1977 Lotus Eclat

The Lotus Esprit X180 was in production from 1987 to 1993. It was a two-door coupe with two seats. Styled in-house by Peter Stevens, it is a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive car.

Developed on a budget, the Lotus Esprit X180 was the result of Lotus’s failing fortunes in the early 1980s. Having been involved in the DeLorean project at a time when wealthy drivers were looking toward more prestigious brands, Lotus was unable to productionise its Etna concept or its planned new Elan. The only option was to reskin the Esprit for the 1980s and 1990s. Peter Stevens was issued the brief, to make the new car look appealing at the lowest possible cost.

By rounding off the sharp edges Stevens made the Lotus Esprit X180 look wholly different – a redesigned rear end improved visibility and engine access, while rounder lines improved aerodynamics.

New money courtesy of a General Motors takeover meant the X180 could be productionised rapidly, and it was launched in 1987. Engines remained unchanged, as did the excellent chassis. The public and press took the new car to their hearts, and Lotus set to developing uprated versions.

The SE derivative used modified ignition and an intercooler to boost power to 265bhp – an engine also used on the lower-trimmed S version.

The Sport 200 model was derived from the American X180R – a model produced to commemorate the Esprit’s success in the IMSA Bridgestone Supercar Championship. With 300bhp and various racing appointments, these are now the most sought-after of all X180 Esprits.

The Lotus Esprit X180 retains the previous S3’s Type 910 slant four 2.2-litre engine, which can trace its roots back to the mid 1970s. This is coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox, mounted as part of a transaxle. The turbocharged derivative was continued unchanged too, producing 215bhp at launch. The later SE derivative produced 265bhp courtesy of a new fuel injection system and a charge-cooling intercooler.

Unsurprisingly, the Lotus Esprit X180 drives well. It’s tight if you’re tall, though if you fit you’ll find it a lot of fun. The 2.2-litre engine is brisk in naturally aspirated form and plain fast as a turbo – and as it’s mounted in the middle, weight distribution is spot on. You find it easy to place, and hugely pointable. There are few faster ways to travel for the money.

Mechanically they’re competent, as long as you adhere to 24,000 mile cambelt intervals. Fans can also fail – leading to overheating, head gasket failure and sunken liners. A recent clutch is a useful bill to find – replacement takes 11 hours and necessitates the removal of the transaxle. As with all supercars, the service history should be full and comprehensive for any Esprit you might want to view.

Steering racks can also wear rapidly, a combination of a small rack and wide wheels. Exhaust manifolds can crack, as can the paint – GRP flexes while the paint doesn’t. Fortunately, the chassis is fully galvanised so you needn’t worry about corrosion.

The most desirable production Lotus Esprit X180 is the SE Turbo, as the most powerful iteration and the plushest-trimmed. The lower-spec S Turbo is less desirable, but is still more prized than the naturally aspirated derivative. The rare 300bhp Sport 300 special edition is the most desirable of the lot, but with so few made you’ll have trouble finding one.

The earlier Lotus Esprit offers similar thrills with a more angular shape, while other alternatives might include the TVR 280i, Porsche 944, and possibly even the Ferrari 328. Lotus’s own Excel offers more practicality within a similar shape.