It's hard to imagine the Lotus Esprit as a vintage car. The car that hung in every boy's room, the James Bond car and the cars preferred by British playboys living in Monaco.
The truth is, however, inescapable. Beneath the hand-crafted fiberglass bodywork lies an old car, technologically low-tech by today's standards. I heard one owner say that "you don't buy an Esprit because of performance and driving pleasure - you buy it because it's an Esprit".
Engines
The Esprit model was produced in several series from 1976 to 2004. The first series was equipped with a mid-mounted 2,0, later in series 2 with 2,2-liter inline-four engines developed by Lotus itself. The performance was a modest 160 HP. The Esprit was not really a supercar until 1980 when it got a turbo, dry sump and 210 HP. Later, from 1986, the engines got a power increase – 170 HP and 215 in the turbo version. Eventually, Lotus managed to extract 300 HP from the turbo engine. In 1996 – twenty years after its introduction – the Esprit got V8 engines. The twin-turbo engine gave 350 horses and lifted the Esprit into the supercar class.
Heavy on the steering. Poor turning radius. Low stance and very direct contact with the road. "Everything" is communicated to the driver. This is a car that takes some getting used to.
The statements come from car testers who viewed the Esprit with today's eyes. One thing everyone agrees on. The interior. Everything is covered in leather - and is not only comfortable, but gives a real good feeling. It is, after all, handmade and British.
Source: Supercars.net Lotus Esprit
About the pictures
The main picture was taken at one of the Norsk Sportsvogn Klubb's spring rallies in Fornebu. It is a Turbo Esprit S2 with an estimated 210 HP. The white car (S3) – also a turbo – is pictured at the Oslo Motor Show 2021. The red car participated in Cars and Coffee at Skui farm in Bærum. It is a 2,2 liter X180 Turbo SE. The picture below the TV is a Lotus Esprit S4 V8 pictured at Hunderfossen. The white car with "VX" plates is a 1977 model S1 with a 2-litre engine. It was photographed at the old flight tower at Fornebu.
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