1999 Lotus Esprit V8

Introduced for 1976, the Giugiaro-designed Lotus Esprit was the British brand's exotic-looking message that it was burying its kit-car legacy and moving into the big leagues. The fiberglass-bodied Esprit was very light, but the design seemed to promise more zip than the 140-hp four-cylinder engine could deliver. Lotus addressed the power deficit first by turbocharging the four-banger, which woke up performance through the 1980s. A redesign from the pen of Peter Stevens modernized the look in the late 1980s. But it was the introduction of the Esprit V8 in 1996 that finally put performance in exotic-car territory. The Lotus-designed twin-turbo 3.5-liter V8 used a flat-plane crankshaft design (like a Ferrari V8). The V8 belted out 350 horsepower and could blast the Esprit form 0-60 in just over 4 seconds and on to a top speed of about 175 mph. The V8 would stick with the Esprit until its retirement in 2004. This 1999 Lotus Esprit V8 offered here was a three-owner car. It belonged to the seller's deceased husband. A friend is assisting her with the sale. - the speedometer is not original and the miles shown on it, the title and AutoCheck report are not accurate. Lotus rated its 3.5-liter DOHC, 32-valve twin-turbo V8 at 350 horsepower when new, and its 295 lb-ft of peak torque arrived at 4,250 rpm, which was relatively low for an exotic.- the engine is original and that it cold-starts like new with no smoke. No leaks and weeps are reported. The five-speed manual transmission is said to function as designed. - the paint is original, with small blemishes upon close inspection and very small chips on the front of the car. The sunroof reportedly functions properly with no leaks. The glass, windows and seals are like new. The car has no leaks or rust, and all lighting functions as designed. - The leather seats appear to be in good condition, with minor creasing seen in photos. The seller affirms that the adjustments are in working order. The carpet and headliner are said to be in very good condition, and interior trim is affirmed to be intact. The power windows and locks work, as do the heat and A/C. It is not known if the Alpine CD stereo is original, but the seller reports that it works. As mentioned above, the speedometer had been replaced at some point. This car is equipped with a driver's side airbag. -- that the Lotus has never needed a suspension service, and the bushings and shocks are in good working order. The OZ Racing wheels show evidence of curb rash, but no vibrations are indicated. DOT date codes are not visible in photos of the Sumitomo HTRZ III tires.- no play and no leaks from the power-assisted steering. The antilock-equipped four-wheel disc brakes are said to function as they should. The seller is assisting the owner to get the vehicle listed online. Receipts since new will be provided. This 1999 Lotus Esprit V8 was built in the latter part of the Esprit's 28-year run, with a Lotus-designed and built twin-turbo V8 that put the model's performance on par with other exotics.- no known needs for this car.