Lotus plans refinement with Europa S

Lotus is well known for its style and quality. Lotus has a fascinating and outstanding pedigree; with more than 50 years in the industry they know what they are doing behind the wheel. Their vehicles are built by hand and this shows in the individuality and performance of Lotus cars.

Lotus has unveiled its Europa S model, a more refined and practical option than its current stripped back Elise and Exige models. Unlike the back-to-basics racing ethos of its other models, Lotus will be offering upmarket flourishes such as leather upholstery, airbags and carpeting.

The company is keen to stress that beneath the dressing the Europa is as raw as its stable mates however, with a 0-60mph time of 5.5 seconds. The Europa S has a larger boot to suit its four seater touring credentials, and has an emphasis on comfort over the hard as nails Elise, with more cabin space and lower door sills.

The vehicle will be powered by a two litre, 200bhp turbocharged engine capable of taking the car to 140 mph, although the company has denied that it will be introducing a V6 to compete with vehicles like the Porsche Cayman. The new model is expected to cost around £33,000. The motor insurance class of the vehicle is unknown.