Lotus Esprit
The dramatic Giugiaro-styled wedge that gave Lotus a genuine mid-engine supercar rival — and a starring role opposite James Bond.
Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro in the sharp-edged "folded paper" idiom of the mid-1970s, the Esprit gave Lotus a mid-engine sports car to compete with Ferrari and Lamborghini at a fraction of the price. Its combination of dramatic looks, genuinely capable handling, and a memorable turn as a submersible sports car in a Bond film made it Lotus's most famous model of the era.
History
Introduced for 1976, the original S1 Esprit paired Giugiaro's angular styling with a mid-mounted 2.0-liter twin-cam four — modest displacement by supercar standards, but the car's light weight kept performance genuinely competitive.
The Esprit gained worldwide recognition in 1977 as "Wet Nellie," the submarine car in The Spy Who Loved Me — a marketing windfall that cemented the model's image far beyond what its sales volume alone would have achieved.
The S2 (1978) and S3 (1981) brought styling and chassis refinements, while the Essex Turbo (1980) introduced forced induction to the range for the first time, meaningfully closing the performance gap with its more expensive Italian rivals.
Notable Versions
S1 (1976–78)
The original Giugiaro-styled car, purest expression of the design before later bodywork softening.
Essex Turbo
1980, distinctive red/white/blue Essex Petroleum sponsorship livery, the first turbocharged production Esprit.
"Wet Nellie" Bond Car
Not a production variant, but the submarine-car association from The Spy Who Loved Me remains central to the model's identity and collector appeal.
What to Look for When Buying
Key inspection points from experienced collectors.
Fiberglass body condition varies widely
Stress cracks and prior repair quality vary a lot car to car — inspect panel fit and gel coat condition carefully rather than trusting a glossy respray.
Verify turbo system condition on Essex and later turbo cars
Turbo-specific cooling and boost components are costly to restore if neglected — confirm recent service history.
Check the backbone chassis for corrosion, same as the Elan
Lotus's steel backbone chassis under the fiberglass body is a shared weak point across the marque — inspect it directly, not just the visible bodywork.
Inspect cooling system thoroughly
Mid-engine packaging makes the Esprit's cooling system more complex than a front-engine car's — overheating issues are a common and costly problem if ignored.
Confirm electrical and interior trim completeness
Interior and electrical parts are harder to source than for higher-volume British sports cars — missing trim is expensive to replace.
Quick Specs
- Engine
- 2.0L–2.2L DOHC I4 (naturally aspirated and turbocharged)
- Horsepower
- 160 hp (S1) – 210 hp (Turbo)
- Wheelbase
- 96 in
- Weight
- approx. 2,200–2,400 lbs
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual
- 0–60 (Turbo)
- approx. 6.1 seconds
Market Price Guide
Approximate USA asking prices
Lotus Esprit For Sale
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