Gran Toros / Sputafuoco Lotus Europa

The Gran Toros Lotus Europa, model number 6618, is a replica of the 2-door, mid-engine, fiberglass body Europa production sports car made by Lotus cars between 1966 and 1975. The original Europa was powered by a Renault 1470cc OHV engine. In 1966 Team Lotus modified production Europas with a 1594cc Ford Cosworth engines to race and named these cars the Type 47 (this is the car the Mebetoys and Gran Toros modeled). In 1971 Lotus switched to a 1558cc Ford / Cosworth twin cam engine and named the car the Europa Twin Cam yet continued to use a Renault transmission. Later Lotus switched to Dell'Orto / Weber carburators and a 5-speed Renault transmission and named the car the "Europa Special". This model was converted for the Hot Wheels Gran Toros series from the existing Mebetoys Lotus Europa, model number A-39. Both models were made simultaneously until the Hot Wheels Gran Toros version (Sputafuoco) was discontinued. One of the original Gran Toros, it was part of the Sputafuoco and Heisse Räder Supergorss series and first appeared on the bottom of the North American box and the 1970 Mattel Toyfair catalog, the 1970 Mattel Italian Dealer catalog and the 1970 International catalog.