Lotus Esprit är en sjuhelvetes sportbilsklassiker som trots James Bond-exponering och ett brittiskt sportbilsarv under huven, fallit lite i glömska till favör för andra 70/80-talsklassiker som Ferrari Testarossa, Lamborghini Miura och sen även Countach och Porsche 964. Nu avser restomoddarna på Encor på att förändra detta, dock, och har precis visat upp smygbilder på den kommande S1:an som kommer att byggas i 50 exemplar och kosta strax över fem miljoner kronor.
Modifiedrides:
"The original Lotus Esprit first appeared at the 1975 Paris Motor Show and quickly became an icon of 1970s sports-car design. To mark that 50-year milestone, boutique builder Encor has unveiled the Series 1: a restomod that blends the wedge profile of the original with modern engineering and daily usability. Rather than recreate the earliest mechanical layout, Encor bases the Series 1 on the later Lotus Esprit V8. The donor platform brings a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V8 that Encor has reworked for higher output and improved drivability. Early briefings stress the team's focus on smoothing power delivery and addressing the weaknesses of Esprit's historic gearbox. Chassis and handling changes are expected to include revised suspension, upgraded brakes, and modern tyres calibrated to the increased performance.
• Key details (preview)
• Model: Encor Series 1 (Lotus Esprit restomod)
• Engine base: Twin-turbo 3.5-litre V8 (Esprit V8 donor)
• Materials: New carbon-fibre body (replaces fibreglass)"
