Does the Europa deliver the promised driving excitement? There's Lotus's trademark light steering and fluent damping, smoothing over even the most undulating tarmac. Yet the Europa also rides more calmly and jarrs less over potholes than any Elise. Equally, the engine is a more undemanding companion than the high-effort Toyota engine in the Elise 111R - an extra 67lb ft certainly helps.
More comfortable, less highly stressed, but with the same intimacy; has Lotus cracked it, then? Not quite. For when you hit the backroads and really drive the thing, the disappointment starts.
No doubt those uninitiated to Lotus's magic blend of ride and handling will still be blown away by the Europa's agility, pace and communicative chassis; how could they not be? But in comparison with other recent Lotus products the Europa fails to deliver what you expect.
Breach the available grip and the Europa understeers early; back off gently and the nose tucks into line. It's accurate, but not exploitable enough for a Lotus. With provocation the Europa can be goaded into oversteer, but the transition to oversteer is so close to the point where the car wants to spin that it feels difficult to control. What's missing is a happy middle ground, the accessible and exploitable balance of the Elise.
Similarly, the engine might be strong in the mid-range, but it's uncharismatic. Next to the Toyota's top-end urgency and junior Ferrari F430 soundtrack, the GM unit feels unsophisticated and inconsistent, acceleration arriving in three waves. The torque curve reveals why, with more peaks than the Pyrenees. Lotus says it is meant to be exciting; we say it's frustrating. Our 0-60mph time of 5.7sec also fell just short of Lotus's claimed 5.5sec.
At least the six-speed gearbox is a pleasure to use: positive, light and with well spaced ratios. The brakes struggle in prolonged track use, but are superb for the road, with excellent retardation, decent feel and unobtrusive anti-lock.
