The Japanese like Lotus Europa.However, EuropaS you are no good.

Japan is mountainous, with mountains covering most of the country. People have had to live on even narrower plains in a small country.
For this reason, small cars are popular in Japan, and the best-selling cars are called 'KEI-Automobile', which are slightly bigger than the Rover Mini.
In such a country, it is not surprising that the Lotus is popular because it is small and ideal for driving on thrilling winding roads.
It is true that the Elise Exige sold well in Japan compared to the US, where the market is inferior in size.
Can Americans drive the Elise and Exige? I do not know the question.
(The Evora is popular in the USA by a long shot).

It all started with a cartoon. Very Japanese, isn't it?
The main character in the manga 'Wolf of the Circuit' drives a Lotus Europa in illegal races on public roads against Ferraris, Porsches, Maseratis and other supercars.
The boys of the time were fascinated by the sight of the Europa, which had little power, competing against numerous rivals.
A social phenomenon called the 'supercar boom' occurred in Japan on two occasions in the past.
Prints of supercars on everything from notebooks, pencil cases, underlays and clothing sold like hotcakes.
After the Second World War, the automobile industry supported Japan's recovery after being needlessly burnt twice by atomic bombs.
For the Japanese, the automobile is more than just a tool.
The supercar was a futuristic vehicle from outer space that transformed the car into a vehicle of the future with amazing technology and design.
At least that's how the teenagers who decorated their rooms with Ferrari posters felt.

Whatever the case, the Europa, one of the best-selling plastic cars that the British started making in their barns, was undoubtedly one of the reasons why the island nation fell for the allure of the supercar.
I cannot even begin to describe the shock of the Japanese people at the time when they discovered that an unknown car they had seen in a comic book actually existed in real life.

Thus, the Lotus Europa is a special car for the Japanese.
They want to place the Europa in the same position as the F40 and La Ferrari.
No, this is half true.

The revived Lotus Europa...?

This was 15-6 years ago.
LOTUS sold a car with an Elise (technically a Speedster) chassis.
It was the Lotus EuropaS.
The car was a revival of a former best-selling name under the Mike Kimberley name.
This car was a failure, which is why it didn't sell 500 units, but why did it fail?
There are many opinions.
For me personally, it was either that they didn't put a mature Z20LEH engine in it, or that they didn't put a Toyota engine in it like they did with the Elise and Exige.
If it had been fitted with a Toyota 3S-GTE, the Exige would have been scrapped ten years ago by now and we would have an Elise-EuropaS-Evora scheme.
Or the K20A.
The main reason for the biggest loss was that it didn't have the power to go all the way.

Back to the story.
Of course, the EuropaS was imported to Japan.
The Elise and Exige were already popular in Japan and VTEC swaps were being done.
It was at this time that the car bearing the name of the man who had once made this country fall in love with supercars came in.
The Japanese had great expectations.
But when the lid was opened, it was a heavy, powerless car.
Not a shred of weight reduction.
On top of that, LOTUS claims to have 'emphasised comfort'.
How can they say that in front of the Japanese who made the MAZDA MX-5?
LOTUS has had two cars, the Elan and the Europa, ruined by the MX-5.
From my point of view, they are coming to be ruined.
They seem to like losing battles.
As a result, the EuropaS has sold about 108 cars in Japan.
That's great.
Out of less than 500 cars, about a quarter are in Japan.
Japan is the EuropaS's second home.
In case you are wondering, there are no Opel Vauxhall dealers in Japan and it is faster to find a Ninja than to find a GM car.
Riding in such a country means you can never get your car repaired again.

Present.
Opel Vauxhall still does not exist in Japan today.
There are no parts, no knowledge, no means and no method.
More to the point, I am the pioneer, the first and the most advanced Opel Vauxhall engine in Japan.
Even though I am a Lotus owner!
Because of this, the EuropaS is not at all popular in Japan.
It has neither the dream of the former Europa nor the practicality of the Elise and Exige.
Who would be attracted to such a car?
Then I found the EuropaGT of Chriss Randall and Campbell Casidy, who used to be active in the UK.
The Z20LEx is a popular engine in Europe as a customisation base.
It can quickly power up to 300-400 hp.
With an engine that makes 400 hp and a 1-tonne body that is only slightly heavier than the Elise, it would be super lightweight compared to its rivals.
When I saw the EuropaGT, which was such a ground and sky-turning miracle of reality, my heart was filled with so much joy and hope that it could overwhelm a teenager who once had a room full of Ferrari posters.
I was then dropped a third bomb from across the sea by a spaceship called EuropaGT armed with a Garrett turbine.

I had always believed.
A turbocharged 2.0-litre engine is faster than a supercharged 1.8-litre engine.
The car situation in this country was dragging this fact down.
I mean, if Lotus had grown up and put a Toyota 3S-GTE or VTEC in it, this tragedy would not have happened and everyone would be happy.

Japanese people like Lotus and Europa, but they are not interested in EuropaS.
But here is one Japanese who continues to believe in the EuropaS and was shown the hope of the EuropaGT.
Please remember that.