This well-kept X180 might not be turbocharged, but that only leaves less to go wrong!
After years of uncertainty, isn’t it great to see Lotus on a path of apparent sustainability? New owner Geely is providing it with long overdue cash while seemingly remaining hands-off, using a tactic it deployed so effectively at Volvo. The intention is to turn Lotus into a larger volume brand fit for the future, but one that stays eminently true to Colin Chapman’s ethos. Hethel will remain obsessed with lightweighting, but brand boss Phil Popham said Lotuses will become more practical and, eventually, even electrified.
For those who dislike the idea of a Lotus laden with creature comforts and hybrid tech, let us not lose faith that Hethel’s engineers can continue to extract fantastic handling from more usable cars. Plenty have mixed such changes with brilliant dynamics in the past; think back to the Esprit X180 (referred to by its internal codename rather than a series number because it didn’t get one) that arrived after the Series 2 in 1987, for example.
It came with a significantly altered design, one that added a modern softness to the mid-engined wedge and was crafted by Peter Stevens, who went on to pen the Jaguar XJR-15 and McLaren F1, no less. And beneath the skin, the X180’s changes enabled better practicality from a larger interior. It was easier to get in and out of, easier to see out of and had a higher quality cabin. The structure was also 22 per cent stiffer thanks to the introduction of Kevlar, helping the X180 distance itself from claims of kit car-like build quality in earlier models. More importantly, it made the Esprit safer and gave this third-generation skeleton a rigidity boost that unlocked further talent from the underlying chassis. It re-cemented the Esprit among the very best sports cars of the day, including the 964 Porsche 911 and, from 1990, the Honda NSX.
The Esprit Turbo SE (Special Equipment) range-topper was pretty rapid, too. It used the 910 S turbocharged 2.2-litre four-cylinder outputting 268hp and 260lb ft of torque, with 280hp available on overboost. Admittedly, the extra hardware pushed the SE’s kerbweight up to 1,329kg, but the car had the legs to sprint from 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds and on to a top speed of just under 160mph, which ranked it right alongside the 964 Turbo of the day. For those wanting a more affordable package, Lotus also produced Turbo and S models, which used the same engine offering 218hp and 231hp respectively.
That being said, few would disagree that the Esprit X180 which stayed truest to Chapman’s adage, “simplify, then add lightness”, was the naturally aspirated model. Using the 912 2.2 four cylinder to produce 172hp, it could sprint to 60mph in a respectable 6.5 seconds and had a top speed of 138mph. With less pipework beneath its engine cover, the kerbweight was almost 100kg lighter than its boosted siblings and the car felt sprightlier for it. It reminded everyone that if you allowed Lotus’s engineers to develop something ‘pure’ like this, very good things would happen.
Today’s Spotted is a 1989 Esprit that fits the bill nicely. With 39,000 miles on the clock it’s no time capsule, but the Calypso Red car with cream leather interior looks to be in excellent condition inside and out. This being a non-Turbo example, there’s less to go wrong as well (remember the acronym Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious?), so you might imagine it would be a car capable of consistent use in the spring and summer months, be it for lunchtime drives to the village pub or even blasts along your favourite B-road. The last MOT was passed with no advisories in August 2018, providing further backing to that suggestion, if the apparent health of the car in the pictures is not enough.
The seller lists it as a future classic, although you might argue that such a status has long been applied to the Esprit. And with the upcoming changes at Hethel set to alter the company’s path for good, perhaps we’ll soon look back on this simple, pretty, Chapman-worthy model even more fondly.
SPECIFICATION – LOTUS ESPRIT (X180)
Engine: 2,174cc, four-cylinder
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 172@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 166@5,000rpm
MPG: 28
CO2: N/A
Recorded mileage: 39,000
Year registered: 1989
Price new: N/A
Price now: £19,950
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