The cover story of R&T’s 1981 January issue. With turbo power, this car has stepped into the big boys’ league.
The cover:
The Lotus future was bleak, but we didn’t know it yet. Anyway, read on:
Vintage Review: Lotus Turbo Esprit
– Posted on December 23, 2015
Wow! That interior is the brightest red I think I’ve ever seen. Lotuses will always be cool in my eyes though.
First thing I think of when I see this era Lotus Esprit – James Bond car!
I’ve never warmed to Lotus cars, especially these really angular ones. Poor quality, fibreglass construction, unreliable. Friend of mine bought an Esprit new and said within 9 months the little metal that was in the thing already showed signs of rust, then there were hideous leaks. (Why to British cars leak so much? Considering it rains there EVERY DAY weather sealing is one thing you think they could do well!). It’s the same old British car industry story – probably a good idea, half-baked execution, lousy build quality, low investment and not enough financial baking all topped off with a “let them eat cake” attitude to customers. Not for me!
I know a lot of the aero provides some form of functional benefit but to me every update to the Esprit since the S2 was worse and worse. The only thing stylistically I like about the Turbos was the extension/ductail spoiler that encases the awful looking SD1 taillight clusters(which stick out like the tacked on afterthought they were on the regular models).