While searching/working in our Lotus the Electrip-p: Lotus Esprit – as we continue the conversion to EV. We will upload pictures and videos for your delight soon. In the meantime, here are some cool facts about this amazing piece of art:
Built by Lotus from 1976 to 2004 at their Hethel, England factory. It has a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Our electric motor and batteries are in the back. Statistically, these models with the Lotus Elise/Exige, are among Lotus’ most long-lived models.
The Esprit was among the first of the straight-lined and hard-edge creased designs. These designs were sometimes wedge-shaped. They were polygonal “folded paper” creations of Giorgetto Giugiaro. He is a prolific and highly successful Italian industrial and automotive designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The Esprit’s backbone chassis was later adapted to carry the body of the DeLorean car. This car was another low-bodied, Giugiaro-drawn sportscar design. It featured sharp creases and a wedge shape. In 1978, the first updates led to the series 2. It included the 2.2 L (134 cu in) engine Esprit S2.2. Production continued until the 1982–1988 Series 3 and Turbo Esprit models. These models applied a 1980 Giugiaro designed aerodynamic and aesthetic restyling package.
The Lotus Esprit however, lived on through the 1990s, and into the 2000s. It received its first significant restyling by designer Peter Stevens, who also did styling on the McLaren F1. Stevens gave the Esprit overall softer lines and shapes. However, the car did not get a new series number. It is often just called the ‘Stevens Esprit’ or by its project number, the X180, made from 1988 to 1994.
In 1994, an official Series 4 Esprit was introduced. Designer Julian Thomson drew a further rounded shape. This was especially evident in the bumper sections and lower body of the car. Styling-wise, this became the most long-lived Esprit (1994–2004), only receiving its last changes, by Russell Carr in 2002.
After a 28-year production run, the Esprit was one of the last cars made with pop-up headlights. It was made together with the 5th generation Chevrolet Corvette.
And that’s how we fall in love with the Esprit… and the Elise and the Evora …
I think we are Lotus fans???? are you?. Comment, follow, write back or just stay tune for more in our Lotus adventures.
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