Picture Of

Lotus Cars Esprit

Lotus Cars Press Release
The Lotus Esprit Cars is Colin Chapman's latest exotic 2 litre, mid-engined, two seat, high performance sports car incorporating many design features proven by a Team that designed and built the racing cars which, to date, have won more Formula One Grand Prix than any other motor vehicle manufacturer and has done so in less time than its principal competitor.

The Lotus Esprit Cars design and development programme has included wind tunnel testing at each stage to ensure maximum aerodynamic efficiency and stability. The Lotus Cars Esprit is powered by the highly successful 16 valve 2 litre, Lotus 907 engine which has set new standards of efficiency, power out-put and endurance. The five speed gearbox is designed to match the engine torque and vehicle weight, the installation of which follows current Formula One design practice giving optimum weight distribution. The gear change mechanism is both quick and precise.

The Lotus Esprit Cars, the body and interior of which was styled by Europe's leading stylist, Giorgetto Giugiaro, is manufactured utilising the very latest Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastic (G.F.R.P.) technology and incorporates many of the safety features proven in the successful Lotus Cars Elite which, in 1975, was awarded Europe's most coveted safety award, the Don Safety Trophy.

The luxurious interior is upholstered in washable fabric giving maximum comfort, warmth in Winter and coolness in Summer, Fitted head restraints and deep comfortable semi-reclining seats give the driver and passenger superb comfort and minimum fatigue. Command and information services are grouped within a three panel console, the left hand panel provides lighting control, the central panel houses the environmental controls. The electric windows are housed the central tunnel accessible to both driver and passenger. Twin fuel tanks give the Esprit a total capacity of 15 gallons and a crusing range of approximately 450 miles. A total luggage capacity of 7 cu.ft. is provided in the front and rear compartments.

Four powerful headlamps are fully retractable for aerodynamic efficiency and can be instantly raised electrically at the touch of a button. The large laminated windscreen permits superb vision and is swept by a Lotus Cars designed pantograph singe wiper system to give clear vision in the poorest weather conditions.

The primary safety design ensures that acceleration, handling and braking performance give a totally controllable vehicle under all conditions.

The secondary safety encompasses the structural design of body and chassis to afford the occupants a wide margin of protection in the event of a collision. The phenomenal impact qualities of glass fibre reinforced plastic (G.F.R.P.) plus the integral "safety cell" structure within the body shell of the Lotus Cars Esprit set new standards of passenger security.

The Lotus Cars Esprit, encompassing STYLE, PERFORMANCE and SAFETY with ECONOMY, truly represents TODAY'S CAR designed for TOMORROW.

Picture Of

Lotus Esprit Cars

Picture Of

Lotus Esprit Cars

The Lotus Esprit Cars was unveiled as the Silver Car concept at the Turin motor show in November 1972. Based on a Europa twin-cam chassis, it was developed to the point where the first Lotus Esprit Cars prototype was displayed at the 1973 Geneva salon. It was another three years before the first customer cars were delivered in 1976. Designer Giorgetto Giugiaro had wanted to call the car Kiwi, but Lotus Cars management was intent on a name beginning with the letter E, as is Lotus Cars tradition. A tawl through the dictionary came up with Lotus Esprit Cars, which it felt summed up the car's sprightliness.

The Lotus Esprit Cars S1 was produced from 1975 to 1978 in which time only 714 made it off the production line. Many of these were for overseas which makes this car very rare indeed.

Made famous in the 1977 James Bond film 'the Spy Who Loved Me'. Roger Moore drove the Lotus Esprit Cars in to the sea, where it then turned into a submarine. This one piece of Hollywood history turn the Lotus Esprit Cars into a schoolboy's fantancy.

This is a colour picture of the original Lotus Esprit Cars S1 tartan interior. Most Lotus Esprit Cars S1 have been retrimmed with non-original materials and the tartan look of the few first few Lotus Esprit Cars is very rare. For those looking to re-trim back to the original colours. This is how it should look. Finding the materials is another matter.