One of only 34 Essex Commemorative Editions produced, with just 23 destined for the UK market
Essex No. 005, one of only 13 believed to remain in the UK
Restored over approximately seven years, with over £26,000 in receipts
Certificate of provenance and after-sales letter from Lotus Cars included
The Appeal
Produced in collaboration with Essex Petroleum - then the headline sponsor of the Lotus Formula One team - and unveiled at a lavish party at London's Royal Albert Hall, the Essex Edition marked the arrival of the Turbo Esprit with a limited run of 100 cars. That 100 units was cut short, however - only 34 were completed: 23 for the domestic market and 11 for export. It is, by any measure, one of the most collectable variants in the Esprit lineage and arguably one of the most collectable British sports cars out there.
This car is Essex No. 005, Chassis Number 10903, and is one of just 13 examples believed to survive in the UK. It has been in the current owner's hands for nine years, during which time it has undergone a painstaking, ground-up restoration spanning approximately seven years. The body was fully stripped and repainted, the interior fully retrimmed, the engine completely rebuilt, and the gearbox inspected and serviced by marque specialists PNM Engineering. The vendor informs us that every component has been either refurbished or replaced, with thousands of man-hours invested and over £26,000 documented in receipts.
The vendor considers the result to be one of the finest Essex Esprits in the country. The car comes accompanied by its original tool kit, jack, and Lotus soft car cover, together with a certificate of provenance and after-sales letter from Lotus Cars.image.png1.72 MB
History and Paperwork
UK-market right-hand-drive car first registered in 1980
In current ownership for nine years
Large file of invoices amounting to over £26,000
Certificate of provenance and after-sales letter from Lotus Cars included
With a comprehensive restoration under its belt, it's little wonder that this Essex Edition is in fantastic order. Giorgetto Giugiaro's iconic wedge-shaped silhouette is a clean, unfussy one, and still looks rather futuristic - a timeless sort of sports car in a highly attractive livery and pop-up headlights. So, it's got plenty of cool factor - but how is it looking?
The car's blue, red and chrome livery - taken from the Essex Overseas Petroleum Corporation, the sponsor of Team Lotus from 1979 to 1981 - is in utterly superb order on clean, well-presented bodywork. The interior is picked up in a handsome red upholstery that looks plush and welcoming, while all instruments are clean and legible.
Underneath, everything is clean and well-presented - a beautifully kept machine indeed that we think will attract plenty of interest.
Full engine rebuild completed as part of the restoration
Gearbox cleaned and checked by PNM Engineering
Full mechanical overhaul carried out
The vendor states the car is mechanically in fine fettle, with everything either replaced or rebuilt
While Lotus dealer Bell and Colvill had been offering turbo conversions for the S2 Esprit from as early as 1978, the Essex Turbo Esprit was the first factory car with a turbocharged twin-cam. This dry-sump lump is one of the most celebrated bits of kit ever fitted to a British sports car. Colin Chapman's philosophy of reduced weight made for a smart-handling, visceral sort of machine when coupled up to it, with a 0-to-60 in 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph. Plenty to write home about!
This example has been thoroughly rebuilt, cleaned and inspected - now perfectly capturing the spirit of these cars as they would have been on the reveal at the Royal Albert Hall. It's a car that deserves plenty of admiration.
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