Lotus is a British car manufacturer, that makes exciting cars; small, light and fast. Unsurprisingly many of their models have been made into diecast model cars.

Lotus had much track success; winning 79 Formula One Grand Prix races and winning the constructors’ championship seven times. The Formula One cars included the iconic John Player Special of the seventies that was such a big seller in model form for Corgi (2 million units produced).

My first Matchbox Lotus was a Europa that was one of the first Superfast models, I have two (thanks Viljar Sard), here pictures with two more recent Heritage Classics model.

It seems strange Matchbox fitted the model with a towing hook, the real car was so light it would have only been able to tow the lightest of trailers. The later Matchbox model of a Europa has no tow hook.

Mebetoys Lotus Europa bizarrely has the bonnet hatch opening the wrong way.