1981 | Lotus Esprit Turbo

James Bond's company car, an absolute success and the fastest Lotus in the world at the time. First presented in 1980 in London's Albert Hall and from then on, revised models followed regularly and at short intervals. Thus, after just a few years, the simple S1 variant was replaced by the S3 Turbo variant, the top model at the time. Equipped with a 213 hp 4-cylinder in-line engine topped with the Garret T3 turbocharger. An absolute sports car that didn't have to hide from the competition, quite the opposite. In various comparisons, it left its competitors Ferrari, Porsche and Co. behind. With its 213 hp and maximum torque of 271 Newton metres, it reached a top speed of 235 km/h, incredible for the time. It completed the 0-100 sprint in just 6.7 seconds. Over the years, this Esprit S3 Turbo has found a loving home with various Lotus fans. It was first registered in Germany in 1994 and from then on spent its life exclusively in Germany and Switzerland. All German letter entries and invoices to date are available. Over the last few years, various work has been carried out on the vehicle, including replacing the cylinder head gasket, engine mounts, timing belt tensioner and fuel hoses. A total of just under €7000 was invested, all work is verifiable. Now we come to the highlight, the engine. This Lotus was one of the first turbocharged cars and was born with the rather vulnerable dry-sump engine. Now, as was inevitable and not uncommon at the time, the engine was damaged. Instead of rebuilding the original, the owner decided to install the much better and, above all, more durable HC engine variant. The abbreviation HC stands for "High Compression" and referred to the biggest change in this engine, the compression ratio. But that's not all, in 2022 an engine overhaul worth €10,100.00 was carried out, meaning that this Lotus has been in perfect technical condition since 2022. A full folder and photo documentation document all the work carried out. A total of €30,800 has been invested in this Lotus over the last 15 years. A current valuation report with the overall condition 1- from 2023 is available. The Lotus was already a well-equipped sports car from the outset. The velour interior provides a feel-good atmosphere across the board. There was also air conditioning and a stereo system. The later models were fitted with one-piece BBS aluminium wheels (cross-spoke) as standard, giving the car that classic 80s charm. The low seating position and the flat windscreen give you the feeling of being in a real racing car.

The five-digit odometer shows 68,000 miles. Since the engine and turbocharger overhaul, the car has only been driven around 1,000 kilometres. The Lotus is offered on behalf of a customer in Bottrop, Germany, with photos of the overhaul, service documents, spare parts receipts and German registration.