Matchbox Superfast MB5-e Lotus Europa

The Lotus Europa model design and tooling was made at the end of the regular wheels era before the name Superfast was created although this new model was in fact part of the first Superfast wave. A number of bright red pre-productions exist fitted with plain unspoked chrome hub prototype Superfast wheels as well as early spoked thin SF wheels.

Baseplates without ´Superfast´ cast were used on a small proportion of the first blue run and are very hard to find today. The initial colour, clear blue laquer over a silver primer is well known in 3 distinct shades with the lightest being the least common but still not rated hard to find. The blue model came in ´F´ and ´G´ boxes and was fitted with solid 11.5mm thin SF tyres although hollow tyres can be found on a minority. The body casting was modified to include thicker stronger more decorative sills during the blue production years.

In 1971 the Lotus was recoloured to metallic pink which was in fact pink clear coat over silver primer. There are 2 shades of metallic pink although the darker version is only found on the thick wheeled issues. In 1972 the body casting received flared circular wheel arches to enable smaller wider 10mm tyres to be fitted. Rare crossovers can be found with wide arches and thin tyres. During the pink wide wheels run the baseplate tow slot became a notch rather than a slot. Also the window securing rivet inside the roof was removed and the rivet hole in the clear plastic window was filled in, Some crossover pieces have no rivet but have the older type window unit which still has the rivet hole.

The pink Lotus was deleted from the 1-75 series during 1975. The tooling went back into production in 1977 for a limited Japanese John Player Special issue which featured excellent Formula 1 style gold JPS tampos and perhaps what was Lesney´s first black painted car in any of their ranges.
When the Japanese series was dropped in 1979 excess production of these black Lotuses were used in european two packs both with and without gold JPS logos. The sizes of the slots on the standard size wheels on all colours of this casting can vary considerably although all thin & thick tyres have precisely 5 slots.