Rover V8 Conversion: 1978 Lotus Esprit

Lately, I have been on a bit of a Rover V8 kick. I like the engine because it’s one of those mills that has been used throughout multiple brands and eras, and the end result is a motor that has proven it is quite durable. It’s also borderline racy, making great noise and respectable power, all while enjoying generous support in the way of available parts and enthusiast groups. All of this comes to mind when looking at this slick 1978 Lotus Esprit here on craigslist, which was converted to Rover V8 power back in the 1980s. The seller has simply said he is taking offers with no price listed.

Thanks to Barn Finds reader Rocco B. for the tip. The Lotus Esprit has always been an underrated performer in the sports and exotic car marketplace despite spending a fair amount of time in the company of the greats. In 1985, it was hardly a surprise to see the Esprit mentioned in the same magazine roundup with the likes of the Porsche 911, Lamborghini Jalpa, and Ferrari 308. However, it never rose to greatness like those cars, and I’ve always believed it was because the marketplace couldn’t get over the fact that it had a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.

When it left the factory, the ’78 Esprit would have been running a punchy DOHC engine producing 160 b.h.p. and 140 lb.-ft. of torque; that number drops to 140 b.h.p. in U.S. trim. Just a sad number for a car that looked like this, and while every make and model was suffering at the time, you simply didn’t expect this out of a sports model. So, it’s hardly a surprise that someone decided to up the ante and drop in a 3.5L Rover V8, but it’s more difficult to pin down how much power it’s making. Rough math would indicate power jumped slightly to around 170 b.h.p. but torque would get a nice kick in the pants to about 200 – 210 lb.-ft. of torque, based on what different versions of this engine were producing at the time.

The whole car looks fairly well done in photos, with a clean interior, nicely upholstered sports seats and center armrest, and corresponding blue carpet. The bodywork presents well with a monochromatic finish and large aftermarket wheels. While there’s likely to be some flaws up front with regards to panel fit and paint, the starting point is at least encouraging. This Lotus has been listed for a while, so perhaps the ambiguity in the asking price is holding potential buyers back. What do you think – is this finally a Lotus done right with an engine fitting of its form?