Makes › Lotus › Esprit › Esprit Turbo "Essex" Commemorative · Rare specification · 1980–1981 Ultra Rare
Lotus
Esprit Turbo "Essex" Commemorative
Dry-sump turbo Esprit in Essex Petroleum livery celebrating Lotus F1 sponsorship.
Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 45 Built
- Years
- 1980–1981
- Engine
- Turbocharged DOHC 16-valve inline four, dry sump (Lotus Type 910) · 2,174 cc / 2.2 LFactory: 2,174 cc
- Power
- 157 kW / 213 PSFactory: 210 hp · converted
- Top speed
- 241 km/hFactory: 150 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Giorgetto Giugiaro (Ital Design)
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The Essex Commemorative introduced the turbocharged Type 910 engine to the Esprit and celebrated Essex Petroleum's sponsorship of Lotus in Formula 1. It was the first Esprit Turbo and one of the fastest cars of its class at launch.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Factory package productionbuilt in Essex colours incl. prototypes (c.100 to Essex Commemorative spec in total) | 451 | 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
Developed from late 1977, the car was launched in February 1980 at the Royal Albert Hall and shown at Geneva in March 1980, with deliveries from August. It was tied to David Thieme's Essex Overseas Petroleum Company, Lotus's F1 sponsor in 1980–81. Lotus planned 100 cars, but slow sales led it to offer other colours: only 45, including prototypes, were finished in Essex livery and around 100 were built to Essex specification in total. After Thieme's arrest in March 1981 the Essex specification was dropped from April 1981.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard Esprit Turbo "Essex" Commemorative.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Turbocharged DOHC 16-valve inline four, dry sump (Lotus Type 910)2 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 2,174 cc / 2.2 LFactory: 2,174 cc2 Independently researched |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 157 kW / 213 PSFactory: 210 hp · converted2 Independently researchedSource states bhp. |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Five-speed manual (Citroën)2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| 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 | 1,148 kgFactory: 1,148 kg2 Independently researched |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 241 km/hFactory: 150 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.
Essex cars wear Monaco Blue with chrome and red stripes, a scarlet ruched-leather interior, a roof-mounted Panasonic stereo console, a 170 mph speedometer with boost gauge, and three-piece 15-inch Compomotive wheels. Bodywork includes a full-width front spoiler, side skirts, louvred rear hatch, integrated rear spoiler and large wraparound bumpers. The engine is a dry-sump 2174cc Type 910 with a Garrett T3 turbo and Dellorto carburettors.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
Guide: Lotus Type 82 Esprit Turbo Essex Commemorative | Supercar Nostalgia Level B
- 45 built in Essex colours incl. prototypes (c.100 to Essex Commemorative spec in total)
-
2
Guide: Lotus Type 82 Esprit Turbo Essex Commemorative - a Historical & Technical Appraisal Level B Ben Tyer · Supercar Nostalgia · 2020-01-02
- turbocharged all-alloy inline four, dry-sump lubrication
- 2174cc
- 210bhp at 6250rpm
- five-speed manual gearbox from Citroën
- Kerb weight 1148kg
- Top speed 150mph
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