Why is the Lotus Esprit not appreciating in value??
Discussion
I'm all in favour of talking the prices up!
I've wanted a Turbo Esprit since I was 11. The original cars as per For Your Eyes Only were, for me, the coolest cars on the planet in 1981. Ferraris may have had more cylinders but well, the Esprit had something called a Turbo that made whistling noises and produced turbo boost. It was space age, F1 tech in the early 80's. The initial run of Essex cars had a stereo in the roof. Not even Lamborghini offered such an outlandish, aviation inspired, vision of the future. A tiny number of cars post the Essex run also spec'd the roof stereo but it was a £1000 option and FM only radio reception, back when there was no FM! To date I have only seen one, a white 1981 dry sump Turbo with full red leather and air con and 22,595 miles on the clock. I bought the car straight away and without driving it. I bought it purely as the fulfilment of a childhood dream and for the way it looks. In fact, it remains the only Giugiaro Esprit I've driven. Any driving pleasure would merely be a bonus. But it turns out it rides beautifully and handles with a poise and precision that really is years ahead of its time. The Citroen/Maserati gearbox on early cars is terrific too. Much more precise than the later Renault box. Performance is as you would expect - Sierra Cosworth plus a bit more. It won't turn your hair white like an Exige V6 can but it's indecently rapid for a 1981 car. I'll wager a 308 feels nowhere near as impressive now. It's surprisingly quiet for a sports car that predated the catalytic converter, the pedal box is tiny (they made it bigger for later cars) but the fixed-back puffer jacket seats are as comfortable as they look. Overall the biggest disappointment was the turbo lag, or rather, the total lack it. For a 1980's Turbo and Lotus's first attempt at turbocharging a road car I was looking forward to some catastrophic lag. Alas, a measured linear swell that keeps pulling all the way towards 7000rpm is all you get. For comparison an original Audi Quattro, some 5 years newer, that I got to know quite well offered precisely bugger all of anything below 3,000 rpm and even less above 5500. It was comically funny in between though.
The market is still quite small for Esprits. But the best examples are so rare and tend to sell fast. If someone put an Essex up for sale it would be snapped up in days and for record money. It's been years since I've seen one for sale. Same goes for the very best S1, S4s and Sport 300. They are all cars on most Esprit owners' wish lists. Sport 350 prices have really firmed up in recent years but it's still in the shadow of the Sport 300. Dry Sump Turbos are more sought after now. For years all anyone wanted was the Turbo H.C. Right now the best dry sumps can command slightly stronger money. Having parked next to an HC recently I can confirm the dry sump cars sit lower. Particularly on Compomotive wheels with Goodyear lettering in white, the look has something of the swagger of Team Lotus, not long after winning the '78 Championship, strutting its stuff with a road car. Perhaps the McLaren MP412C would be the modern equivalent? The Turbo Esprit was Colin Chapman's shot at the big time. He even had the audacity to charge more than the 308's list price for them in 1980. The dry sump Turbo also remains the last road car Colin Chapman was directly involved with. For those that don't know dry sump Turbos are commonly identified by black bumpers, black wing mirrors, large graphics, rear louvres with a single support at the rear and do have a lower ride height but you'd need to park next to a more recent Giugiaro Turbo to notice it. The stickers were criticised for being a bit garish back in 1980 but they never looked as good with the smaller graphics to me. I see the bold graphics as a reflection of Lotus at their most confident.
I've wanted a Turbo Esprit since I was 11. The original cars as per For Your Eyes Only were, for me, the coolest cars on the planet in 1981. Ferraris may have had more cylinders but well, the Esprit had something called a Turbo that made whistling noises and produced turbo boost. It was space age, F1 tech in the early 80's. The initial run of Essex cars had a stereo in the roof. Not even Lamborghini offered such an outlandish, aviation inspired, vision of the future. A tiny number of cars post the Essex run also spec'd the roof stereo but it was a £1000 option and FM only radio reception, back when there was no FM! To date I have only seen one, a white 1981 dry sump Turbo with full red leather and air con and 22,595 miles on the clock. I bought the car straight away and without driving it. I bought it purely as the fulfilment of a childhood dream and for the way it looks. In fact, it remains the only Giugiaro Esprit I've driven. Any driving pleasure would merely be a bonus. But it turns out it rides beautifully and handles with a poise and precision that really is years ahead of its time. The Citroen/Maserati gearbox on early cars is terrific too. Much more precise than the later Renault box. Performance is as you would expect - Sierra Cosworth plus a bit more. It won't turn your hair white like an Exige V6 can but it's indecently rapid for a 1981 car. I'll wager a 308 feels nowhere near as impressive now. It's surprisingly quiet for a sports car that predated the catalytic converter, the pedal box is tiny (they made it bigger for later cars) but the fixed-back puffer jacket seats are as comfortable as they look. Overall the biggest disappointment was the turbo lag, or rather, the total lack it. For a 1980's Turbo and Lotus's first attempt at turbocharging a road car I was looking forward to some catastrophic lag. Alas, a measured linear swell that keeps pulling all the way towards 7000rpm is all you get. For comparison an original Audi Quattro, some 5 years newer, that I got to know quite well offered precisely bugger all of anything below 3,000 rpm and even less above 5500. It was comically funny in between though.
The market is still quite small for Esprits. But the best examples are so rare and tend to sell fast. If someone put an Essex up for sale it would be snapped up in days and for record money. It's been years since I've seen one for sale. Same goes for the very best S1, S4s and Sport 300. They are all cars on most Esprit owners' wish lists. Sport 350 prices have really firmed up in recent years but it's still in the shadow of the Sport 300. Dry Sump Turbos are more sought after now. For years all anyone wanted was the Turbo H.C. Right now the best dry sumps can command slightly stronger money. Having parked next to an HC recently I can confirm the dry sump cars sit lower. Particularly on Compomotive wheels with Goodyear lettering in white, the look has something of the swagger of Team Lotus, not long after winning the '78 Championship, strutting its stuff with a road car. Perhaps the McLaren MP412C would be the modern equivalent? The Turbo Esprit was Colin Chapman's shot at the big time. He even had the audacity to charge more than the 308's list price for them in 1980. The dry sump Turbo also remains the last road car Colin Chapman was directly involved with. For those that don't know dry sump Turbos are commonly identified by black bumpers, black wing mirrors, large graphics, rear louvres with a single support at the rear and do have a lower ride height but you'd need to park next to a more recent Giugiaro Turbo to notice it. The stickers were criticised for being a bit garish back in 1980 but they never looked as good with the smaller graphics to me. I see the bold graphics as a reflection of Lotus at their most confident.
Edited by The Pits on Wednesday 19th November 18:19
MJK 24 said:
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.
kiseca said:
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.
Speaking as an Esprit owner, I completely agree.F328s are easier to drive, more comfortable, have a far nicer interior, a superior gearbox and are generally better finished.
They also cost £75,000 for a nice one.
Turbo Esprits are dynamically the Ferrari's equal, are far more involving to drive, are more visually arresting and generate a much more enthusiastic reception from the public.
A comparable Turbo Esprit might fetch £25,000.
My subjective opinion of their respective engines might be a little contentious. I thought that the Ferrari V8 sounded terribly disappointing and dare I say it, felt a bit gutless.
The Esprit's snarly twin cam and punchy power delivery is surprisingly engaging, though hopeless if the turbo isn't spinning.
There's a good reason why F328s are more expensive. Ferrari is a better brand than Lotus and the 328 is a better car than a Turbo Esprit.
But I am a Lotus enthusiast, so will forgive the Esprit most of it's failings. I prefer the underdog. The sheer audacity of the Lotus is hugely appealing.
The fact that my Esprit is worth 50 grand less than a 328 just makes the damn thing even more attractive.
Thanks Pits for a good post and good photos 
I was too young for the 'For Your Eyes Only' effect, but I remember loving the looks as a child and has an S4S and a Sport 300 on my wall as a teenager. A kind Lotus salesman also let my sister and I sit in the driver's seat of an S4S and I've yearned for one ever since. I'm now on my second Lotus and who knows, I may get an Esprit one day Like you, I came to them as a child for their looks, but my first drive was after I'd raced for a while and driven quite a lot of cars, and it was a huge cherry on the cake to discover that they, along with all Lotuses rode and handled better than anything else on wheels.
I was too young for the 'For Your Eyes Only' effect, but I remember loving the looks as a child and has an S4S and a Sport 300 on my wall as a teenager. A kind Lotus salesman also let my sister and I sit in the driver's seat of an S4S and I've yearned for one ever since. I'm now on my second Lotus and who knows, I may get an Esprit one day Like you, I came to them as a child for their looks, but my first drive was after I'd raced for a while and driven quite a lot of cars, and it was a huge cherry on the cake to discover that they, along with all Lotuses rode and handled better than anything else on wheels.Pat H said:
The sheer audacity of the Lotus is hugely appealing.
Quite right IMO. One of the most stunning British sportscars of all time.I guess another car with Lotus content and even lower market appreciation is the Jensen Healey. Should have been one of the greats IMO but rare as hens teeth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jensen-Healey
Apparently more of them were built than Esprits! 11,000 Lotus-engined Jensen Healeys built in 4 years compared with 10,000 Esprits built in 30 years!
Lovely pictures, The Pits.
The first Esprit I saw was a Turbo Esprit at a motorshow in Johannesburg in what would have been 1980, 81, thereabouts. First time I had seen a Countach was there too. I already loved the Countach but the tiny Esprit just blew me away, it just looked so fast and agile and compact and purposeful.
I've wanted one ever since then. The Fast Lane reviews of the SE rekindled my want, but to date the only Lotus I have ever sat in was a red SE on a Kyalami club day. Still loved it.
One day I will have one, I don't mind if it's a Giugiaro or a Stevens, I just hope prices don't rise too much before I can get my hands on it.
The first Esprit I saw was a Turbo Esprit at a motorshow in Johannesburg in what would have been 1980, 81, thereabouts. First time I had seen a Countach was there too. I already loved the Countach but the tiny Esprit just blew me away, it just looked so fast and agile and compact and purposeful.
I've wanted one ever since then. The Fast Lane reviews of the SE rekindled my want, but to date the only Lotus I have ever sat in was a red SE on a Kyalami club day. Still loved it.
One day I will have one, I don't mind if it's a Giugiaro or a Stevens, I just hope prices don't rise too much before I can get my hands on it.
Ah yes the Goodyear in white. Vital.
They look even better with Compomotive wheels. My car has BBS wheels currently but is in the process of being 'Compomotived' at ridiculous cost. But it's a special car so I'm doing it properly. I've had new suspension parts manufactured and because the rear 4 stud dry sump hubs are so impossibly rare, I've had to get those made too. It's one of things you hope your wife will never find out about!
However because Goodyear don't make the correct sized NCT tyre (235/60 rear) I will be making a Goodyear stencil for my set of new Pirelli P6s. The Goodyear tyres in the shots are 30 years old! Many people use a more readily available 225/60 rear now but it just doesn't quite have nail cartoonish, dragster look.
They look even better with Compomotive wheels. My car has BBS wheels currently but is in the process of being 'Compomotived' at ridiculous cost. But it's a special car so I'm doing it properly. I've had new suspension parts manufactured and because the rear 4 stud dry sump hubs are so impossibly rare, I've had to get those made too. It's one of things you hope your wife will never find out about!
However because Goodyear don't make the correct sized NCT tyre (235/60 rear) I will be making a Goodyear stencil for my set of new Pirelli P6s. The Goodyear tyres in the shots are 30 years old! Many people use a more readily available 225/60 rear now but it just doesn't quite have nail cartoonish, dragster look.
Oilchange said:
Correct, they must have put a universal joint in the column in mine because it isn't cocked over but in the earlier ones I've sat in they are.
The instrument binnacle isn't cocked over but canted toward you at each end, you can't see the rhs of it in the pic.
Also, mine (S4) has a foot rest next to the clutch.
Hmm, I can't help but feel that would change the steering ratio a it as you turn the wheel. I wonder what the solution is!The instrument binnacle isn't cocked over but canted toward you at each end, you can't see the rhs of it in the pic.
Also, mine (S4) has a foot rest next to the clutch.
The Pits said:
Ah yes the Goodyear in white. Vital.
They look even better with Compomotive wheels. My car has BBS wheels currently but is in the process of being 'Compomotived' at ridiculous cost. But it's a special car so I'm doing it properly. I've had new suspension parts manufactured and because the rear 4 stud dry sump hubs are so impossibly rare, I've had to get those made too. It's one of things you hope your wife will never find out about!
However because Goodyear don't make the correct sized NCT tyre (235/60 rear) I will be making a Goodyear stencil for my set of new Pirelli P6s. The Goodyear tyres in the shots are 30 years old! Many people use a more readily available 225/60 rear now but it just doesn't quite have nail cartoonish, dragster look.
They look even better with Compomotive wheels. My car has BBS wheels currently but is in the process of being 'Compomotived' at ridiculous cost. But it's a special car so I'm doing it properly. I've had new suspension parts manufactured and because the rear 4 stud dry sump hubs are so impossibly rare, I've had to get those made too. It's one of things you hope your wife will never find out about!
However because Goodyear don't make the correct sized NCT tyre (235/60 rear) I will be making a Goodyear stencil for my set of new Pirelli P6s. The Goodyear tyres in the shots are 30 years old! Many people use a more readily available 225/60 rear now but it just doesn't quite have nail cartoonish, dragster look.
I like the polished rims of the Compromotives, but they were only ever standard equipment on (some of) the early dry sump cars.
So I had my plain Jane BBS rims stripped and mirror polished, then painted the centres a slightly darker gunmetal colour with a rattle can from Halfords.
Back in 2002, the polishing only cost £30 for each rim, so I managed to get a huge improvement over the plain wheels for less than £130.
They aren't lacquered and need polishing with Solvol a couple of times a year to keep them sparkling. I've just bought the car back and the wheels are going to need a bit of work to get them perfect again.
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