Low mileage car with thick history file of ongoing and recent work
Desirable upgrades to Final Edition specification including rear light treatment and stainless steel dial surround
Refreshed paintwork and retrimmed interior with leather and Alcantara
350bhp Lotus-built V8 engine delivering 0-60mph in 4.4secs
Distinctive Azure Blue metallic bodywork in excellent condition
Many tasteful upgrades that improve the car but remain close to standard factory specification
Recent new clutch and flywheel, cambelts replaced and turbos refurbished
The Appeal
The wedge-shaped Esprit was a game-changer for the firm. It looked out of this world and it gave the tiny Hethel concern a supercar to rival those from Ferrari and Porsche. And of course, it proved entirely capable underwater too in the hands of a certain Mr Bond.
Lotus evolved the Esprit formula through four iterations over nearly 30 years, the final versions like this one gaining V8 power and a design refresh that kept the shape modern and contemporary.
This gorgeous Azure Blue, low mileage V8 is one of just 204 GTs built. It is largely factory standard but benefits from some carefully considered interior, exterior and mechanical upgrades influenced by the Final Edition Esprit models. The Esprit is a proper, hand-built, home-grown British supercar and this one has clearly been cared for. It oozes presence and capability and will surely entertain and delight any buyer in equal measure.
The History And Paperwork
First registered 31st December 1998
Purchased by first owner on 23rd October 1998
VIN confirms that this is a RHD 1998 Hethel built V8 Esprit Turbo
625th V8 S4 built
2 sets of keys and alarm/immobiliser fobs
Extensive service history including 17 stamps, most recently in June 2021 at 41,465 miles
MOT to June 2023 and has covered just 250 miles since the last test
Has covered just 17,000 miles since 2006
Factory hand books and service book included
Thick history file documenting significant ongoing maintenance including cambelts, clutch and flywheel, refurbishing the turbos, transmission flush and engine and gearbox mounts
The Interior
Very rare Esprit Sport 300 carbon fibre bucket seats retrimmed in magnolia leather with blue alcantara inserts and V8 stitching
Door cards follow theme of the seats with Lotus emblems
Esprit Final Edition stainless steel dial surround fitted
High quality Alpine digital sound system with ‘shark fin’ aerial
Mom leather steering wheel
Air conditioning fitted but requires regas
Factory V8 over mats
Sunroof bag and wind deflector included
The Esprit’s distinctive interior has been tastefully enhanced in this car with some clever upgrades drawn from the Lotus Esprit model range. The car has Esprit Sport 300 carbon fibre bucket seats which have been retrimmed in magnolia leather with alcantara inserts and V8 stitching. They are in excellent, unmarked condition with no obvious signs of wear. The Seller states that there is some light creasing and colour transfer on the driver’s seat but this is not immediately visible in the photographs.
The cream and blue theme continues to the retrimmed door cards which feature carefully stitched Lotus emblems. Factory V8 over mats are fitted.
The switchgear is in very good condition, with only minor indications of use, and largely standard except for the fitment of a high quality Alpine digital sound system, complete with shark fin aerial. The instruments are surrounded by a stainless steel panel as fitted to the Esprit Final Edition cars. An attractive Momo steering wheel, with just a light sheen of use, completes the driver’s view.
The Seller states that the air conditioning system works but needs to be regassed.
The Exterior
Striking Azure Blue metallic paintwork in very good condition
O>Z Racing six-spoke alloy wheels – 17inch front, 18inch rear – in unmarked condition
Pirelli tyres fitted at the rear and Yokohama at the front
Custom made spacers fitted to enhance the car’s low, wide stance
Final Edition Esprit quad rear tail lights fitted
Centre exit twin pipe PNM Sport exhaust
Sunroof
The clever 1993 refresh of the 30 year old Esprit shape delivered a car that seemed at once modern and even more of a supercar than the versions that had gone before. Wedgy and edgy it remained unmistakably a Lotus.
This 1998 car is finished in Azure Blue metallic, which the Seller says has been refreshed at some point but which presents in remarkable condition. It is nicely offset by those silver six-spoke OZ Racing wheels. Custom made spacers – 20mm at the back and 10mm at the front – enhance the low, wide stance of this distinctive car.
The lighting in the photographs makes assessing the condition of the bodywork a little harder but there do not appear to be any significant issues. The Seller states that there are some stone chips on the bonnet and other small marks around the car. We could only find two stone chips on the lower offside front of the car and a scuff on the nearside return edge of the front bumper beside the front wheel.
There are some tasteful improvements over the standard car to note. The rear lights have been switched to the quad lamp arrangement of the Final Edition cars and there is a centre-exit PNM twin pipe sports exhaust. The standard factory aerial has also been switched for the shark fin type with body colour finish.
The lovely OZ Racing wheels – 17in at the front, 18in at the back - are in unmarked condition. They are fitted with Pirelli rubber on the rear and Yokohama tyres at the front.
The two photos of the underside of the car do not suggest any issues and there were no structural advisories on the last MOT.
The Mechanics
3.5litre Type 918 Lotus V8 engine with twin turbos generating 350bhp
Mid-engined layout with rear wheel drive
5spd manual gearbox
0-60mph in 4.4secs
Last serviced at 41,564 miles (600 miles ago) in June 2021
Clutch and flywheel replaced in February 2022
Turbos refurbished in January 2022
Gearbox and engine mounts replaced in September 2018
Cambelts replaced
Transmission fluid and driveshaft leak rectified in January 2021
Air filter, injectors, spacers, fuel filters, oxygen sensor replaced or fitted in September 2022
PNM sports cat assembly and twin centre exit pipes fitted in July 2018 at cost of £1,200
All work during Seller’s tenure undertaken by Esprit specialist PNM Engineering
Two new fuel pumps, idle air control valve, plenum repaint and gaskets in May 2022
The heart of the mid-engined GT is Lotus’ remarkable Type 918 motor, which the firm developed from scratch for this model. Equipped with twin turbos it is capable of 500bhp but in the GT is rated at 350bhp. Still enough to propel this light car to 60mph in less than 4.5secs. Power is, of course, delivered via a 5spd manual gearbox to the rear wheels.
The extensive list of maintenance undertaken, particularly in the last two years, is testament to the ‘no expense spared’ approach of the Seller and surely provides considerable reassurance to any buyer. The work covers routine as well as preventative maintenance and includes refurbishing the turbos, replacing the cambelts, fitting a new clutch and flywheel and replacing the engine and gearbox mounts.
Other work has been more focussed on improving and upgrading the car, including that pretty centre-exit PNM sports exhaust that doesn’t just look good but sounds good too.
The Lotus service book shows 16 stamps, most recently at 41,464 miles in June 2021. During the Seller’s ownership all work has been done by highly reputable Esprit specialist PNM Engineering.
Summary
The V8-engined Esprit provided performance to match the drama suggested by the car’s 1993 makeover. Just 204 of the 3,600 V8s built were GT specification cars like this one and records indicate there are currently less than 40 on the road in the UK. So rarity is certainly guaranteed.
This low mileage car has been carefully developed to improve upon the factory specification, without sacrificing what was already brilliant about it. The result is a very distinctive car. It has clearly been maintained without expense as those service stamps attest and the thick history file of preventative maintenance work shows. Good looking, well maintained and very rare, this Lotus ticks many boxes and looks very desirable.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only. Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.
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