fire suit in readiness for being flamed)

Edited by Toaster on Thursday 28th February 20:52

New Exige at least looks half decent.

There, see it was worth donning the flame suit

[EuropaSman]

Nah Toaster, you're not the only one who thinks there's a bit of a similarity in some of the Exige S V6 styling. In the "Talk to me about the Europa S..." thread here on PH I said:

EuropaSman said:

.....It’s a great car, has a “meaner” look to it than the Elise and in a way it is the progenitor of some of the styling of the Exige V6 (look at the radiator grille on the top of the bonnet of the V6 and you’ll see what I mean – I was passed by a prototype near Junction 9 of the M25 in June last year and it looked like a Europa S with a bad body kit through my rear view mirror until I saw the side profile and back end, then I knew what it was!).......

___________________________________________________

juanm said:

Am I driving around in a rare car that shouldn't be used as an everyday tool?

When I got my Certificate of Provenance from Andy Graham the Lotus Archivist in April last year he quoted in the covering letter a production figure of 458 (410 Europa S and 48 Europa SE). Yes it is a rare car, but underneath the skin there are a heck of a lot of Elise S2 and VX220 bits - the only thing that will kill the car is, in common with the rest of the Elise based cars, if the chassis gets damaged (in particular in the area of the front suspension mounting points). That is unless you have it rebuilt with a new chassis tub of course, but that's going to be expensive!

I have to admit, my "S" is snuggled up all on its own in pride of place in my garage with the battery conditioner plugged in, but that's because it's the "weekend car" for me and I've been busy settling into a new house. Each to their own though; if you enjoy driving it just do it!