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Lotus Europa Forums => Random Europa Sightings => Topic started by: literarymadness on Thursday,October 17, 2019, 09:44:46 PM

Title: The Europa going against some big guns
Post by: literarymadness on Thursday,October 17, 2019, 09:44:46 PM
If you haven't seen this, it is pretty cool. In 2000, a Japanese program, "Best Motoring" rounded up the best of the '70s exotics and put them on the track against each other.  Three Ferraris, two Lamborghinis, one 911 Carrera, a Pantera, and a Europa TCS.  The little car held its own.  It is in Japanese but it racing footage, so what do you need in English.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/classic-cars/videos/a30870/best-motoring-1970s-sports-cars/
Title: Re: The Europa going against some big guns
Post by: Certified Lotus on Friday,October 18, 2019, 04:17:45 AM
Good find L/M. The video was hilarious to watch. The whole thing was either staged or the drivers had no real track experience. The first give away was everyone’s track suits were brand spanking new with patches that didn’t reflect any of the cars they were driving (NASCAR, Mooney, Toyota, etc).  The real give away was NO ONE was wearing a 5 point harness during the “Race”. It even looked like the Lotus driver wasn’t wearing any type of seat belt (the other drivers were wearing lap belts).  Only the first four cars were changing positions in laping the rest were hanging in the back driving in position.

You may not know that the Lotus Europa in Japan is legendary due to a comic book hero who drives one. There isn’t a boy in Japan that doesn’t lust after a Europa because he has read about his hero diving a Europa for a lifetime.

The guys driving the Dino, 911 and Europa knew what they were doing on the track, the rest were “beauty cars”.

I would really like to understand the drivers banter at the end of the video. Anyone speak Japanese?
Title: Re: The Europa going against some big guns
Post by: surfguitar58 on Friday,October 18, 2019, 05:06:19 AM
I wonder how the Lotus would have fared without that ridiculous spoiler slowing it down. People have told me my cirus white TCS is a perfect candidate for a Circuit Wolf conversion. (Keep your red stripe and fake spoiler away from my car, please.)

Going into the race I would have bet on the 911. I would have picked the 308GTB to come in last. A neighbor of mine has one and it is a bit of a dog. A few years ago Top Gear took the Countach around their track and its finish time was behind a modern Ford Focus.

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Title: Re: The Europa going against some big guns
Post by: jbcollier on Friday,October 18, 2019, 07:35:40 AM
It's basically getting the cars from the Circuit Wolf manga together for a "shoot-out".  They show the "manga drivers' in each car blurb,  Two observations: money doesn't buy talent; and, boy does that 308 get out of shape while trail braking.
Title: Re: The Europa going against some big guns
Post by: BDA on Friday,October 18, 2019, 08:13:44 AM
The Countach driver looked to be wearing an older helmet like F1 drivers used to wear that supported an air bottle but the tube from the air bottle port went to what I quess is a water bottle port in the front of the helmet??? And did the air bottle support coincide with the water bottle support? Or am I all wet?

The shot of the Europa footbox seemed pretty big given the size of the pedals and I didn't see a steering column... hmmm...

I thought something was up when the big cars didn't leave the Europa in the dust at the start.
Title: Re: The Europa going against some big guns
Post by: literarymadness on Friday,October 18, 2019, 11:51:43 AM
Surf:  I agree why would anyone want to make their white TCS look like the Circuit Wolf Europa.  I prefer Lorna's white TCS in the anime series "eX-Driver".  Hey it looks like yours  :)

Title: Re: The Europa going against some big guns
Post by: surfguitar58 on Friday,October 18, 2019, 02:56:33 PM
Surf:  I agree why would anyone want to make their white TCS look like the Circuit Wolf Europa.  I prefer Lorna's white TCS in the anime series "eX-Driver".  Hey it looks like yours  :)

Makes me want to paint a big "Hello Kitty" logo on the hood!
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