Exotic Car

The first Lotus Esprit burst into life in 1976, and with its stunning wedge shaped looks it really stood out from the humdrum Rovers and Fords that were on the road at the time. Colin Chapman was so proud of his new sports car that he arranged to have it parked outside Pinewood studios in the hope that it would be used in the latest James Bond film. The plan worked, and Roger Moore drove a white Lotus Esprit, that could convert into a submarine, in the Spy Who Loved Me.

The early Esprit cars came with a four cylinder 160 bhp engine, however through turbo charging and various other engine modifications the final four cylinder sport models were able to produce 300bhp. However, what the Lotus Esprit really needed was a super car engine to match its looks and that finally arrived in the shape of a V8 engine back in 1996.

The V8 Lotus Esprits are highly regarded and are normally well looked after by enthusiastic owners, who have normally ensured that no expense has been spared on servicing. Buying a good used V8 Esprit should cost no more than a brand new saloon, however whilst the exterior has been constantly modernized once you climb in you are soon reminded of the cars original 1970's roots.

The interior is hardly the last word in driver ergonomics, even getting in and out can prove to be a chore, and once inside any driver over six foot is going to feel cramped. The transmission tunnel sits very close to the driver and anyone with larger than average feet may want to make sure that they can feel the pedals correctly, as space in the foot well is extremely tight.

Once you have settled into the Esprit you will soon find yourself surrounded by switches, buttons and stalks from old Vauxhalls, Peugeot and Citroens. Whilst there is little you can do to modernize the interior, you can replace the standard halogen headlight bulbs with the latest modern xenon bulbs, so you can see the road more clearly when pushing on late at night.

Lotus Esprit Car