The Lotus Esprit is the Europa all grown up. The car was conceived in 1971 when Giorgetto Giugiaro and Colin Chapman met to discuss two new projects – one to replace the Elan and one to replace the Europa. Giugiaro designed a new mid-engine closed car using the “folded paper” concept of hard-edged linearity that had become popular in the 1970s. Influenced by another Giugiaro design, the Maserati Boomerang, it sat on an elongated Europa chassis and its engine was evolved from the twin-cam four-cylinder used in the Europa, now displacing 1973 cc’s. The Esprit was built in several series, with collectors viewing the rare Series 1 as the “pure” form of this car, despite its questionable competence. Here on eBay is a 1977 Lotus Esprit Series 1 with an asking price of $32,500. This car is at Kurt Tanner Motorcars in Santa Ana, California. Only ten driving miles have been accumulated since an engine-out service. While the title is stated as clear, we note the car is wearing a Great Britain license plate and the car has euro-style bumpers – a big improvement in the looks department over the US federalized version – so it may have been a Euro-delivery car.
The type 907 motor in the Esprit made about 140 bhp as delivered in the US, a significant downshift from the 160 bhp available overseas but still good for a zero to sixty time of around eight seconds. Completed motor work on this example includes a new belt, upgraded head gasket, ARP head studs, and a rebuilt water pump. The prior owner, a Porsche mechanic, performed the service. Detailed photos of nearly every component of the engine are posted in the ad. (Note to self: next time an engine is apart, repaint the dang rocker covers.) Mikuni side-draft carburetors replace the original Dellortos. The transaxle is Citroen’s five-speed C35, used in the SM and Maserati Merak. The brakes and a few other components have been rebuilt; the steering rack is new. The Esprit, like the Europa, handled very well thanks to a low center of gravity and well-developed suspension.
Early Esprits have puzzling interiors: some are velour in combination with corduroy seat inserts; others are leather; dashes were marcasite (aka mouse fur), and nearly none of the colors match each other from the dash to carpet to door panels to seats. The overall effect is like a scene from an Austin Powers movie. This car, however, has transcended the boudoir approach with beautifully recovered seats in leather, almost matching the door panels which almost match the dash. Details requiring attention include: the radio has no face plate, the rocker switch assembly on the console isn’t fitting correctly, and the Veglia green-faced gauges need to be centered.
The underside of this Esprit reveals work completed and work remaining, mostly in the way of cosmetic improvement. Fortunately, the seller includes extensive undercarriage photos – in fact, the entire photo suite is great, leaving little to the imagination. Prices for early Esprits have been on the rise now for several years. A nice example sold at Sotheby’s not long ago for over $40,000, and another comparable here sold for $33,000. Despite niggling cosmetic needs, I’d say this one is right on the money.
Nice car. Got to appreciate the cars into the ’80s as the go-to shop for the dealer in town. They got better every year with the final series the best with the V8 engines. They are on my list of just grab a chair and a beer and sit and look at it.
I’m English, and those are definitely not UK number plates. They could possibly be French though.
I’ve never got the appeal of running foreign plates like
this on a US spec car,unless maybe you picked it up in
Europe & then shipped it home.
In states like California,which require a front plate,
it gives a cop a reason to pull you over & issue a ticket.
I have both an Esprit and a Europa in my garage. When being designed, getting into and out of one of these cars by anyone other than an acrobat wasn’t even on the list of design issues…
Hi Tom I also have a garage filled with Lotus products an S-2 Europa and 1989 Turbo Esprit. I find them easy to get into but then I am 5′-8″ These days due to age, Gravity and a series of car accidents over the years. To those that have never been in any Lotus product they are cars you do not drive but wear as a tight suit. They can be very comfortable for long distance trips but I prefer them for in town work. They both have visibility problems the Europa being far worse than the Esprit.
The biggest problem for me is that everybody else on the road is bigger than you are and that includes many motorcycles. When your eye level is on par with the center of the wheels of an 18 wheeler and the top of your car is right at the bottom of a Corvette (C-4) or earlier windshield you have to know you are hard to see. Driving like everybody else on the road is trying to kill you seems like a very good idea. It has worked for me for the last 40 years that I have owned my Europa.
My problem is in the restoration. The engine compartment is not that bad but the interior forces you to bend and contort in ways that are most certainly not comfortable but may in addition be hazardous. LOL. When set up properly they are huge fun and again you are wearing the car as it soon just becomes a part of your thinking. I love both of mine but they are very different machines.
One of the two S2s we owned was destined to become a race car so we put a removable steering wheel on it which made getting in and getting out much easier.
Love the Series 1 cars, but this one will have to find a new home outside California. There is zero chance to get this one past the smog police unfortunately.
There has to be no finer feeling in the world. Than having to pull your engine to change the water pump, belts and head gaskets. Ah, to be rich…
They are not all that hard to remove the engine. I have done it more than once. A overhead trolly crane is advisable if you are going to do that. Of note that I should have pointed out earlier. A critical point of inspection is gas fumes. If you smell them at all then the gas tanks should be either replaced or repaired. Lotus put some foam on the bottom of the tanks to prevent drumming sounds and over time they tended to adsorb water and thereby causing the gas tanks to rust. THAT IS A MASSIVE PAIN IN THE ASS JOB. To the New Owner check that out first and adjust the price accordingly.
Nice project, just a pity the interior has been messed about with. That will be a 7k retrim. The cam covers should be Black and not Red, but a minor detail. Price is about bang on for a car requiring work though.
I luv these early cars, always wanted one, had a 69 Europa, wish i still had it. This looks like a great deal. They also have a Europa listed.
The u.k. left EU back in 31. January 2020 so UK plates have
not anymore the blue star circle at the left side.
Which is not mandatory on all plates in all member countries.
French plates measure 520x110mm and the double coloured
rear/yellow front/white where only applied from 1993 to 2006
first registrations. Vehicles after 2006 receive two white
plates with – free selectable – with/without region number on
the right side. Paris and Marseille use different number plates.
This here are souvenirs. Not road valid registration plates.
Someone used the vehicle type and sale number as number
plate. The seller (Tanner) could be an origin German as
only Germany uses the “H” capital on number plates for
old vehicles. (H=historic) Keep it simple as you can make
it complicate. Welcome to Germany.
Yes, messed up interior, side markers, pin stripes and
the valve covers.
Just good, but it drives. Seems a MG lover with Midgets
in a row. 15000$ estimated value as the first series not
have gap-and-panel-finish as the last series.