1984 LOTUS ESPRIT S3
The dream car for one very proud owner, this particular Esprit also boasts a fascinating show history. No wonder it’s a proper keeper…
‘Lotus’s archive confirmed that it was the show car.’
‘I absolutely love the way the Esprit looks and can’t help but admire it when I see it parked outside. I definitely won’t be selling it.
‘But this one also has something of a special background story because it was one of the cars that appeared on the Lotus stand at the 1984 British Motor Show that was held at the NEC. It was made specifically for the event and all of the cars on display featured the same pearlescent white paintwork and blue leather trim; it has a unique paint code of PO1 that’s only found on those cars.
‘I also discovered that it wasn’t actually registered until 1986 so I became intrigued by where it had been, and after some research I found out that it had been advertised in Motorsport News but it took a while for the supplying dealer to sell it. The first owner didn’t have it for long but the second owner kept it for 30 years and then traded it in with a restoration specialist, which is where I found it in 2016.
‘I’ve owned classics for around 20 years and always enjoyed TVRs, but fell in love with the Lotus as soon as I saw it. It was the ultimate car for me and I part-exchanged a TVR Tasmin for it. Researching the history was easier than I was expecting it to be and the Lotus archive confirmed that this was indeed the NEC show car. I’ve since found a number of articles and images of the car and also discovered that a second, identical Esprit was prepared for the show but it was mine that actually appeared on the stand.
‘I love the originality of this car, which was in superb condition when I bought it, so really it has just been a case of continuing the careful maintenance. I’ve recently had the cam belt changed as a precaution, but it hasn’t missed a beat apart from a couple of minor issues with the fuel pump and pop-up headlights. The mileage is just 72,000 and I only cover a few miles a year, although back in 2018 I took it to the Lotus 70th anniversary celebrations at Hethel, which was something very special to be involved in.
‘I don’t use it during the winter months but I’m careful to ensure that the engine is run on a regular basis, so I know that it will be in perfect order come spring.
‘This really is my dream car, and I’m thrilled to be able to own a part of Lotus history.’