Why is the Lotus Esprit not appreciating in value??
Discussion
great post Junglehop.
i've only ever driven a turbo, but i suspect a NA S3 could be a lovely itch to scratch. Balance, poise, character.
Lower bills and less risk of over-stretching myself or the brakes...
Prices will continue to rise slowly, and at some stage they'll become 'hot'. No market is fully rational and has to catch up at times, the Esprit is in the wings...
i've only ever driven a turbo, but i suspect a NA S3 could be a lovely itch to scratch. Balance, poise, character.
Lower bills and less risk of over-stretching myself or the brakes...
Prices will continue to rise slowly, and at some stage they'll become 'hot'. No market is fully rational and has to catch up at times, the Esprit is in the wings...
Junglehop said:
What the hell! an Esprit Topic that I've missed!
....
They can be costly to run and ruin you but that harks back to the good car v bad car comment above. Plus most cars can haemorrhage money either way... The Esprit is a motoring icon and one that deserves its day in the limelight....but hopefully not before ive bought a few more!
Great post - fantastic read! ....
They can be costly to run and ruin you but that harks back to the good car v bad car comment above. Plus most cars can haemorrhage money either way... The Esprit is a motoring icon and one that deserves its day in the limelight....but hopefully not before ive bought a few more!
DonkeyApple said:
Here's a question: is it remotely feasible to fit an S2 shell to a late V8 model?
Possible, yes. The chassis mounting points and wheel locations are dimensionally very similar (a few mm here and there) although there would obviously be an element of fabrication required around the detail changes. But your biggest headache would be controlling engine temperatures. Even the V8 bodyshell is occasionally marginal in keeping things in check.I think you should start buying a few project cars and experiment.
While I'm thinking of it. In 2013 at the Lotus Festival at Brands, an Esprit Timeline was displayed. Here's a short video featuring an example of every Esprit from chassis no1 (the red car) up to a 2004 Final Edition.
Youtube clicky
Youtube clicky
Impasse said:
DonkeyApple said:
Here's a question: is it remotely feasible to fit an S2 shell to a late V8 model?
Possible, yes. The chassis mounting points and wheel locations are dimensionally very similar (a few mm here and there) although there would obviously be an element of fabrication required around the detail changes. But your biggest headache would be controlling engine temperatures. Even the V8 bodyshell is occasionally marginal in keeping things in check.I think you should start buying a few project cars and experiment.
Great post junglehop 
, I feel your pain looking at the S3, looks like a stunning example. Agreed they are probably the most overlooked Esprit at the moment. Galvanised chassis and better Turbo rear suspension are really worth having.
Esprits are addictive and unique to drive. Some do collect them. One guy I know of had 8 of them at one point!
6 would probably do me - a Monaco white S1, championship gold S2, Essex Turbo, brg Turbo SE, yellow Sport 300, silver Sport 350.
, I feel your pain looking at the S3, looks like a stunning example. Agreed they are probably the most overlooked Esprit at the moment. Galvanised chassis and better Turbo rear suspension are really worth having. Esprits are addictive and unique to drive. Some do collect them. One guy I know of had 8 of them at one point!
6 would probably do me - a Monaco white S1, championship gold S2, Essex Turbo, brg Turbo SE, yellow Sport 300, silver Sport 350.
Edited by The Pits on Monday 10th November 20:18
My Esprit in an old promo video for a classic car event
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emOP0m9Af98&li...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emOP0m9Af98&li...
Looks like someone else is a fan
https://www.facebook.com/classiccarsmagazine/posts...
He's got a point about the Countach comparison!
https://www.facebook.com/classiccarsmagazine/posts...
He's got a point about the Countach comparison!
iSore said:
The original Esprit looks so crisp yet so Roger Moore. The older the better IMO!
You say 'that colour' - is this the same as the example in For Your Eyes Only?
And some of the early ones had fantastic interiors - tartan fabric anyone? No? Then perhaps sir would like the ruched leatherYou say 'that colour' - is this the same as the example in For Your Eyes Only?
Edited by iSore on Monday 10th November 19:08
Ozzie Osmond said:
IMHO if Lotus were selling a desirable supercar today then Esprit prices would be through the roof. Compare the air-cooled 911s which command truly silly money.
Or compare to Ferrari 348 or Lamborghini Jalpha which do not command trulysilly money despite IMHO their respective manufacturers selling desirable supercars today.
The Pits said:
Just goes to show how little people care about handling.
If they did, you wouldn't be able to give air cooled 911s away and Esprits would be worth a fortune!
It's a very good point, and you only need to read PH to realise how much this is true. Appreciation (in both senses of the word) in the classic car world doesn't seem to be about driving, no, by my reckoning it seems to be mainly about looks, sound, reputation, fashion and trends in the modern car world. For example, 996 GT3 values were no doubt affected by the refinement of the 997 and 991 models and 964 RS values suddenly rose when Evo declared it the best driver's 911 ever. Even more obviously, when the 996 was announced as being water cooled, 993 values rose (despite the 996 handling better). Elise S2 and Elise S1 is a good example (again, despite the S2 handling better). Various appearances of the F40 in magazine tests, caused by comparisons with modern turbos when they started becoming common, the release of the Enzo etc raised F40 values, whereas beforehand the F40 was almost forgotten about and languishing in the low £100ks. There are lots of examples. I wouldn't be surprised if XJ220 values rose if Jaguar release a supercar, as the XJ220 gets wheeled out for magazine tests and the profile goes up. Even more worringly, the value of rare cars that aren't auctioned (therefore finding their price through demand) can be affected simply by people trying their luck at a high price: someone put a 205 GTi up for sale for £15k a few weeks ago and yesterday another one appeared! The same with the Lotus 2-Eleven: £30k was the going rate until someone chanced £40k on one, and all of a sudden several cropped up at £40k. This latter trend can be encouraged in classic cars because often people aren't that bothered about shifting the car so they'll try anything. The Esprit may rise if a new one comes out too, especially given the massive gap between values of the outgoing Esprit and the price point a new one will sit at.If they did, you wouldn't be able to give air cooled 911s away and Esprits would be worth a fortune!
I think people care about what they can enjoy in a road car when driving on a road rather than on a track. So feedback trumps roadholding and on the limit manners (Granted, Esprits are supposed to score well here, at least until it comes to the gearshift), sound and responsiveness trump ultimate power or performance, looks trump aerodynamic efficiency and cockpit form trumps function.
Even in a sportscar it's still about what bits can be enjoyed while in traffic. A good engine note, a rewarding gearshift action and a quality interior go a long way here, again granted I'm on thin ice here suggesting that an Esprit cockpit was low rent compared to its 328 and air cooled 911 contemporarie.
Even in a sportscar it's still about what bits can be enjoyed while in traffic. A good engine note, a rewarding gearshift action and a quality interior go a long way here, again granted I'm on thin ice here suggesting that an Esprit cockpit was low rent compared to its 328 and air cooled 911 contemporarie.
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