Lotus Esprit S1
Overview
| Produced: |
1975-1978, 994 produced. |
|---|---|
| Types: |
Coupe,2 doors,2 seats |
Lotus first revealed its amazing Esprit in 1975. The Esprit effectively replaced the Europa and featured a dramatic two door, two seat, mid-engined body styled by Giugiaro. The Esprit became an instant classic and remains in production, in much modified form, today.
The Esprit S1 came with the 160bhp 1973cc four cylinder engine used in other Lotus models such as the 1974 Elite. As well as having excellent performance and road holding the Esprit also seemed to have great presence and a more up-market image than other Lotus products.
One excellent piece of marketing/product placement for the Esprit resulted in a memorable appearance in the James Bond film; "The Spy Who Loved Me". With hindsight this must surely have boosted demand for the Esprit and helped Lotus distance itself from its old kit-car image.
Buyers Guide Lotus Esprit featured in Practical Classics January 2005 – available from our sister site Bookbase. Click here to view.
Source: Motorbase
Engines
| Capacity | Config | Model | Bore/Stroke | CR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotus 900 SeriesTwin Cam |
Drivetrain and Suspension
| Drivetrain | Steering | Front Suspension | Rear Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|
Performance
| Top Speed | 0-60 | SQM | MPG | Engine Pwr | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 135 mph | 8.4 s | 19 mpg | 160 bhp 6200 |
Brakes
| Front | Rear | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Disc | Disc |
Auction Sales History
| Lot Num |
Description | Auctioneer | Date | Hammer Price | Hammer Price (inc premium) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 409 | Lotus Esprit Series 1 | Coys | 30 Oct 2004 | Not sold | |
| 426 | Lotus Esprit JPS Commemotative Edition No.79 | Coys | 30 Oct 2004 | Not sold | |
Magazine Articles
| Title | Pages | Options | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Article |
Lotus Esprit files |
41 |
 |
|
| Publication | Classic Cars September 2006 | |||
| Lotus Esprit files - Britain's first supercar braved avant design, survived financial battles and starred in two James Bond films. Prepare to be amazed. | ||||
| Article |
Classic TV Car Chases - Lights! Camera! Action! |
46 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics September 2005 | |||
| Lights! Camera! Action! - From Bergerac to Bond, TV car chases throw up some intriguing mismatches. We recreate three to see how absurd they are. | ||||
| Article |
Buyers Guide - Lotus Esprit - Treat Yourself to a Lotus (1976-1988) |
108 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics January 2005 | |||
| Buyers Guide - Lotus Esprit - Treat Yourself to a Lotus - The Esprit’s reputation for delivering a great driving experience is justified, but its reputation for being fragile is undeserved. | ||||
| Article |
Classic Cars December 2001 pg 64 |
64 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic Cars December 2001 | |||
| Giant Lotus handling test. Lotus has always made an art form out of building fine-handling cars. We put the best to the ultimate track test. | ||||
| Article |
Flotus Esprit |
40 |
|
|
| Publication | Classics Monthly September 2008 | |||
| Flotus Esprit- Although inspired by the same film car, these owners have come up with two very different solutions... S1/S2.2 Esprit Sub, 1976 Lotus Esprit S1. | ||||
| Article |
Buying Power - Lotus Esprit 1987-1998 |
32 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic Car Weekly 15 May 2008 | |||
| Buying Power - Lotus Esprit 1987-1998- Guigiaro's wedge had already been i production for over a decade before Peter Stevens smoothed off the edges. The later Esprits offer true supercar performance but are they a good buy? IAN SEABROOK takes a closer look. | ||||
| Article |
Buying power - Lotus Esprit 1976-1987 |
28 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic Car Weekly 5 July 2007 | |||
| Buying power - Lotus Esprit 1976-1987- During the Seventies, things went very wedgy in car design....with one of the most exciting British Cars of the style and era being the Lotus Esprit. RICHARD GUNN guides you through buying Giugiaro's razor-sharp sportscar. | ||||
| Article |
Six of the best..Lotus Classics |
51 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic Car Mart July 2006 | |||
| Six of the best..Lotus Classics - Every month, this special series brings you the most diverse and fascinating groups of vehicles we can conjure up. Paul Guinness is your trusty guide. Lotus Esprit S1, S2 & S3, Lotus Elite, Lotus Eclat, Lotus Elan, Lotus Elise, Lotus Carlton. | ||||
| Article |
Smooth operator |
98 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic & Sports Car January 2006 | |||
| Smooth operator - It might not have the edge in looks on Giugiaro's original Lotus Esprit but, reckons Martin Buckley, Peter Stevens' softer successor is a more practical proposition. | ||||
| Article |
Buying Power - Lotus Esprit 1975-1987 |
24 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic Car Weekly 11 November 2004 | |||
| Buying Power - Lotus Esprit 1975-1987 - Few British supercars can equal the long term success of the dramatic Lotus Esprit. RICHARD GUNN looks at buying the ’real’ wedge-shaped version built up until 1987. | ||||
| Article |
Marque Five - The Lotus Position |
55 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic Car Mart September 2004 | |||
| Marque Five - The Lotus Position - Lotus have produced some hugely underrated sporting machines over the years. Paul Guinness takes a look at five of the best classic Lotus buys of today. Lotus Europa, Lotus Elite, Lotus Eclat, Lotus Esprit S1, S1 & S3, Lotus Cortina. | ||||
| Article |
Classic & Sports Car July 2001 pg 94 |
94 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic & Sports Car July 2001 | |||
| Supercars for £15k - How 150mph is within reach for new Mini money - and sometimes a lot less. | ||||
| Article |
Classics March 2001 pg 24 |
24 |
|
|
| Publication | Classics March 2001 | |||
| MGB-Money Exotica. For the same outlay an an MG, you can have something quite exotic, but what offers the best value for money? Matt White compares the benchmark MGB GT with a Lotus Espirit S3 and a Porsche 912. | ||||
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