Makes › Lotus › Esprit › Esprit Sport 300 · Factory competition Extremely Rare
Lotus
Esprit Sport 300
Lightweight homologation-derived Esprit based on the X180R racer.
Still being researched: identification guide, full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Photo: Martin Pettitt · CC BY 2.0
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 64 Built
- Years
- Not yet verified
- Engine
- Not yet verified
- Power
- 225 kW / 306 PSFactory: 302 hp · converted
- Top speed
- 274 km/hFactory: 170 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Not yet verified
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The Sport 300 was a limited, high-performance Esprit built after General Motors acquired Lotus, with only 64 made. Its rarity makes it one of the most sought-after Esprits among collectors.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
Photos
Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.
Lotus Esprit Sport 300 (Wikimedia Commons: Lotus Esprit Sport 300)
Photo: Martin Pettitt · CC BY 2.0
Lotus Esprit Sport 300 (Wikimedia Commons: Lotus Esprit Sport 300)
Photo: Kieran White · CC BY 2.0
Lotus Esprit Sport 300 (Wikimedia Commons: Lotus Esprit Sport 300)
Photo: Martin Lee from London, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0
Lotus Esprit Sport 300 (Wikimedia Commons: Lotus Esprit Sport 300)
Photo: Martin Lee from London, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0
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02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionbuilt (initially planned as 50) | 641 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
Following GM's 1986 purchase of Lotus, the turbocharged Type 910 engine was developed further for the Sport 300 with a Garrett T4 turbocharger, an uprated charge-cooler, larger inlet valves and fuel injection. Output rose to 302 bhp, giving the car its name, with a top speed of around 170 mph and 0–60 mph in 4.7 seconds. Only 64 were built.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard Esprit Sport 300.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Not yet verified |
| Displacement | Not yet verified |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 225 kW / 306 PSFactory: 302 hp · converted2 Independently researchedSource states bhp. |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | Not yet verified |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 274 km/hFactory: 170 mph · converted2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350 V8 | The Market by Bonhams Level C
- 64 built (initially planned as 50)
-
2
1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350 V8 For Sale by Auction Level C The Market (Bonhams) · 2021-09-13
- a staggering 302bhp
- top speed now pushing 170mph
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