1988 Lotus Esprit Coupe

Description

The Giorgetto Giugiaro styled Esprit was Colin Chapman's first serious attempt at building a supercar capable of taking on the likes of Porsche and Ferrari. First unveiled as a concept car at the Turin Motor Show in 1972, it would be another four years before the first customers took delivery and the Esprit received a considerable publicity boost thank to the 1977 James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me", with Roger Moore taking to the sea in one that became a submarine. Although it looked every inch the futuristic Italian-styled supercar both inside and out, the Esprit remained true to Lotus' philosophy of building lightweight car with small-capacity engines and handling inspired by the racetrack. For 1987, the Esprit underwent a major redesign, this time with English designer Peter Stevens, who also penned the McLaren F1, responsible for the styling. The lines were successfully updated with a softening of the sharp edges, allowing for more interior space, while comfort was increased with an updated instrument panel and ventilation system. Mechanically, the Stevens cars matched the specification of the last Giugiaro machines, with the high-compression 2.2 litre producing 128kW with the turbo version making 160kW.