1972 Lotus Europa Special

In September 1972 the Europa received the Big Valve version of the Lotus-Ford twin-cam: 126bhp, Dell’Orto carburettors and, for the first time, a five-speed Renault gearbox. Weeks earlier Emerson Fittipaldi had taken the Formula One World Championship for Team Lotus in the black-and-gold John Player Special Type 72.

Lotus marked the win by finishing the first Big Valve Specials in the same livery, with a numbered plaque on the dashboard – the first John Player Special commemorative road cars. Sources differ over whether that original numbered run was 100 or 200 cars. What is agreed is that the response was strong enough to keep the Special name, and the gold pinstripe, in production to the end in 1975.

Why it matters

Where the black-and-gold Lotus road car begins.