AN ENDURING ICON

Originally showcased to the public at the 1975 Paris Motor Show, the Esprit debuted with the truly ground-breaking design that instantly redefined the scope and potential of automotive aesthetics. What set the Esprit apart was its undeniable visual appeal. Simply put, it guaranteed to turn heads and looked like nothing else on the planet – with exemplary handling and expertly tuned performance that matched its otherworldly looks. The Lotus Esprit would go on to become one of the most revered sports cars in history and famously driven by Roger Moore as 007 James Bond in two iconic movies.

The angular wedge bodywork that was sketched and brought to life by legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiario. The Esprit featured the new 160bhp Lotus designed and manufactured all aluminium Lotus 907, 2.0-litre, 16-valve, 4-cylinder engine (the world’s first engine of that configuration which became a standard for 4 cylinder engines going forward) and a five speed transmission, all rounded off with distinctive Wolfrace alloy wheels. It was the final car released of the new “third generation” of Lotus cars that, together with its Elite and Eclat stablemates, took the company to new levels of ability as a performance car maker and took the brand notably upmarket. The Esprit instantly captured the public imagination, introducing a level of glamour and luxury to the performance-oriented Lotus brand.

SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED

The cultural impact of the Esprit peaked when a white Esprit S1 was featured in the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, famously transforming into a submarine during a chase sequence. The onscreen Esprit adventures continued in the 1981 Bond sequel, For Your Eyes Only that included two Esprit supercars, one in white and one in a bronze livery high in the mountains of Italy complete with ski rack and skis.

LICENCE TO THRILL

Introduced in 1980, the new Lotus Turbo Esprit was the fastest production car of its time, capable of reaching 0-100 km/h in just over 5 seconds and a maximum speed of 240kph thanks to its now enlarged 2.2-litre, 210bhp turbocharged engine and customary lightweight construction. The first 45 cars were released as a special launch edition in the blue, chrome and red Essex Team Lotus Formula One livery. The timeless design of the Lotus Esprit earned it accolades across the automotive world and was selected as one of the “Top Sports Cars of the 1980s” by Sports Car International magazine.

RACING HERITAGE

In classic Lotus style, the Esprit was constructed around a strong and stiff chassis that gave the car a nimble and responsive drive-feel without sacrificing acceleration and speed. The Lotus Esprit also left its mark in motorsports, competing in various racing series that included a championship win in the US based SCCA World Sportscar Challenge, where Paul Newman was on the driving team in 1991 and 1992. The British GT Championship also provided some spectacular racing and class wins for the Esprit in 1993 and 1994.

EVER MORE SPECIALISED ESPRITS

In 1987 the Esprit underwent a major facelift and was re-styled by renowned car designer Peter Stevens. While time constraints prevented him being offered the freedom to start a new car from scratch, Stevens nonetheless was able to redraft and rework the car’s basic shape to such an extent as to give the car a completely new lease of life now re-christened the Esprit Turbo. With softer, updated styling, improved suspension, new gearbox, stiffer bodywork, and a more upmarket interior, the new car – often tagged “X180” due to its internal programme code – offered more refinement, staggeringly good looks, and performance to match. There would be SE, S4, S4S, GT3 and Sport 300 editions of the four-cylinder car before when the long-awaited 175mph Esprit V8 road car made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 1996.

INTO A NEW CENTURY WITH V8 POWER

The lightweight engine (220 kg with all ancillaries) and meeting produced 350bhp and 400 Nm of torque, this all-new Lotus-designed 3.5-litre V8 engine, sporting distinctive red crackle-finish cam covers, would be the engine to take the phenomenal Esprit into the new millennium. Stunning performance, no-compromise appointments, and the unquestionable race-bred heritage of a marque of distinction, had combined once again to make the Esprit V8 a driver’s car like no other. Development models included V8GT, V8SE, Sport 350 variants and, in 2002, to end that 27-year production run of one of the greatest sports cars of all time, 82 “Final Edition” models were built. The engine was also tuned for race use in the Type 114 Esprit GT1 of 1996 and the Type 115 Elise GT1 of 1997. In these applications, the engine was producing over 560 bhp.