A few days ago, I had the wild thought that I should begin looking for a high mileage, first-generation Acura NSX. It occurred to me that there’s a small gap remaining where a car that knocking on supercar territory can still be had for under $65,000. In the same category there are cars like the Mazda RX-7, Corvette ZR-1, and this – the Lotus Esprit V8. While Ferrari F355s and Porsche 993s are going to go for over $100,000 from now until eternity, one has to wonder how much longer is left to buy a car like this 2000 Lotus Esprit V8 here on Facebook Marketplace for $69,999.

Now, let’s be real: there’s a reason this Esprit is being sold with a fresh engine rebuild. Lots of Trouble, Usually Serious is one of my favorite automotive acronyms out there, and these turbocharged V8s are known for being very hungry maintenance-wise. The looks are killer, however, and there’s a good reason for that, too: the Esprit V8 was designed by Peter Stevens, who also played a role in the development of the original McLaren F1 supercar. This iteration of the Esprit also represented the final fling of the original British supercar, which had been in production since the late 1970s.

One of the biggest improvements, in my opinion, was the interior. The original Esprit always looked like it was held together with bubble gum and scotch tape, whereas this generation of the Esprit looked like it belonged in the same category of some of the supercars mentioned above. A modern instrument cluster, deeply bolstered leather sport seats, an attractive steering wheel and gear shift, and door panels that looked like there were made out of something other than wet balsa wood and paper mache. The seller mentions the speedo has been replaced, so be sure to check on the accuracy of the odometer reading.

The engine bay is where the seller has spent much of his time, with the original 3.5L V8 – which pumped out a respectable 350 horsepower – freshly rebuilt with ARP head studs. Interestingly, the seller mentions the fuel tanks have been cleaned and new pumps installed, which makes you wonder if it was laid up for a spell and potentially prompting the rebuild once the seller got his hands on it. Personally, this feels like all the money for a car that likely has some stories in its past, but it may look like a bargain in 5 years or less. Have any of you ever driven the final era of the Esprit? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Chuck F. for the find.