Lotus Esprit collection

Lotus succeeded in creating an extraordinary sports car in 1976 with the wedge-shaped Esprit. The design came from Giorgetto Giugiaro, who presented it with Lotus at its Italdesign stand at the 1972 Turin Motor Show. Minor adjustments were made to the body and chassis by the time the car went into production. In addition to its wedge shape, the Esprit was particularly popular for its pop-up headlights and as a James Bond car. During the production period, which lasted until 2004, there were a total of four model series. The displacement of the four-cylinder inline engine slowly grew from two to 2.2 liters. From Series 3 (1981) onwards, a turbo version was available on request. In 1996, the fourth series saw the switch to a 3.5-liter V8 turbocharged engine developed by Lotus. In addition, the two-liter four-cylinder in the Esprit GT3 remained in the lineup. The online auction house The Market will be offering an Esprit collection of six cars from August 23.

Esprit S2 JPS Edition

Parallel to the Formula 1 entries, Lotus offered a special series of the Esprit in 1978 in the colors of the then main sponsor JPS. Nowadays, a special edition model with logos of a cigarette brand would probably be immediate cause for a shitstorm along with political debates. Back then it was completely normal, especially since the color combination of black and gold is still appealing today. Only 100 examples rolled off the production line, this one bears the number 021 and has only 13,600 miles on the clock. Four owners so far are now to be followed by another. The Market expects between £ 75,000 and £ 100,000.

Esprit S3 Turbo Essex

Another rare special edition model was based on the Series 3 in 1981, this time using Essex petroleum colors. Blue, red and chrome were also found on the F1 race cars of the time. Standard equipment on the sports car included dark red leather upholstery, 15-inch alloy wheels and a Panasonic stereo system with a control panel in the headliner. This car bears the number 17 of 45, has only two previous owners and has already been extensively restored. The highest bidder will receive various spare parts and an AutoArt model car in 1:18 scale. The estimated price is between £ 105,000 and £ 150,000.

Esprit Sport 300

In beautiful “Camel Racing Yellow” in combination with blue Alcantara interior presents the Esprit Sport 300 from the collection. Only 64 units of this model were built in 1994. The vehicle recently received a Lotus Certificate of Provenance and will be auctioned including all original logbooks and documents. The Market expects a hammer price of between £ 70,000 and £ 120,000, but as no Sport 300 has ever been auctioned before, the sum could be even higher.

Esprit S4S

The 1995 Esprit S4S in “Calypso Red” has also already received a restoration. By using numerous new parts, the car shows almost better than fresh off the assembly line. Matching the red paint, the interior shows up in beige leather. Less than 50,000 miles of mileage ensure an estimated price between £ 35,000 and £ 50,000.

Esprit S4 GT Commemorative Edition

To celebrate winning the BRDC GT Championship in 1994, Lotus launched the Esprit S4 GT Commemorative Edition in the UK in 1995. Matching the GT race car, the road cars appeared in “Brooklands Green metallic” with yellow accents. Inside, sports seats, black leather and a red steering wheel provided appropriate highlights. The Market offers the number 09 of 11 vehicles. With just over 37,000 miles, the car is expected to fetch between £ 35,000 and £ 50,000.

Esprit Sport V8 350

The sixth and final car in the collection up for auction is an Esprit Sport V8 350. With just three previous owners and 31,500 miles on the clock, this special model rolls up. Lotus offered the Sport 350 exclusively in “Aluminium Silver” combined with blue and black Alcantara interior. Between £ 70,000 and £ 90,000 seems quite realistic.

Images: The Market