Europa why not .?
Discussion
Don't know if he's active on here anymore, but ChimJunkie has TVR and Europa experience.
There's a Europa S facebook group which has a fair few owners on - worth joining there and asking - Jon or Lisa might spot your question if you ask there
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Also there's an old post on SELOC from 2008 of someone who had a T350T and who test drove a Europa S and bought one which you might find an interesting read (standard 200bhp Europa, with standard interior) - if you've not got an account on SELOC it's free to sign up:
http://arc.seloc.org/viewthread.php?tid=150396&...
In terms of not selling well at the time - as far as I know the Europa wasn't very well marketed - it was pitched as a GT when it isn't really (the interior has the same layout as the series 2 elise/exige, just with a bit more sound proofing and lots of leather if you have the LUX pack; the boot is bigger than that of the elise/exige but isn't what you'd call large). The press photos weren't great either. And for Lotus enthusiasts at the time it may not have seemed different enough from the Elise/Exige to tempt them at the price it was being sold for.
I wasn't really taken with the looks when I'd just seen photos, but when I saw my first one in person I really rather liked the look of it. I went for a Europa S instead of an S2 Elise or Exige partly on the looks, partly on having a smidge more practicality, partly on being a bit rare.
I've not driven a TVR but I imagine in comparison the negatives would be you'd find the sound track a bit dull (a lot of Europa owners have pre-cat removed and s/s exhaust, which improves things and often gives pops and bangs, but it's still a 4 cylinder turbo sound ultimately), less grunt (even if you get one with the factory 225 upgrade - it's no slouch but won't pull like a griff). Positives would be the handling (it handles like a Lotus - from posts I've seen even a well sorted TVR doesn't get close to the Lotus feel), reliability, running costs and finally if you like the looks then the looks. I imagine the TVRs are holding their value well these days - the Europa S seems to too.
I think you'd need to drive one to see if the driving experience does it for you.
There's a Europa S facebook group which has a fair few owners on - worth joining there and asking - Jon or Lisa might spot your question if you ask there
.Also there's an old post on SELOC from 2008 of someone who had a T350T and who test drove a Europa S and bought one which you might find an interesting read (standard 200bhp Europa, with standard interior) - if you've not got an account on SELOC it's free to sign up:
http://arc.seloc.org/viewthread.php?tid=150396&...
In terms of not selling well at the time - as far as I know the Europa wasn't very well marketed - it was pitched as a GT when it isn't really (the interior has the same layout as the series 2 elise/exige, just with a bit more sound proofing and lots of leather if you have the LUX pack; the boot is bigger than that of the elise/exige but isn't what you'd call large). The press photos weren't great either. And for Lotus enthusiasts at the time it may not have seemed different enough from the Elise/Exige to tempt them at the price it was being sold for.
I wasn't really taken with the looks when I'd just seen photos, but when I saw my first one in person I really rather liked the look of it. I went for a Europa S instead of an S2 Elise or Exige partly on the looks, partly on having a smidge more practicality, partly on being a bit rare.
I've not driven a TVR but I imagine in comparison the negatives would be you'd find the sound track a bit dull (a lot of Europa owners have pre-cat removed and s/s exhaust, which improves things and often gives pops and bangs, but it's still a 4 cylinder turbo sound ultimately), less grunt (even if you get one with the factory 225 upgrade - it's no slouch but won't pull like a griff). Positives would be the handling (it handles like a Lotus - from posts I've seen even a well sorted TVR doesn't get close to the Lotus feel), reliability, running costs and finally if you like the looks then the looks
. I imagine the TVRs are holding their value well these days - the Europa S seems to too.I think you'd need to drive one to see if the driving experience does it for you
.I have one, have had it for about a month and a half. No tvr experience but have had two other Elise's.
Not many about but values seem to hold strong, don't worry too much about the 225 upgrade having been done as only a £250 option still from lotus but does mean they need it for a few days.
Handling good and not far of the elise but do miss taking the roof off. Mine has milltek exhaust and sounds very nice but not tvr levels!
Not many about but values seem to hold strong, don't worry too much about the 225 upgrade having been done as only a £250 option still from lotus but does mean they need it for a few days.
Handling good and not far of the elise but do miss taking the roof off. Mine has milltek exhaust and sounds very nice but not tvr levels!
Sitting chatting to my friend at work he saw an Europa on the motorway last night, with a TVR a long way behind it, (was it you in the TVR)!
I had my Europa for 3 years and loved it. Not a big difference in comfort between Europa and Elise and Exige but I prefered the looks or the Europa, don't like convertables and a well sorted Europa will leave an Exige for dead.
C43
I had my Europa for 3 years and loved it. Not a big difference in comfort between Europa and Elise and Exige but I prefered the looks or the Europa, don't like convertables and a well sorted Europa will leave an Exige for dead.
C43
C43 said:
Sitting chatting to my friend at work he saw an Europa on the motorway last night, with a TVR a long way behind it, (was it you in the TVR)!
I had my Europa for 3 years and loved it. Not a big difference in comfort between Europa and Elise and Exige but I prefered the looks or the Europa, don't like convertables and a well sorted Europa will leave an Exige for dead.
C43
sorry need to qualify the 'leave an Exige for daad' comment. It will leave a 4pot Exige for dead, the V6 is a very different matter....I had my Europa for 3 years and loved it. Not a big difference in comfort between Europa and Elise and Exige but I prefered the looks or the Europa, don't like convertables and a well sorted Europa will leave an Exige for dead.
C43
No wasn't me only seen a Europa on the road twice before and never when out in the tvr . I must admit I like the Europa a lot very nice looking cars and I like the interiors more than the Elise exige . I suppose I just fancy a change had the griff over ten yrs now and a Europa is on my list was interested to get any opinions from past present owners as what they are like to own and anyone with previous experience of tvrs as a comparison . Also like the look of evoras but lots of data on them . Thinking of other tvr models too eg a Tuscan /T350 . Somehow had the feeling a Europa could be a well kept secret in sports car circles .
Mine is a basic one so apart from a bit more carpet the trim is exactly the same as in my my08 elise. Some of the lux package ones do look lovely and I do fancy a re trim one day.
As for usability in some ways they are more practical than the elise as the sill is lower, but it's not lower all the way. Also with the elise if someone parks next to you the roof can be rolled off whereas in the europa you can't do this.
the boot is bigger and the power delivery has a lot more torque than my elise s ( not the supercharged one).
If you ever come up to the midlands feel free to take a look at mine.
As for usability in some ways they are more practical than the elise as the sill is lower, but it's not lower all the way. Also with the elise if someone parks next to you the roof can be rolled off whereas in the europa you can't do this.
the boot is bigger and the power delivery has a lot more torque than my elise s ( not the supercharged one).
If you ever come up to the midlands feel free to take a look at mine.
StangGT said:
C43 said:
sorry need to qualify the 'leave an Exige for daad' comment. It will leave a 4pot Exige for dead, the V6 is a very different matter....
Really? How so? Numbers-wise, surely the exige has it? And the exige was supposed to be all 'hardcore'??junks said:
Similar weight but my 230bhp Europa had 249lbs ft torque against 185lbs ft for my 260bhp Komotec Exige
Skaffen said:
C43 did say "well sorted" which, to be fair, means a little bit of fettling has gone on 
. And Junks' had a visit to Courtenays.
This is true Matt - although in fairness my Komotec Exige was far from standard too . And Junks' had a visit to Courtenays.Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff