Lot 608: 1983 Lotus Esprit Turbo Coupé

Among the longest running of post-war sportscars, 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-litre, 16-valve, four-cylinder engine provided the power while the five-speed transaxle was sourced from Citroën. Disc brakes were fitted to all four wheels, the rears being mounted inboard.
The Esprit metamorphosed through several series over the next two decades, gaining a 2.2-litre engine, turbo-charged induction and a new, more rounded, in-house body design along the way, before the model’s so-far ultimate expression - the V8 - arrived in 1996. Introduced in 1980, the Garrett-blown Esprit Turbo produced 210bhp and was good for a top speed of 148mph, with 60mph attainable in 6.1 seconds.
This Esprit Turbo was supplied new in 1983 to Mr David Wickins, Chairman of BCA and ADT auctions and at the time also Chairman of Lotus Cars. The current owner purchased the car from Mr Wickins in October 1989. The vehicle is finished in British Racing Green and black livery - believed a one-off - with green leather upholstery to the interior. The private vendor advises us that it has covered a warranted 19,860 miles from new but has seen very little use over the past five years and will require servicing by a specialist. The vehicle is offered with MoT/road fund licence to March 2006 and Swansea V5 registration document.