AUTOMOTIVE NEWS: The Lotus Europa, Alas, the Lamborghini Miura Stole Y

The year was 1966 and an unbeknownst competition began, Who had the first mid-engined...?

During the 1950's, Lotus was most often referred to as ... "Lots of trouble, usually serious", due to some of their cars choosing to spontaneously ignite and combust, whilst one was having tea and scones at the local shop, only to be found later, burnt to the ground.

Marking the 50th anniversary of the first delivered Lotus Europa, we take a closer look at this brilliant and overlooked gem of a pioneering British automotive manufacturer.

At 42inches tall, with a drag coefficient of 0.29 and weighing in at a paltry 610kg (1350 lb), most found the Europa's compressed and futuristic appearance quite wacky but undoubtedly, having some greater purpose in mind ... and they were right. It was the first (arguably...we'll get to that shortly) proper production car with a mid-mounted engine, bringing the Formula One configuration to the streets.

By the mid-1960s, the mid-engined layout was well-established as the optimal design for Grand Prix cars. Colin Chapman ambitiously planned the Europa to be a high volume, two-seat, mid-engined sports coupe built at a reasonable cost. The Europa concept is believed to have originated during 1963 with drawings done by Ron Hickman (note the date). Like all Lotus vehicles of the era, the Europa was designed and built following Chapman's oft-stated philosophy of automotive design: "Simplify, then add lightness" or more poignantly, "Adding power makes you faster on the straights; subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."

Drivers enjoyed a reclining beach-chair driving position while experiencing a sense of dire claustrophobia due to side windows that didn't open (an issue that was addressed in later versions) and a rear window that mirrored the size of the rear view mirror. The clutch was heavy, the ride was poor and the Renault (1.47L) 4 cylinder only mustered 78bhp, so a top speed of 95mph was its limit. And yet, this car was amazing to drive. The Europa gripped corners like it was glued to the road. With light steering and a feeling of perfect balance, partly due to its innovative rear suspension, the Europa changed the automotive world forever.

Across the channel and down in the meat-sauce region of the boot, Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, some wacky Italians were developing their own bit of madness. In 1965, Lamborghini's three top engineers, Gian Paolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani and Bob Wallace, set out to create a mid-engined road car with racing pedigree, one which could win on the track and be driven on the road by enthusiasts. The three worked throughout the night to develop a prototype car known as the P400 that finally convinced company founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini of its potential value.

The car featured a transversely-mounted mid-engine layout (A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the long axis of the vehicle), a departure from previous Lamborghini cars and the first to successful use this layout. The V12 was also unusual in that it was effectively merged with the transmission and differential, reflecting a lack of space in the tightly wrapped design. The rolling chassis was displayed at the Turin Salon in 1965.

Italian coach-builder, Bertone was commissioned for the design and styling of the newly christened Miura (named after a famous fighting bull breeder), that was finished just days before the 1966 Geneva Motor Show. Unfortunately, no-one had checked to see if the engine would fit inside its compartment. So the Miura was displayed with a locked hood and ballast filled engine bay which nobody gave a rats ass about because the Miura stunned viewers like nothing had, up to that time.

The futuristic lines of the Miura could be compared with the mind-boggling sexiness of Barbarella. Every line, crease and vent exuded sex and power. While the Europa's back end looked like a camel ate a suitcase that got stuck in its ass that one served tea on, the Miura was a flawlessly voluptuous Italian supermodel ...teasing and taunting you with eye-lashed headlights and reclining curvaceous haunches that inspired centerfold photo spreads.

Undeniably, the Miura wins the beauty pageant but does it take the prize of "First mid-mounted engine"? ... I'd hate to bet on the difference. The Lotus began development in 1963 while the Miura in 1965. Both companies had fully functioning cars in late December of 1966. Maybe if Lotus hadn't corrected its spontaneous-combustion issue and set itself ablaze, the Europa may have gotten more attention ... because that's pretty much the only thing that would've gotten any warm-blooded creature to notice it compared to the carnal lusciousness of the Lamborghini Miura. "I love you Europa ... but I'm off to hump a bull."