Looking quite sad in primer and with a trashed interior, this 1978 Lotus Esprit is purported to be one of only a hundred or so “Champions”, or “Commemorative” editions made. The name signifies the company’s success in the 1978 F1 World Championship and originally wore a stunning color combo of black with gold accents. This car was torn down for a restoration that the seller now acknowledges they won’t get to. Find it here on craigslist in Miami for $20K or go here if the ad disappears.
The seller calls this a “Champions” edition, but I’m fairly certain he means “Commemorative.” These Esprits wore the classic John Player Special livery, one of the most recognized racing team colors ever created. The wheels on the car were painted gold and gold stripe ran along the car’s beltline with the words “World Champion” set into the doors via another sticker. The seller says the body “…was repaired and primed” many years ago but has been sitting unfinished.
Another tell-tale sign of the Commemorative edition is the handsome three-spoke steering wheel and gold cloth upholstery set inside the center of the buckets. Obviously, while it’s encouraging to see these rare bits still attached, the entire cockpit will need extensive restoration. Door panels, dash and carpets are all in need of replacement. I wonder how many years this Lotus languished under the south Florida sun.
The 1.9L Lotus 907 four-cylinder kicked out about 160 b.h.p. when new, good for a run to 60 in under seven seconds. This motor may look tired, but the seller claims they were able to wake up the Lotus last year after not running for two decades and that it ran well enough to make it around the block. There are lots of potential red flags here, but perhaps if the Lotus is as solid as the seller contends and the motor fires without too much work, it will be saved.
I like Lotus cars for their great handling and light weight, two things that Colin Chapman made sure about with any car that came from his shops. And Lotus has the silver cups from seven F1 championships to prove it.
Even the squared-off body design is OK, since a lot of carmakers were designing cars like that in the late ’70s and into the ’80s. But I just can’t warm up to that looong front overhang and the air-spoiler headlights on these Esprits. I’m guessing it still corners like a go kart even with that front end, tho.
I used to own number 44. It sat on my drive mostly dismantled for a couple of years before I sold it back to the guy I bought it from for less than $3k.
This was around 2005.
It was arguably in better shape in some ways than this one but was dismantled.
The interior as mentioned was a one off for this model in a very strange gold material. I was lucky enough to track down the actual original trimmer who (had) worked for Lotus and had actually trimmed my car back in the 70’s.
He still trimmed cars and had some of the original material in his possession. Plan was he would,trim them again for me but my first child was born and work/life/moaning neighbours meant it had to go but I really regretted that.
Guy I sold it to sold it on to someone who had restored another one. I tracked them down a few years ago and he said he was going to rebuild it eventually.
Hi Paul, how can i reach the trimming guy?
Hi Jack, I did fear someone might ask me that.
My recollection on how I found him is a little vague after all these years.
I am pretty sure I emailed some random trimmers and by pure coincidence he replied with the story by letter in the post, along with a sample of the Gold material. I know I have kept the letter it but I have moved house and it could be anywhere unfortunately.
When I realised I wouldn’t get around to restoring it and regretfully sold it on I filed it away.
In short I don’t think I can help right away but if you have time for me to locate it as i sort through things please do drop me an email at paulheat@aol.com and will come back to you when i find it. No promises but will do my best and sure I would not have thrown it out. One thing though, I suspect the gentleman is getting on now … would be in his 80’s?
This is one of my favorite Lotus models. It is so sad to look at the many fine cars that come to your site that have been so neglected. The price seems high to me.
@Scott. I don’t think they have been neglected, I think they became surplus to requirements and it was more trouble to move them on so they just got parked off until their owners died. Then the family have to do something with them as they can make use of the space, and then they end up as you say, neglected, on sites like BF. At least they are still with us and not gone to crushed classic car heaven.
Way overpriced. For 20k you can have a pretty nice espirit, and you can have a driver for a little over 10. The ones built in the mid 80’s have better galvanized chassis to boot.
This is a 2 or 3k car at best, and still not really worth it.
If that’s a true commemorative version. A restored car in the UK is fetching 40k GDP. Well worth restoring and the material is available from Fulchers the original trimmers.
Still my favourite car in terms of design…that they can be had for a reasonable price however, has always been a deterrent to me. I’ll likely never own one, out of sheer concern of poor reliability.
Personally I think this body style would look smashing in orange. I know it’s not the JPS livery colors but what the heck.
I’ve lusted for an Esprit for more than 30 years. Terrible reliability, a lack of parts, and lack of local service in the event of something I can’t fix myself have kept me away. That said, I do still watch the market for them. This one is priced only very slightly below what a decent example should be priced, and it needs absolutely everything. This is a 3-5k car tops.
Mario Andretti won the 1978 Formula One World Championship. To honor that win, Lotus built approximately 147 Lotus Esprit Commemorative Editions in 1979.
Each was black with gold wheels, gold stripes down the sides, and a number behind the side windows. Before the 1979 Long Beach Grand Prix, Colin Chapman presented Mario with Commemorative Edition No. 001. I have owned that car since 1999. Mario wanted his car to be built to European specs and its production was delayed, while other cars were being built. No. 002 and No. 003 were at Jamestown Motors in Long Beach. Arnie Johnson, later to become president of Lotus Cars USA, took the number 2 off 002 and replaced it with 1. So the car I own was 002 and 001 for the presentation! This was related to me by Arnie Johnson personally.
To get the rest of the story, google “jps ian lotus”.
I have met Mario on 4 occasions and had him sign the car.
I also have ridden around Charlotte Motor Speedway doing 180 in an open wheel race car driven by him. The REALLY exciting part was he did NOT slow down in the curves!
Lotus built 184 World Championship Commemorative Edition Esprits in total, the first was in November 1978 and the last in July 1979. 56 were built for the North American market. Mario’s car was number #014 but rebadged as #001 when delivered. It now resides in Japan.
James it looks as if someone changed the the World Champion stickers on yours, they are the wrong typestyle. This is what they should look like, taken when your car was presented to Mario by Colin Chapman.
Roo,
Could you get in touch with me at jamesstrickland@comcast.net?
Pretty sure you bought 002 from me in the late 90s. I recall you as being a very passionate owner and custodian who took great pains to complete the car’s provenance Glad to know it’s still in great hands!
Mario was driving. I could NOT slow him down.
I was turning 60 and he was turning 70. I figured this Had to be on the bucket list. I don’t think he is doing these rides with himself anymore except on the rare Indy 500 special occasions. I love speed, but I was scared to death when we hit 185 in the straights and he didn’t slow down in the curves! I was convinced we were going to die. I am glad I did it, but you could not get me back in the car at that speed with him for any amount of money.
Drove an open wheel racecar myself and did 140 at which it was governed and slowed down in the curves.
Rode with Mario and hit 185 and He did NOT slow down in the curves.
Commemorative Edition No. 002 at Fontana Lake, NC
I never had a parts issue with mine although I didn’t dig too deep into the restoration in the end before I moved it on.
Not checked if they are still there but I used SJ Cars over here in UK.
He had everything I needed.
Some of the parts come from other cars also so that helps.
Close friend with 002
Another friend with 002
James Bond Gala
Atlanta
March 007 2009
In it’s proper livery, brings back memories of mine. I do miss it.
The standard automotive oxymoron – “Perfect Lotus”. After owning a Europa S for many years, I had the disease. I so wanted an Esprit. Having been the co-owner of the Europa but having avoided the disease, my wife suggested that I had to choose between an Esprit and her. The Esprit couldn’t cook. I chose her. I have revisited that decision many times. Lotii are the most frustrating, unreliable, non-durable, expensive, and poorly designed cars that you will ever fall in love with. I still want one. $20K is too much money for this one in this condition. If you buy it, you will send at least that much to Dave Bean. You will have his technicians on retainer. You will wish you lived in Santa Barbara so you could visit your car in his shop. You will often find yourself calling friends to come get you. You will become friends with the flat-bed tow truck drivers. You will get notices that your credit cards are maxed out. You will miss your wife. But you WILL love the car. The disease is often fatal.
Best comment on BF in quite some time!
Lotus is like FIAT. People prattle on about how great they look, handle, yadda, yadda- but they are built with crap materials, worse craftsmanship than a shade-tree mechanics VW-based fiberglass “Futuristic” sports car vision (done in ’76 while smoking copious amounts of weed while listening to Foghat) and sellers are way to optimistic on what they’ll get.
Nobody every talks about how well the cars are running. Because they never do
On a positive when they do run at least they go round corners ok.
20k no freaking way. 2k maybe. Those cars where junk when they where new.
I have owned both a 1969 Europa S2 and 1989 Esprit Turbo the smother Stevens body. I have put large numbers of miles on both cars and while I have had trouble from time to time I have found that the engineering is both sound and very simple. The Europa is truly a delicate car with some flaws designed in that are able to be corrected.
The Esprit is a much better thought out design but also much more complex. This is especially true with the electrical system and pollution equipment. As with almost all exotic cars they use parts from mass manufacturers to both save time and costs. Joining a owners club will go along way to helping you to find those parts and to help with restoration.
What few realize is that these cars are Fiberglass and Structural Foam construction which gives them a much stronger and lighter body then even the much thicker Corvette. There is some surface damage but fixing that is easy. the hard part will be the interior. It is DAMM small in there. Remove the seats first thing as well as the door cards and all the carpeting and other soft materials. That will help some Remove the dash as well and then go to work
I think if this was just washed and had an interior wipe down it would go for a much higher price. I suspect that the present owner is taller than 6′-0″ and has realized he does not fit and as such no longer cares.
A Lotus can be reliable if cared for properly. I have over 150K on my Europa and about half that on my Esprit with only no operational break downs between them. One one the Europa a broken bolt, an electrical sensor that shut down the fuel injection on the Esprit. These cars do not take abuse well, but if tended to properly are enormously fun to drive. They are often mistaken for cars costing $100,000 or more an perform closer to those cars than many would admit.
A Esprit is not a perfect car but if looked after it can be a reliable car and in many ways it will be the closest thing to driving a race car that most will ever be able to afford. Having driven race cars I can assure you that is true.
Despite it’s condition and price, it must be good mechanically:
“the seller claims they were able to wake up the Lotus last year after not running for two decades and that it ran well enough to make it around the block”
Many didn’t make it that far when they were new :)
Is it just me or does this car look like total junk. I wouldn’t pay $5000.
it’s a pity, I always liked the Lotus Esprit. I’m ready or one
The Spy Who Loved Me. Back then I was in Junior High that year and we all wanted Moore’s Esprit
So many negative comments on here about Lotus and the price of this car. Price wise, its not bad when you consider the end value. For those with all the negatives. How many actually owned one. Yes they have their faults, but so does a brand new 70k Porsche. Most older cars now have had he gremlins fixed. Buy one, Try one, then comment.
Like the Porsche Boxter, all the complainants couldn’t afford ANY model Porsche, let alone a Boxter.