Vehicle Description
Sometimes you just know you'll be the only one of your kind at the
car show. This 1998 Lotus Esprit V8 SE has smart engineering,
exceptionally low mileage, and a turbocharged V8. And while the
Lotus name is prestigious, this has just enough obscurity to draw a
crowd wherever it goes.
There's something timelessly cool about the Esprit. It goes beyond
the Hollywood glamour of watching James Bond turn one into a
submarine, or Richard Gere picking up Julia Roberts. Its wedge
shape was revolutionary when it first came out, and then was
allowed to evolve into elegance over the Esprit's three-decade run.
This model is from final design progression and arguably the
sleekest of the bunch. The lightweight fiberglass body carries no
chrome, but you won't miss it with the clean, shiny silver paint
that perfectly complements the OZ Racing alloy wheels. The mileage
(averaging under 950 annually) indicates this is a cherished
vehicle, but you also know that from the fit and finish of the
whole presentation. It's truly a supercar of distinction.
Stepping into a Lotus is a real sports car experience. It envelops
the driver and passenger with tall and deep leather bucket seats.
Most of the interior components are mounted low to give the cabin
an airy feel, and the sunroof adds even more room. The tallest part
of the dash is in front of the driver so that there is enough space
to read the full set of crisp VDO gauges. Not only are the readouts
improved over the previous years, but Lotus also added comfort to
these later Esprits. So this benefits from welcomed features like
power windows, power mirrors, an AM/FM/CD stereo with premium
Alpine audio, and factory air conditioning (will need serving to
blow cold.) This is even has the upgraded safety of a driver's
airbag.
The powerhouse is what truly makes this car special. Lotus really
knew how to get the most out of four-cylinders, but for a lucky
few, they doubled that. The V8 is a Lotus engineered design. So it
was made to be a twin-turbo machine, too. This upped the power to
350 hp, but that's not the whole story. Lotus has always been best
at a featherweight frame, and that gave the Esprit V8 SE a
power/weight ratio close to the Porsche 911 Turbo. And while the
German had a bit of a handful with its rear weight bias, the
mid-engine Esprit really knew how to carve the pavement. Anyone who
has taken one of these on the curvy backroads instantly falls in
love with the harmonious feeling between the race-inspired
suspension, five-speed manual transmission, and four-wheel disc
brakes.
The sale comes complete with owner's manual. There were less than
1,500 of these produced, which proves a Lotus is for the few who
know the difference a lightweight super sports car can really make.
Are you distinguished enough to be in this exclusive club? Call
today!!!