1985 Lotus Banks Europa S2

Purchased by our vendor earlier this year as a package deal, the vehicle belonged to the then-sellers late husband, who sadly passed away, necessitating the sale of the vehicle.

Unfortunately, this does mean that the exact history of the vehicle is somewhat unclear, though thankfully the then-owner (who, judging from the written notes, was somewhat of an accomplished home mechanic) detailed his ownership well, meaning we can piece together at least the last few years of history for this particular Banks Europa.

Delivered with a 2.0-litre ‘red top’ Vauxhall-sourced 16v engine (a popular choice for Banks customers) the car was extensively fettled whilst in the care of the previous owner, resulting in a road-legal, motorsport-inspired car that certainly wouldn’t look out of place lapping iconic British tracks such as Brands Hatch or Thruxton. The engine itself is far from standard, featuring twin side-draft carburettors, a tubular exhaust system and an output of around 180bhp at 7,200 RPM, meaning this is definitely a car for those that like to rev out their engines!

Constructed from a 16-gauge steel space-frame chassis using a mixture of square and round-section steel tubing with fibreglass bodywork (an upgraded take on the original Lotus methods) this Europa boasts fully adjustable coil-over suspension with Triumph Herald uprights on the front and custom-made rear uprights, numerous Banks custom-made suspension parts and bushes, and a modified/upgraded Triumph Herald rack-and-pinion steering system with Banks track rod ends.

Braking is provided by an all-disc setup, with on a single circuit system with a master cylinder.

In terms of bodywork, the car apparently started life in red - judging from the HPI check below - but was later painted into Grey during 2018. The standard wing mirrors have been replaced with carbon items, and an outrageous (but arguably, very cool) wing has been custom-fitted to the car, including additional bracing for the panel it’s mounted to.

Since the build was completed, only 400 miles have been put on the odometer, meaning it’s arguably still being run-in, giving one lucky buyer a fantastic opportunity to own a like-new Banks Europa.

The gearbox is a 5-speed.

There are a few words (all good) that we could use to describe the appearance of this Banks Europa, but since this is a family-friendly website, we’ll stick with insane.

Utterly, wonderfully insane.

With its aggressive canards, carbon-fibre mirrors and massive wing, anyone that doesn’t know what this car is would be stopped in their tracks, and anyone that does know would move out the way very, very quickly indeed.

The bodywork looks to be wonderfully straight throughout and finished to a very high standard indeed, no doubt aided by the fact that the shell was built by Banks, rather than Lotus themselves.

Looking closer, the gunmetal grey/silver paintwork is in excellent shape throughout, which is to be expected, given that the car has only just ticked over 400 miles on the odometer, and the paintwork was applied in 2018 according to the HPI report.

There are, naturally, a couple of marks on the paint, which you do have to be looking pretty close to spot. These are most noticeable on the rear bumper (around the exhaust exit and below the nearside light) and on the inner edges of the door panels, though these have been documented in great detail and can be seen in the gallery below.

Interestingly, we’d suggest the rear bumper marks are likely due to dropped tools whilst leant over in the engine bay, as opposed to any abrasions caused by bad parking or out on the road, such is the shape and location of the markings.

Elsewhere, there is some wear and degradation noted around the window seals, though the vendor does not report any sort of water or moisture ingress problems arising from this.

All four of the wheels are wrapped in matching Toyo tyres, and are in very good condition with only a few marks noted to the outer rims.

If you thought the exterior was in good nick, wait until you see inside!

Genuinely, we’re struggling to find any conceivable signs of usage or wear, so we’re going to have to really split hairs here…

There are a couple of indentations on the driver’s seat, some patina on the wooden dashboard insert (a feature of the original Europas that has been retained on this Banks-built creation) and the carpet over mat in the drivers footwell would likely benefit from a thorough valet and steam-cleaning.

That really is about it. And, if you don’t believe us, there’s an extensive gallery of photos below for you to make your assessments.

What this interior isn’t, however, is original - but we think it’s all the better for it.

The once-spartan dashboard is now awash with additional switches, toggles and gauges which not only improve the ability to monitor the engine and it’s vital signs, but also improves the usability of the car, adding the ability to manually switch the fan on when in traffic, among other upgrades.

The race seats also boast a set of Sabelt four-point harnesses, though these have both expired (2018 and 2019) meaning a fresh set would have to be purchased before any on-track action, though they are absolutely fine for road use.

There are a couple of marks on the inner edges of the doors also, but these are hidden when the doors are shut, so shouldn’t be of any concern.

Finally, there are no reported errors or issues with any of the systems within the cabin.

Interestingly, the engine bay of this Banks Europa could also double-up as a dining table whilst out on the road - it’s that clean!

(It would also probably keep your food warm, but that’s just silly…)

The engine bay is accessed through the entire rear portion of the car opening up like a giant clam shell, with the result being impressive access for any at-home tuning or work, and excellent visibility around the engine bay.

The block, ancillaries and even the bay itself are virtually spotless, clearly showing their minimal use, with even the heat wrap around the exhausts not yet having discoloured. The gold foil insulation also looks like-new, and the various alloy and chrome dress-up parts throughout the bay look fresh off the shelves.

Being super picky, there does appear to be a minor oil leak or stain underneath the distributor cap, as seen in image 112, but this is about the size of a 1pence piece, and doesn’t appear to be any cause for concern.

There were no reported issues with the car from our photographer, nor any untoward noises or behaviours experienced during the short test drive.

Underneath the fibreglass bodywork, the tubular chassis looks fantastic, and it would appear the car has barely seen the road, backing up the displayed odometer reading of just 400 miles.

We can see no signs of any issues underneath, nor any corrosion, leaking joints or concerning sights. There is some surface ‘bloom’ visible on some of the rear suspension components and brake discs, but this could be due to lack of use and doesn’t appear to be anything that would cause trouble.

Whilst we weren’t able to obtain an oral history of the vehicle, the paper trail and documentation (all photographed and available to view below) certainly gives a good indication as to the financial outlay from the previous owner, with numerous big-ticket items and modifications fitted to the car.

There’s also a hand-written history of the vehicle whilst it was in his care, which gives further insight as to what has been carried out on this Banks Europa.

Highlights of the aforementioned history folder include:

The V5 registered keepers document, showing six former keepers

Invoices for a new clutch, banks clutch bearing, speedometer cable and a gearbox oil change in August 2020 at a cost of £1,850

A wheel alignment at the cost of £325

The supply and fitment of reconditioned twin DHLA jetted side-draft carburettors at a cost of £795 in February 2020, with the engineer noting that the engine performance was “excellent” during the set-up.

A new fire extinguisher in May 2020

A full belt and tensioner overhaul with new items (including a new water pump) in October 2019.

Alongside the above, the hand-written history shows the fitment of various braces, vents and motorsport-inspired parts, a service in September 19, and a new cooling fan in September 2020, along with plenty of miscellaneous maintenance and sundry parts being fitted.

There is also the original Lotus Europa handbook, old MoT certificates and a HPI check, which - alongside colour and plate changes - shows that the car was imported, though we’re unable to get to the bottom of this, and the V5 shows the original registration and UK registration date as being the same.

Finally, the car’s current MoT certificate is no longer valid, and a fresh exam will be required before the vehicle goes on the road.

Arguably better than the original car it was based upon, the Banks Europa offers classic Lotus styling and ethos with more modern (and therefore more reliable) mechanicals, making it the ideal blend of classic style with usability.

This particular 1985 Banks Europa S2 takes that one step further, and has evidently been cosseted, cherished and moulded into the previous owner’s image, with the result being a car that perfectly balances it’s ‘show’ with its ‘go’ and is certain to turn heads wherever it goes.

Benefitting from extensive recent works, servicing and new belts in the last couple of years, along with an extremely low odometer reading, this really is about as close as you’ll get to a box-fresh Banks Europa without ordering one from the factory, and as such we estimate a value in the region of £16,000 - £26,000.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.