Highlights

Matching numbers car with fully rebuilt Type 907 2L 16V engine
The last registered of 16 UK-market Series 1 Esprits in Colorado Orange
Superb hand-crafted interior using materials from the same mill as originals
Intensive 15-month £40,000+ restoration by specialists and the vendor
One of 50 Esprits at invite-only 2025 Classic Team Lotus 50th Anniversary Garden Party
Featured in the March edition of Absolute Lotus magazine
Advisory-free MOT valid to August 2027

The Appeal

Some cars are a serious labour of love, and, as a buyer, it is these ones that you hope to find. Defined by depth and detail, they have been restored, maintained and improved with care and passion. This glorious Series 1 Esprit encapsulates that idea completely.

The vendor tells us that he had always wanted an Esprit and bought the car as a restoration project in early 2024. He quickly set out to renovate it in time for the 2025 Classic Team Lotus 50th Anniversary Garden Party. This once-in-a-generation event at Colin Chapman’s ancestral home of East Carleton Manor was also a celebration of the Esprit’s 50th birthday, bringing together 50 hand-picked cars and its designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro.

The resulting 15-month project cost over £40,000 and was completed by notable marque specialists and the vendor himself, an experienced mechanical engineer. He tells us that he worked on the car every day during that time, clocking up thousands of hours. This included fully rebuilding the matching numbers 16V Type 907 engine and even teaching himself to sew to complete the magnificent checkered interior you see in the photos. His approach is evident in his sourcing of the cabin materials from the same mill that produced the original factory trim.

Every area of the car has received attention. Work has included a replacement refurbished chassis, supplied by a renowned Esprit guru, and a full £15,000 GRP body renovation and repaint in original Colorado Orange by Spyder Sportscars.

That colour will be important to Esprit aficionados. Just 16 Series 1 cars were finished in that evocative colour, including at least one launch-year press car. This one was the 14th built and the last to be registered, initially as a dealer demonstrator supplied to Cathedral Garage by Bell & Colville. It is identical to the car famously featured on Salvage Hunters and also to the press car - both lack an aerial. That tantalising detail opens up many possibilities…

Since appearing at the Party, the car has featured in the March 2026 issue of Absolute Lotus magazine. Included with the sale is the exclusive commemorative T-shirt, available only to participating owners and personally signed by Giugiaro himself, along with the Lotus Certificate of Vehicle Provenance, extensive restoration invoices and the magazine in which the car appears.

Showing 66,500 miles on the odometer and approximately 2,000 miles since the restoration was completed, the Esprit comes to market with a voluntary advisory-free MOT valid to August 2027. We seriously doubt an early Esprit with this provenance, condition, and depth of renovation is currently available. With these cars currently garnering serious attention, this is one not to miss.

History and Paperwork

UK home market RHD example
Produced at the Hethel factory in September 1976
First registered 20th April 1977
Chassis number 175G, the 73rd of 268 S1 Esprits built for the UK market
Supplied new via Bell & Colvill Ltd
Subsequently used as a sales demonstrator by Cathedral Garage Ltd
Purchased by the current owner in February 2024 as a non-running project
15-month restoration with documented expenditure exceeding £40,000
Approximately 2,000 miles covered since restoration
Lotus Certificate of Vehicle Provenance included (no longer available to purchase)
Exclusive commemorative T-shirt signed by Giorgetto Giugiaro included
Extensive restoration invoices and photographic documentation
Voluntary MOT valid to 10th August 2027 (no advisories)

The Condition

GRP bodywork corrected and professionally resprayed in correct Colorado Orange by Spyder Sportscars (£15,000)
Chassis refurbished by Esprit specialist Matt Oxley
All components powder-coated or vapour-blasted as part of the restoration
Wolfrace slot mag wheels with nearly-new Nankang tyres
Interior retrimmed in period-correct red tartan with green cloth
Orange carpets suite with exterior paintwork
All interior materials sourced from the same mill as the original specification
Interior hand-stitched by the vendor, who taught himself to sew for the purpose
Italian Veglia instrument dials
Electric windows
Period-correct Motorola stereo fitted with a Bluetooth upgrade
We're informed that the underside is in very good order, as shown in the photographs
The vendor describes the car as presenting very well throughout
Current MOT with structural or other advisories

When you consider just how good this Colorado Orange Series 1 looks, it’s a wonder so few were built when new. It does explain their appeal now - it is one of the most desirable colours. This car left the factory in this colour, and its current presentation is the result of Spyder Sportscars' £15,000 GRP renovation and repaint.

This car’s appeal doesn’t end with that evocative paintwork. Inside, there is a simply fabulous red, green and orange cabin, trimmed in the same checkered fabric material as the factory cars. It is hard to believe that the vendor created it himself, teaching himself how to sew for the purpose. The quality of the work is impressive and easily stands up to close scrutiny.

With sparing use since the build was completed, this car presents just as it did the day its designer cast eyes over it at the Anniversary Party last year.

The Mechanics

Fully rebuilt 1,973cc 16V Type 907 DOHC four-cylinder Lotus engine
Five-speed manual transmission
Matching numbers engine fully rebuilt by the vendor
Stainless steel exhaust system
We're informed that no component was left untouched during the restoration
The vendor reports no faults in the approximately 2,000 miles since completion
Current MOT with no advisories

Summary of mechanical work:

New pistons and liners fitted
Crankshaft professionally checked, polished and reground (0.010" all over)
Conrods checked for reconditioning
Cylinder head skimmed and reconditioned
Valves and seats welded, refaced and machined, followed by a vacuum test
Damaged cylinder head threads repaired with two M8 x 1.25mm Helicoils fitted
Water pump fitted with new repair kit
New wiring loom

BRM engineer Tony Rudd’s Type 907 engine, used in this Series 1, is one of the most innovative and influential of the last 60 years. It was the world's first mass-produced, all-alloy, 4-valve-per-cylinder dual overhead cam production engine and powered 900-Series cars up to 1999. Aside from the car’s evocative looks, it is a key reason to buy an Esprit.

The vendor is a qualified mechanical engineer with a close eye for detail. Since buying the car in early 2024, he has thoroughly overhauled the mechanicals and running gear. He says no component was left untouched, and judging by the time and money spent and the photos, we’d have to agree. The engine is the original factory unit and has been thoroughly rebuilt, mainly by the vendor but with any necessary work such as head skimming and crankshaft regrounding outsourced to specialists. A summary of the work is provided above.

Since completion, the vendor has covered around 2,000 miles, so it is lightly but carefully run in. For added reassurance there is a long voluntary MOT with no advisories.

BEFORE YOU BUY

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