1983 Lotus Esprit Turbo |

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1983 Lotus Esprit Turbo

Sold Price

£27,799

Mileage~44,740
TransmissionManual
Engine2.2L
LocationMacclesfield

SOLD

1983 Lotus Esprit Turbo

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Paul Wright

With a claimed top speed of 152 mph - the Turbo Esprit was the first true supercar for Lotus.

Launched in 1976, the Esprit was designed by Giorgetto Guigiaro alongside Colin Chapman. The Series 1, or S1 Esprit, was fitted with a 1,973 cc four cylinder engine, producing 160 bhp. The wedge shaped fibreglass body was mounted to a steel chassis, with the engine directly behind the occupants. This drove the rear wheels via a Citroen C35 5-speed manual gearbox. Praised for its handling, the S1 was a force to be reckoned with on the twisty bits.

The S2 was launched just two years later, with a revised body that included cooling ducts behind the rear quarter windows, and the rear lights from a Rover SD1. There were also changes inside, with wider seats and individual gauges giving a more racy feel to the cabin. The bhp remained the same, but there was an increase in torque.

It was in 1982 when this particular model we have here was released, the Series 3 or S3, with a new 2.2 litre engine and a turbo option to top it off. The body was refined again with larger bumpers, more aerodynamic, and the large Turbo Esprit decals to the front and sides. The underside was not left untouched with a new chassis and new suspension that helped the Turbo Esprit to become a true supercar.

Matthew has covered just a few thousand miles since 2008, and has decided to let someone else have the pleasure of owning this true '80s Supercar.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Paul after meeting Matthew the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

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8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

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We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

A true petrol head, Matthew purchased the Lotus back in 2008 to satisfy his nostalgic urge - and has enjoyed every minute since.

Matthew purchased the Lotus after always being a fan of them since he first set eyes on one. The car came with a good background, and having had an engine rebuild with photos to document, this made a nice addition to the history file.

With the car purchased, it’s safe to say it has spent more time being admired from the outside rather than being driven, which can be seen from the MOT history.

This is what has brought on the sale of the Lotus, simply the lack of use, and Matthew would now rather see the car being used by someone.

Matthew

Vehicle Owner

Matthew saved £4,860* when they
sold their Lotus with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

The Lotus is finished with the beautiful Essex Blue - which sets off the '80s vibe just perfectly.

Wheels and Tyres

The BBS Mahle wheels fill the arches just as they should, and the condition of the wheels we would say is really good. There are a couple of scuffs to the rims of the front wheels, and there’s one Lotus logo missing from the centre cap of the rear wheel.

The tyres are all Pirelli with a good amount of tread remaining ready for the new owner.

Bodywork

The bodywork on the Lotus looks to be in excellent condition with just a few age related chips here and there, as you would expect for this age of vehicle. There is some very slight cracking to the finish on the front bumper, as often seen on fibreglass parts, although no paint has come off.

The louvered rear window is in excellent condition with no obvious signs of any cracking. The doors look to align as well as you would expect, and they open and close nicely. The same can be said for the bonnet and boot.

Please see the gallery for more detailed images.

Paint

Essex Blue was the choice by Lotus for this Esprit Turbo, and what a choice it was! It suits the car perfectly, highlighted with the red pinstripe and Esprit Turbo decals, just so everyone can see exactly what just passed them.

As mentioned, there are a few chips and the odd light scratch, some of which could be easily touched in or polished out. There are some stone chips to the lower edge of the wing, again these could be easily touched in. The door mirrors do have some satin black paint which has started to flake off, an easy Sunday afternoon with a rattle can would address this issue.

Please see the image gallery for more detailed shots.

Glass and Trim

The windows are all in excellent condition, with no obvious scratches or chips which we could see at the time of our visit. The trim around the windows is all in very good order apart from one piece on the windscreen passenger side that just needs resealing in. Around to the side windows, and these again are in good order with no real signs of the seals shrinking or perishing.

The very cool '80s pop up headlights go up and down perfectly with no damage to the lenses. The indicators and side lights are also free from any cracks. The same can be said for the rear lights.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Red leather graces every inch of the Esprit - the Lotus has still retained the leather smell as you open the doors.

Seats and Carpets

The seats in the Esprit are in excellent condition with, amazingly, no wear to the bolsters, (usually with such low seating you do get some wear). Finished in red leather everywhere from the door cards and dashboard to the seats.

The carpet is in black and in good condition with just a small hole in the driver’s heel pad. Up above, the headlining is the original, which does have some very light dark spots on it. Matthew has tried to get these out but can’t. That said, they are really light and unless you were looking up for them you wouldn't notice them.

The front storage compartment houses the spare wheel which is all present and correct. Under the engine cover is a rear storage area and, obviously, the powerhouse of an engine. The internal engine cover is in place and in good condition.

Dashboard

The red dashboard matches the seats and has no signs of any noticeable damage. The instrument binnacle wraps towards the driver to ensure they can keep an eye on everything without moving their eyes too far.

The gauges are all reported to be working as they should, with the odometer displaying a reading of just ~44,740 miles.

Moving down, the centre console, again in more red leather, holds the Alpine head unit and just below are the heater controls mounted on the Turbo Esprit panel.

Please see the interior gallery for more detailed shots.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheel is in good condition with just some light shining to the outer edge of the rim, which we would say matches the mileage. The Lotus horn push looks to be in good condition.

The gear knob is made from wood and in nice condition, with the shift pattern showing 1,2,3,4, o\d and reverse.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

2.2 litre, turbocharged '80s boost, manual, rear wheel drive - there's nothing more to be said, other than this is going to be fun!

Engine and Gearbox

The 2.2 litre turbocharged Lotus engine produces 210 bhp and 200 lb-ft of torque, which is fueled by twin 40 DellOrto carburettors.

The car starts up just fine. With a tickle of the accelerator, the twin carbs clear their throats and the engine purrs away with a smooth burble. There are no untoward noises to be heard coming from the 2.2 litre.

The car is reported to drive really well and it pulls through the gears with ease. The gear change is firm but precise.

Suspension and Brakes

The car sits nice and level, and the classic wedge shape is just pure retro, which looks fantastic.

There are no noises reported to be coming from the suspension or the transmission.

The car has been stood and does need a good run, just to clean up the discs. We can't see that being a problem, can you? Taking it out on a sunny day to clean up the discs, what a chore!

The Drive

Feeling five times bigger than it actually is, it really is like sitting in a race car, low seated, in a relatively small cabin with a 2.2 turbo stuck behind your head. There's definitely worse places to be.

The Lotus will always turn heads from people of all ages. It has the respect of both the young and old, and you will enjoy the attention it draws.

Electrics and Other

Everything in the car is reported to be working just as it should. The windows operate correctly. The instruments are all working as they should too.

There has been an Alpine CD head unit fitted, along with some Focal speakers mounted to the door panels.

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History and Paperwork

With just ~44,740 miles on the clock, ~6,800 of those have been completed after an engine rebuild which makes this Lotus a sound investment too.

In 2005, the Lotus was sold to a TVR dealer with a damaged engine, as it was too expensive for the owner at the time to repair. The dealer had the engine rebuilt with new pistons, rings, a new cylinder head, valves and guides. Since then, the car has only covered approximately 6,800 miles.

Matthew has had his local Lotus dealer give the car a once over, prior to the sale, which has ensured everything is just as it should be, ready for the new keeper. The cost for this, including parts which are all listed in the history file, was £2,685.04.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and the vehicle is HPI clear.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
27.04.2021	Service	44,671
24.07.2016	MOT	44,399
15.05.2015	MOT	44,330
15.11.2012	MOT	44,271
12.07.2011	MOT	44,180
10.05.2010	MOT	43,573
22.09.2008	MOT	39,668
24.07.2007	MOT	39,243
03.06.2006	MOT	38,820

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Key Details

ModelTurbo Esprit
TransmissionManual
Reg. Date04.02.1983
CC2174 cc
Mileage~44,740
HistoryGood
ColourEssex Blue
Interior ColourRed
Interior TrimLeather
Chassis #SCC082910CHD11410
Engine #CC910829920476
MOTExpired
MOT ExemptNext Year
Road Tax ExemptNext Year
HPi ClearYes - clear
Former Keepers5
# of Keys2
LHD or RHDRHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
OwnedYes
Key FeatureCondition

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Seller : msanders73 Sale Date 30.09.2021

Post a comment or ask the owner a question about the car.

17 Comments

mobiledreams12

3 years ago

The MOT is showing as expired in 2017 via the online checker. Why did it not get a fresh MOT at the last service on 24-07-2021?

msanders73

Seller

mobiledreams12

3 years ago

Hi I honestly thought it had . One of the reasons I’m thinning my collection is the sheer amount of admin they cause ( I. Fact only reason ) if car meets reserve I’ll have MOT done at my cost . It will pass first time .

mobiledreams12

msanders73

3 years ago

Thanks, understood

mobiledreams12

3 years ago

please ignore

David Watkinson

3 years ago

Can you tell me has this car been driven up to 70mph for quite some time recently in its runs out and can you add a video of it driving and at speed please.

msanders73

Seller

David Watkinson

3 years ago

Hi David yes it has and beyond with no problems at all

msanders73

Seller

David Watkinson

3 years ago

Hi David yes it has and beyond with no problems at all sorry can’t add video before end of Auctions’s as in Porto

Alan Atkinson

3 years ago

Hi Matthew, same question as Scott really. Do you know what caused the engine to fail originally? There’s a very pronounced knocking coming from engine. Any ideas why?
Thanks
Alan

msanders73

Seller

Alan Atkinson

3 years ago

Hi Alan I can’t hear it as per previous reply car runs wonderfully

Scott

3 years ago

Hi Matthew, gorgeous looking Esprit. Can I ask about the ticking/clacking noise in the engine video? I see Oakmere had the head off so assume it’s not valves as they would have shimmed them. Wondering if it’s the manifold? did they mention any additional works to consider? Many tbanks

msanders73

Seller

Scott

3 years ago

Hi no they gave it a clean bill of health . I’m sorry but I can’t hear noise you refer to . Car runs wonderfully

BOMBER123

3 years ago

Hi is it the original colour both inside & out ?

msanders73

Seller

BOMBER123

3 years ago

Hi not sure , it’s clearly an Essex copy no evidence of any other colour

David

3 years ago

Hi what are the known faults apart from small areas of paint and cracking. When was the car last driven at any length on public roads?

msanders73

Seller

David

3 years ago

Hi no known faults . Last driven to Christopher Neil and back 3 months ago 50 miles and then 5 journeys of 10 miles two weeks ago . No problems at all .

swansea

3 years ago

Hi does the vehicle have a current MOT.

msanders73

Seller

swansea

3 years ago

Yes . Was fine at same time as service work by Christopher Neil . Around 9 months left .

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Vehicle Location

Macclesfield

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