Fiat X1/9 vs Lotus Europa

vs

FIGHT!!!

(edit:image changed due to comments original image below.)

I love europas, but having sat in one.. I am depressed to say I would have to do some fiberglass work adding a gurney bubble for my skinny 6'2" self.

If your REALLY thinking about one, find an owner and arrange a fitting.. I say fitting because you have to put it on like a pair of nuthugger jeans. Which is awesome, but sucks when they are just that bit too small to really pull it off.

In closing, Europa in a heartbeat.. just gotta add that gurney bubble..

FIAT wins on looks alone

I know Europa's are not the prettiest cars in the world, but that one is especially ugly. Or its an unusually unflattering photo.

thats an S1 with the sails on the sides.. the S2 looks a good bit better to me.

(photo of the one I sat in.. notice the elise behind for scale!)

to be fair.. if your gonna compare.. use a Europa in fighting trim, not 70's street trim

HappyAndy wrote: I know Europa's are not the prettiest cars in the world, but that one is especially ugly. Or its an unusually unflattering photo.

original unflattering photo

No contest. Even the Renault engined Lotus is rarer and cooler than the Fiat. My brother has a 72 twin cam with the Euro twin weber head. When we go to car shows people walk right past my TR8 without a glance to instead admire his Lotus.

Lotus for me. I think they are ugly little beasts, but I'd really love to drive one and see how it feels.

This one almost redeems all the ugly Europas. I'd still take the FIAT though.

Truth be told, I'm probably to fat to fit in either one

Cannot fit in either, but I would take the Lotus on comfort (it was less uncomfortable than the Fiat for me, still to uncomfortable to drive more than a couple of miles, but what fun mes they were!)

Fiat.

I love me some Lotii, just not THAT Lotii (although that red one is particularly nice, it looks like the better parts of the Fiat were grafted to the Lotus which just leaves me back at the Fiat)

I've owned both, though I've never driven a Europa. Plenty of sitting in it (under construction).

Both had mid engined RWD goodness.

My vote is for the Lotus hands down. But that's because I'm a sucker for vintage wood dashes and gauge clusters.

I've got not headroom issues with reworked older Jetta seats. Very reworked.

My X 1/9 was a momentum car. My Lotus should outrun it handily with a 300 hp turbo motor in a 1600 lb chunk of fiberglass.

Apexcarver wrote: thats an S1 with the sails on the sides.. the S2 looks a good bit better to me. (photo of the one I sat in.. notice the elise behind for scale!)

That's not an S2, AC. That's a TC or TCS. S2's had the high sails as well.

Now, my opinion is the Europa. Of course, I have 2 of them. And I have actually had one that ran, but that was some years ago.

I stand corrected.. I thought S2 was the denotation for the later non-renualt powered cars, but I am not that up on the lotus nomenclature.

So.. what are they actually like to drive?

Absolutely incredible to drive. I had a 1974 74 TCS with a Weber head (2x 40DCOE), Isky 3/4 Cams, bigger than big valve head, ported, polished, balanced, CC'ed. Koni's and 205/60-13's (low profile for the time). It was a rocket. I put 30K miles on it, and the ONLY time it ever didn't go exactly where I pointed was on one 90 degree turn at too fast when I hit pea gravel. Just spun in the dirt.

I did have the head off every 15K miles or so for some reason or other. Just the nature of the beast. That's why I'm building Dr.Linda's S2 with a Toyota 1NZFE plus a T25 turbo.

My TCS

will probably get a 2ZZGE, but it has to wait a bit. There's a que.

In reply to FlightService:

Ready to start building your Europa? I've got a body and chassis I'll sell...

In reply to SVreX:

Fortunately I am 6'4" tall and it has already been stated that a 6'2" guy needs a gurney bubble.

I would need a porthole.

Seriously nice low mileage Europa on eBay (WARNING: Not Challenge Friendly):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1972-Lotus-Europa-Twin-Cam-Big-Valve-3967-original-miles-/270909662277?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3f13796445

FlightService wrote: In reply to SVreX: Fortunately I am 6'4" tall and it has already been stated that a 6'2" guy needs a gurney bubble. I would need a porthole.

sit in one yourself and see... different seat, removable steering wheel could help.. plus the one I sat in had a sunroof.

I am 6'4" and have driven europas on several occasions. Yes it is cramped, but it is worth it. There is nothing like that driving experience. I dont think I would bother for one with the renault motor, but if somebody offered me a twin cam right now I would jump them for it. As far as X 1/9's I would just put my money into a nice 914... but thats just me.

I would commit heinous acts for any Lotus made before 2009 and any Elise or Exige made thus far.

Europas are high on my list.

SVreX wrote: In reply to FlightService: Ready to start building your Europa? I've got a body and chassis I'll sell...

Hmm and I'm going to be driving by your house in march....

I've had a thing for the Europa ever since the late 60's. As a kid my neighbor had one. I drooled over it. I still like them. But, I am 6'2" and 230lbs. Probably would not work for me.

I propose Lotus Europa vs. Lancia Scorpion:

Tons more pics here: http://montecarlo.heimat.eu/gallery.htm

BTW, we were once offered an S2 Europa in a straight trade for our '76 Scorpion. This was in 1987 and they were both in very similar, low mileage condition. After a test drive in the Europa, it was clear why he was so willing to trade straight... we kept the Scorpion.