1997 Lotus Esprit V8 Turbo

Highlights

• Ex-Lotus Press car

• £40,000 worth of upgrades

• Incredible mechanical specification

• Front end PPF

• Maintained and improved irrespective of cost in current ownership

Overview

Lotus had come a long way from the original Esprit by the time the 90s came around, but they really did save the best for last.

The final iteration of the wedge-shaped, mid-engined supercar, the S4 Esprit was unveiled in 1994, with the halo twin-turbocharged V8 model being added to the range from 1996 onwards. 

With its softer front end and impressive presence, it was now more of a supercar bruiser than the original lightweight wedge, baiting the likes of Ferraris and Porsches of the era, and even spawning a GT1 variant for racing.

This particular Esprit was used to showcase the 1998MY changes by Lotus at the 1997 London Show, and was confirmed to be a 1-of-1 specification produced that year. Purchased by the current owner in 2021, this Esprit has been treated to an extensive regime of upgrades totalling over £40,000 and seeing the power output increase from a healthy 350bhp to over 500bhp. 

This is a true supercar with performance to keep up with cars decades newer than it, and an Esprit that demands every ounce of attention from its driver, with the seller stating that once you start pressing on, it goes ‘like a bat out of hell’!

History and documentation

• Registered 06 Oct 1997

• Ex-Lotus press car, used to showcase the 1998 model year changes at the London Show of the same year

• Stamped service book with services as follows: Dec 1997 @ 1,036 miles May 1998 @ 6,590 miles, Sep 1998 @ 12,216 miles, May 1999 @ 16,802 miles, Oct 1999 @ 22,243 miles, May 2000 @ 30,431 miles, Aug 2001 @ 35,826 miles, Aug 2003 @ 41,026 miles

• Further invoices for servicing as follows: Aug 2021 @ 78,414 miles (inc cambelt change), Oct 2022 @ 79,621 miles, Nov 2023 @ 80,934 miles, Dec 2024 (no mileage noted), 

• Collection of invoices totalling over £40,000 of works since the current owner purchased the car in 2021

• The engine was removed and a number of faults rectified (including an upgrade to hybrid turbochargers) carried out in 2022 by Allon White Sports Cars, costing in excess of £14,000

• Gearbox rebuild in 2023 at 80,150 miles by Max500 Ltd

• During the above round of work at Max500, the suspension was also extensively refurbished and upgraded, and a number of electrical gremlins attended to

• Printout from a dynamometer session confirming a power output of 502.8bhp following engine work

• Lotus certificate of provenance confirming the original specification of Nautilus Blue Metallic over Raffia leather

• Original factory options were a high-level tail light, metallic paint, radio/CD and an Alcantara headlining

• The certificate also notes that it is the sole 98MY car in this specification

• Two keys with fobs

• The current MOT has now expired, but the seller notes that the car has an MOT booked for the first week in March

• V5 present in owner’s name

• HPI clear, with a marker for plate transfer

Interior

• Two-tone leather interior that has been extensively re-upholstered

• Upgraded stereo with six-speaker system and external amplifier, following the car being fully stripped and re-wired at a cost of £1,600

• MOMO steering wheel with some light scratches to the outer edges

• The seller notes there are some small areas of wear visible around the shifter boot, ignition barrel and some of the switchgear

• The leather dashboard is beginning to sag on the outer edges (largely hidden by the doors in normal use

• SJ Sports GT3 bucket seats with embroidered LOTUS script

• Custom Lakeside Engineering seat runners to enable taller drivers to fit in the car comfortably (the current owner is 6ft 5 for reference)

• The footwell mats would benefit from a steam cleaning

• Looking closer, we note a light scuff/stain on the outer edge of the driver’s seat base, and some corrosion on the sunvisor hinges

• The leather on both seats is beginning to sag slightly

• No reported faults or issues

Exterior

• Eye-catching Nautilus Blue Metallic paintwork

• The car was given a full strip and respray in 2020, including fitment of Honda S2000 mirrors (prior to the current owner’s tenure with the vehicle) 

• LED headlight upgrade

• LED ‘halo’ rear clusters

• Custom-made BC Forged 3-piece wheels

• Rear parking sensors

• The front end and lower front bumper showcase the expected stone chips and light blemishes from years of enjoyment on the road

• The nearside front over-arch appears to be separating slightly from the wing

• Below the side windows, the black metal trims are corroding

• The owner notes some chips on the edge of the driver’s door and mirror casing

• Sunroof in full working order

• Being particular, we’d note some scratches visible on the sunroof and roof panels, whilst there are also some light blemishes around the door handles

• All four of the BC wheels present well, with a few small scratches and scuffs visible to the outer lips

• Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, with a mixture of 2022, 23 and 24 date codes (all fitted in one go during 2024 with limited mileage since)

Mechanical

• 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged Type 918 V8 engine, producing 350bhp from factory

• This particular example has been extensively upgraded to produce just over 500bhp with supporting modifications

• Forged pistons and liners with ARP studs

• Hybrid turbochargers with Forge wastegates running 15psi of boost

• Remapped ECU

• Close-ratio helical gear upgrade following gearbox rebuild, with uprated input shaft

• SJ Sports centre-exit exhaust with sports cats

• Alcon 6-pot front / 4-pot rear brakes with 343 and 314mm discs respectively

• Upgraded large-bore brake master cylinder

• Lotec Bilstein dampers

• 5-speed manual transmission

• Quaife limited-slip differential

• Rear-wheel drive

• Reported to be in excellent health, sounding fantastic and giving a white-knuckle ride once the turbochargers kick-in from 3,500rpm onwards

Summary

No airbags, no traction control, no driver’s aids, with over 500bhp on-tap. This Esprit V8 is a handful in less-than-ideal conditions and still demands 100% of its driver’s attention in the dry, but it has all the bells and whistles that any self-respecting Lotus enthusiast would love, and given that the original planned power output for the S4 V8 Esprit was meant to be in the region of 500bhp, we expect that even the most die-hard of Lotus aficionados would have to respect this Esprit. 

Upgraded extensively and maintained with a carte-blanche approach to expenditure since the seller took ownership in 2021, this is a one-off, ex-Lotus Press Esprit V8 that packs more than a punch. Not for the faint-of-heart!

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Bracknell, Berkshire.