1976 Lotus Esprit – Project Profile

Is it lazy to pick a Lotus Esprit from the Car & Classic listings and then start making James Bond references? Yes. Yes it is. Or at least, it would be if we were shoehorning those references onto a car that was wrong. The Esprit was, after all, built from ‘76 to ‘04. It would indeed be lazy journalism on our part if the car was anything other than a ‘76, as per the car that was made a legend in 1977’s spy romp, The Spy Who Loved Me. It’s a good job then that we are indeed looking at a ‘76, and that’s very special indeed.

The car found its way into the movie thanks to some very clever, some might say spy-like circumstances. You see, there was already a relationship between the producers and Aston Martin. However, Colin Chapman saw potential in his own car, the new Esprit. He thought James Bond would look rather good in such a machine. He didn’t try and schedule a meeting though. Instead, he arranged for an S1 Esprit, but without a single badge fitted, to be parked outside the producer’s offices. When they saw it, and were understandably agog, they wanted it. But of course, they had no idea what it was. They had to find out themselves. Bold, brave and risky, but it worked. 

Of course, the Esprit is more than a movie star. It’s a proper, bona fide sports car, too. Lotus teamed up with pin-sharp pensmith, Giorgetto Giugiaro to come up with that cutting edge design, while Lotus worked its magic on the chassis. The car was nothing short of a revelation in terms of the way it handled. It was, quite rightly, a huge success for Lotus, though there’s no denying that watching it get shaken, not stirred, on the big screen helped with sales just a tad. 

What is it? 

As the vendor states, it’s a highly original and numbers matching 1976 S1 Lotus Esprit. Why’s that special? Because this is genesis for the Esprit, where it all started. This is ground zero, the epicentre, and with it, the purest model of Esprit there is. This is a pure translation of Lotus’ vision for a sports car. It is, historically, a very special machine.

The Esprit was designed to take over from the brilliant, but ultimately ageing Lotus Europa. Furthermore, while the Europa was an excellent car, thanks to the perfectly tuned Lotus suspension and mid-mounted engine, it was a bit of an odd-looking duck. Lotus needed something more ‘of the time’ and with the help of Giugarro, the Esprit would be it. Sharp, chiseled, low and wide, the Esprit would go on to be a benchmark in sports car design. Low, light thanks to the fibreglass body but stiff thanks to the steel spine chassis, it was and still is an outstanding machine. 

Why is it a project? 

Well, the main issue seems to be that this particular Esprit is very much in kit form, so it needs putting back together. However, there is good news in that the chassis and engine have been completed, and by the looks of things, to a high standard. The work includes new shocks and springs, bushes, bearings, brakes and more. The engine has been given a fettle too, with the carbs having been completely rebuilt by the current owner – which will save you a massive headache.

The body needs work, apparently. There is some minor damage here and there. However, the body is still the original gel coat orange, meaning the car has actually never been painted (the colour was part of the moulding instead). As such, you could look to paint the car, which would be relatively easy. We’d go for white, for obvious cinematic reasons. 

Five things to look for:

1) The Body

As mentioned above, there is some minor damage to attend to. However, be aware that fibreglass can crack and weaken over time if not stored correctly. As such, you need to closely inspect it for any areas that may need repair, as you’re going to need a specialist. 

2) Parts

As we always say, when you’re looking at a car that is being bought in kit form, spend some time going through the parts. Missing general fixings are fine, but you want to make sure the Lotus specific stuff is all there, as that’s going to ramp up the spend.

3) Chassis

The work to the chassis appears to have been done to a very high standard, but the vendor admits that it was done by a previous owner. As such, it will pay to check it all properly and satisfy yourself that the work has been done to an acceptable standard. 

4) Wheels 

The Wolfrace alloys supplied with the car are, make no mistake, gorgeous. They’re also specific to this model, so make sure they’re free from damage or repairs – finding another one will not only be expensive, it’ll be difficult.

5) Licence 

If you’re looking to buy this car, you need to make sure you’ve filled out a VK1LL form the .gov website. This will, subject to checks, secure you a licence to kill. You can’t own this car without one unfortunately. 

What should you do with it? 

Look, the body needs a bit of attention. Yes, it looks great in orange, but you’re going to have to paint it realistically. So go on, paint it white. You have the screen correct wheels, you have the same model of car, and honestly, who doesn’t want to live life like James Bond? It might seem a little cliche, but it’s not. It would be a wonderful homage. This is top tier stuff, this isn’t painting an old Transit black with a red stripe. People, yourself included, will love it. But more than that, you’ll have an iconic Lotus Esprit.