| A Week at the Wheel | Cambs, England | Lotus Europa S |

Inside & Out:

The styling of the Europa S has been very subtly tweaked with more body coloured mouldings, but the changes aren't radical. As such it's the same understated, but unmistakably Lotus, styling - no bad thing. The interior is very different however. Compare the pictures of the interior of this car to the car we drove last year and the changes are immediately obvious.

In short the difference is really quite amazing, with dark and drab surfaces replaced with an expanse of tan leather that makes the dash almost unrecognisable as the same basis found in the Elise touring models. The cut, fit and finish of the interior is almost foreign in a modern Lotus and bodes well for the new models looming just over the horizon.

Entering and exiting is still a little awkward for those who are unused to the compromises and agility required, but the interior itself is a very comfortable place to be once you're in. Our week with the car tested its mettle as a long range cruiser racking up the miles on a trip to Scotland and it was the frequency of fuel stops that dictated the regularity of the breaks; comfort was never a factor.

Engine & Transmission:

The standard Europa isn't lacking in power, but the upgrade adds extra for a total of 225bhp, which is enough to drop the 0-60mph time below five seconds and 0-100mph in around 12 seconds, which is genuinely quick in most contexts and far too hot for a standard Porsche Cayman or Nissan 350Z to handle. The spiky nature of the delivery continues to frustrate though and the sound track isn't as inspirational as it should be. It's a functional engine, but it needs more charisma and class to truly shine.

Ride & Handling:

The Europa S retains the excellent supple chassis found in other Elise variants and also enjoys the near perfect balance as well. It isn't at Elise levels of agility and response, but then it isn't intended to be and the grip levels and handling are good enough to satisfy most tastes. Keen drivers, and Lotus enthusiasts, will find it a little lacking though, as the sharp edge has been somewhat blunted and the slightly dulled response in terms of turn-in may disappoint. As will the relatively early onset of understeer. However, the new brakes are an improvement, offering a deal more feel and, subjectively at least, more consistent stopping power.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

The list of standard equipment has most things you'd ever hope to see in a Lotus, but lacks a few things you'd find in a Porsche. It's a GT car without having all of the cosseting features you may expect to find in such a car. The low weight yields benefits in terms of mpg and emissions to help keep running costs down, but once the upgrades are factored into the price of the car the total pushes up to the £35,000 mark. That puts it into dangerous territory populated by cars from BMW and Porsche to name but two. It's a tall order for the Europa to justify such comparisons.

Overall:

In summary, the Europa continues to frustrate. The upgrades definitely add to the package, but the basic Europa doesn't lack power. The interior is a big success and offers good value in terms of an addition to the package, but it doesn't quench the thirst for a more complete GT package.

However, the lack of a clear identity continues to hamper the Europa. In a marketplace populated with names such as the Porsche Cayman, within only a few thousand pounds of this car fitted with the upgrades, the Europa doesn't have the polish, personality or overall package to compete on equal terms. There are positives to be gleaned that will hopefully carry over to the new models next year, but this car, with all the extras, still isn't a great example of what the people in Hethel can do.

Roll on the Eagle 2+2 which will hopefully be a fairer reflection of their engineering excellence.