The Lotus Esprit is still out there, folks, and despite its relatively low price of entry for a real-deal period supercar, owners are always willing to invest heavily in their upkeep. As someone who obsesses over receipts and documentation, it’s incredible to me how often we see listings like this one here on eBay for a 1989 Lotus Esprit SE, which is listed for right around $30,000 and just recently enjoyed a $10,000 service. Owners seem to lavish these cars with attention despite the fact they reliably sell for under $40,000 when their peers from the same era are regularly pulling significantly more than that. Is the Lotus Esprit underappreciated, or are the heady maintenance bills a sign of why they’re still affordable?
There’s likely no correct answer to that question. Old sports cars require a fair deal of upkeep, no matter the marque. Engine-out servicing is not uncommon whether it is a Ferrari 308 or a Porsche 911. The Lotus may have the same requirements, but it doesn’t have the same price tag. The question is, does that lower cost of entry make the stubbornly high maintenance costs worth it? When it was new, magazine editors reported blistering acceleration for a car with under 300 horsepower, thanks to its low curb weight. No joke, the Esprit was faster to 60 than both the Lamborghini Countach and the Ferrari Testarossa when new – that’s some impressive performance chops considering the value of each car in the present market.
The SE trim unlocked a variety of upgrades, most significantly performance-wise. The induction system was revised, exhaust back pressure was reduced, and the fuel injection was re-programmed. This gave drivers of SE examples a 36 horsepower increase over the base model. Other tweaks include the air-to-liquid intercooler which likely gave it the biggest gains in terms of all-out performance. Taking heat out of the engine bay and transferring it to a heat exchanger is the easiest way to explain it, and all the various cooling components, including the A/C compressor and oil coolers, are part of a massive radiator assembly in the nose of the car. I’m sure the Lotus engineers ensured maximum weight balance was achieved with this system up front and the engine mounted mid-ship.
Since the Esprit was a hand-built car, build quality varied greatly from vehicle to vehicle. This is part of the Lotus experience, where you inevitably found various mechanical components and body panels needing adjustment. The interior of this Esprit looks quite tidy for a driver, and while there are flaws, none of it will be too difficult to repair. The Lotus team saw the contemporary 911 Turbo as its primary opponent, which should tell you something about its performance capabilities and what a bargain it is today. With $10,000 in engine-out service done, you’re in a good position to enjoy this Lotus for some time before the next repair bill hits.
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