Lotus Esprit Turbo Coupé, 1989
Lotus Esprit IV
Lotus Esprit IV•
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Chassis No.: SCC082910KHD13407
Estimate: £17,000 - £20,000 GBP
- Collectible modern Lotus
- 148mph, 0-60mph in 6.1 seconds
- Recent engine rebuild costing over £8,000
- Recent re-trim with bills on file for over £7,000
Among the longest running of post-war sports cars, the Esprit first surfaced as a Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed Ital Design project car at the 1972 Turin Motor Show, the silver prototype having come about following a chance encounter between Giugiaro and Lotus boss Colin Chapman. The car was well received, and following a protracted development programme finally entered production in 1976. The Esprit retained Lotus's trademark backbone chassis but deviated from previous designs by employing front and rear sub-frames to support the all-independent suspension and engine/gearbox unit. Lotus's own 2.0-litre, 16-valve, four-cylinder Type 907 engine provided the power while the five-speed transaxle was sourced from Citroën. Disc brakes were fitted to all four wheels, the rears mounted inboard.
The Esprit metamorphosed through several series over the next two decades before the model's ultimate expression - the V8 - arrived in 1996. Lotus had first employed turbocharged induction in 1980 on the Essex Turbo Esprit, a limited edition model featuring the blue/red/chrome livery of the Essex Overseas Petroleum Corporation, sponsor of Team Lotus from 1979 to 1981. The Essex paved the way for the series production Turbo Esprit, the arrival of which in April 1981 coincided with that of the S3 models. Despite having a wet sump, the Turbo's 2.2-litre Garrett-blown engine produced the same power (210bhp) as the Essex's dry sump unit.
The Turbo Esprit retained the aerodynamic body kit of the Essex cars and featured prominent 'Turbo Esprit' decals on the nose and sides. The Turbo's top speed was 148mph, with 60mph attainable in 6.1 seconds. In 1987, the Esprit was comprehensively restyled by Peter Stevens, who produced a less angular, more rounded and much more modern look. The turbocharged car's name was changed to 'Esprit Turbo', while the major mechanical updates were a Renault GTA gearbox and outboard rear brakes.
This attractive and well-presented Esprit Turbo is finished in black with black/yellow interior. We are advised that the car has been stored in a dehumidified garage, one of its few recent trips out (in 2018) being to Esprit Engineering, the Official Lotus Heritage Repair Centre in Downton, Wiltshire. Works carried out at that time included a major service, replacing the fuel tanks, and changing the cam belt. Described by the vendor as in generally good condition, the car is offered with a current MoT, sundry bills including recent expenditure of £7,000 on re-trimming and a further £8,000 spent rebuilding the engine. Equally appealing to enthusiasts and collectors alike, it is worthy of the closest inspection
