1981 LOTUS ESPRIT

Racing Lines Hampshire are delighted to present this Lotus Esprit Turbo, one of the most iconic British performance cars of the 1980s — a striking blend of Giugiaro’s razor edged design and Lotus’s engineering finesse. Presented here is a beautifully preserved Turbo model, with the early sought after “Dry Sump Engine”, a car that captures the spirit of Hethel’s golden era and remains one of the most distinctive and collectible Esprit variants. With documented provenance and the added bonus of being identical to the Lotus Esprit Turbo featured in the 1981 James Bond film “For Your Eyes Only” driven by Roger Moore.

The Esprit Turbo marked a turning point for Lotus. Introduced in February 1980, it elevated the Esprit from a lightweight sports car to a genuine performance contender. The significantly re-engineered Turbo model brought sharper acceleration, improved handling, and a more refined driving experience — all wrapped in Giugiaro’s unmistakable wedge shaped silhouette.

The Car

Supplied new by Lotus main dealer Norfolk Motor Company in Norwich and registered to them on 01 June 1981 for the first 6 months of its life. The Lotus was originally specified in Calypso Red with champagne leather being subsequently resprayed in 2022 to its current Copper Fire Metallic colour at a cost of £10500 during an extensive refurbishment between 2021 and 2023 by Stocks Sports Cars. The Lotus has been retro fitted with the rare and desirable overhead Panasonic music system that was a £600 option new and is fully working and sounds great.

In applying turbocharging to the Esprit Lotus went to great lengths to achieve drivability, performance and reliability so this car features;

• Revised steel backbone chassis and front and rear independent coil sprung suspension

• Upgraded brakes

• Uprated clutch and gearbox

• Revised cooling system

• Dry sump lubrication and stronger dished pistons

• An increase in engine capacity to 2174cc

Provenance and Condition

This Esprit Turbo comes with a large history file containing, invoices, old MOT certificates, back to 1992, the owner’s manual and a DVLA provided list of all owners before 1992. The history reflects consistent maintenance by specialists over the years with a period of owner maintenance after 2000 and a period off the road from 2008.

Extensively re-commissioned by Stocks Sports Cars between 2021 and 2023 with extensive mechanical work on the engine completed by RMS Ltd the Lotus specialist, the Lotus was acquired by its current owner in February 2023. Since then the Lotus has received further regular maintenance by Beech Hill Garage, the classic car garage in Berkshire with the last major service in June 2025 and minor work and an MOT done in July 2026.

This Esprit Turbo is presented in the condition enthusiasts hope to find as typified by

• Rare and correct fully refurbished 4-stud Compomotive alloy wheels correctly shod with nearly new matching period Pirelli tyres

• Clean, crisp panel fit on the body

• immaculate paint finish with well-preserved decals and Turbo badging

• Original interior with period-correct switchgear and a pleasant patina of use

• Strong turbo engine response

• Clean running with no temperature issues

• Confident braking

• Tight steering and suspension feel

• Additional documentation, magazines and sales brochures for the car

This Esprit Turbo feels cohesive and well cared for — a sign of proper maintenance rather than sporadic attention.

On the Road

The Esprit Turbo offers a uniquely engaging driving experience. The lightweight chassis, mid-engine layout, and turbocharged power delivery create a sense of precision and excitement that modern cars rarely replicate.

Steering is sharp, the chassis feels alive, and the car rewards smooth, confident inputs. It is a true driver’s car — one that delivers the analogue engagement enthusiasts seek.

The Lotus was highly rated in period as well as confirmed by articles in three motoring magazines from 1981 that accompany the car. Autocar and Motor carrying out full road tests of the Lotus Turbo Esprit while Car ran a back to back comparison with the then also current Ferrari 308 GTB. Reading these articles tells you all you need to know about how dynamically brilliant, fast and stunning looking the Lotus Turbo Esprit is. Motor referred to the Lotus as a “race bred guided missile” praising it as a driver’s car par excellence and Autocar labelled the performance as “uncanny” and the road behaviour “exemplary”. While Car magazine concluded that “if you need a super-fast machine for high-speed continental dashes” the Lotus was the car to buy.

Conclusion

This Lotus Esprit Turbo is a beautifully presented example of one of Britain’s most distinctive performance cars. This example’s condition, provenance, desirable Dry Sump Engine configuration and rare Copper Fire Metallic colour, only 5 RHD cars were supplied by the factory in this colour, place it among the more compelling Esprit Turbos available today. Add in the “Bond factor” and this really is a desirable car.

Presented by Racing Lines Hampshire, this Esprit Turbo is ready for viewing at our premises near Petersfield