Have any of the tuners got their hands on the Esprit?

[SPKR]

In the 80s and 90s it was very popular for tuners to take Ferraris, Porsches and other sports cars and tune them. Add performance and a different look to make them even more different.

But with the Esprit, even though it seems to have arguably more tuning potential, I have never heard of any tuners doing it.

Is it because the thought of people paying a lot more for a tuned Esprit didn't make financial sense? So tuners never took a chance?

Or are there indeed tuners which made their own version of the Esprit?

It's puzzling, given again the potential for tuning with the Esprit, over something like Ferraris.

[Equus]

Bell & Colvill did a turbocharged S2 Esprit, long before the factory did theirs.

[CTE]

Isn't the gearbox the weak link, which seems to be a typical Lotus issue. The original car was fine, but years later with 350hp its almost beyond it limit, and with an easily obtainable 500hp...no chance.

[SPKR]

I understand the gearbox problem. But people have put LS engines in Esprits and used other gearboxes. That shouldn't be the problem.

So my guess is tuners saw the Esprit as not worth investing in because they didn't see potential sales.

The likes of Koenig, Gembala, Ruf and others tuned all rots of supercars that didn't even need tuning. As they were already powerful and expensive enough. But the Esprit with the 4 cylinder engine which could use the tune, and a price low enough to not end up being too expensive after the tune, received the could shoulder from tuners.

I would think the Bell & Colvill was a mild deal? Not a big tuning and expensive job with different looks included?

[GTRene]

there was a tuner (Caral) that changed also the interior, from the square-ish dash to the rounded like the newer types Esprit.
they also made some Lotus Elise V8 etc.

I also saw with someone else (on the web) a Esprit with a Northstar engine long time ago.
32 valve Northstar in this 1978 Esprit

[GTRene]

ah here pictures etc, but old website

http://www.caral.co.uk/13.html

[Dodgey_Rog]

SPKR said:

I understand the gearbox problem. But people have put LS engines in Esprits and used other gearboxes. That shouldn't be the problem.

So my guess is tuners saw the Esprit as not worth investing in because they didn't see potential sales.

The likes of Koenig, Gembala, Ruf and others tuned all rots of supercars that didn't even need tuning. As they were already powerful and expensive enough. But the Esprit with the 4 cylinder engine which could use the tune, and a price low enough to not end up being too expensive after the tune, received the could shoulder from tuners.

I would think the Bell & Colvill was a mild deal? Not a big tuning and expensive job with different looks included?

My buddy was getting his Esprit V8 serviced in Copenhagen at the Lotus/Porsche dealer, one of the techs there said the Porsche Boxster gearbox could be adapted to fit an Esprit V8? Not sure how true that was, but an interesting proposition all the same. Would do away with the clunky issue....

[Cold]

Dodgey_Rog said:

My buddy was getting his Esprit V8 serviced in Copenhagen at the Lotus/Porsche dealer, one of the techs there said the Porsche Boxster gearbox could be adapted to fit an Esprit V8? Not sure how true that was, but an interesting proposition all the same. Would do away with the clunky issue....

Kennedy in the US have a kit to fit the Boxster gearbox to the Esprit. The 987 Boxster 3.2 S develops 236 lbft of torque. The Esprit V8 produces 296lbft in standard form. Quite an expensive downgrade.

If you wish to strengthen your UN1 box then spend your money with either GTO , Elite Racing or Holloway.

[Parbold milkperson]

SPKR said:

In the 80s and 90s it was very popular for tuners to take Ferraris, Porsches and other sports cars and tune them. Add performance and a different look to make them even more different.

But with the Esprit, even though it seems to have arguably more tuning potential, I have never heard of any tuners doing it.

Is it because the thought of people paying a lot more for a tuned Esprit didn't make financial sense? So tuners never took a chance?

Or are there indeed tuners which made their own version of the Esprit?

It's puzzling, given again the potential for tuning with the Esprit, over something like Ferraris.

Maybe they would prefer a different engine, so they may prefer to design and build a kit car. I know someone near me who did that and built a very successful model.