1991 Lotus Esprit Turbo SE

Finished in Calypso Red with a Black hide interior, ‘H633 VCL’ is a 1991 Lotus Esprit Turbo SE that was used by Lotus Engineering as a test bed for the development of the 1992MY ‘high wing’ cars, for those in the know the SE, was a considerably more expensive and quicker than other derivatives

I should have clarified though this  was used for the development of the ‘high wing’ the rear spoiler fitted is a later spoiler and not the 1992 Esprit SE high wing that it would have been fitted with. Having had “thousands recently spent” on it following a decade off the road, the Lotus has a long and advisory-free MoT, something that’s been a bit of a habit having racked up no fewer than five on the trot.

The Chargecooled engine offers the driver access to 264bhp, with a whopping 280bhp available on overboost. This translates into vivid performance: spirited drivers will see 60mph come up in 4.7 seconds on their way to a top speed of 160mph.

The seller, who’s owned it since June, is an engineer and Lotus enthusiast who is working his way through the company’s back catalogue by buying good examples and making them better as he enjoys driving them.

His last classic was an Excel, which he sold to buy this Esprit. The previous owner had carried out a lot of work and our seller says he’s enjoyed continuing to fettle this rare Lotus, with just a few remaining items to complete this fabulous Esprit.

The VARI process for building the new Esprit’s panels, which was patented by Lotus, helped contribute to a body that was 22% stiffer than that of the outgoing model.

It also utilised Kevlar in the roof and sides for extra crash protection, and the result is a car with uncannily good panel alignment and shutlines, even now, 34 years after it rolled off the production line.

Red’s a great colour for a sportscar too, sending all the right messages while also being one of the easier colours to match should you need to make running repairs.

Yes, it has a tendency to fade in the sunlight but that fading can usually be remedied with T-Cut – not that this is a problem here as the Calypso Red, which the seller thinks is an older respray, shines evenly and brightly following a professional machine-polish.

The lamp lenses, including the rear ones Lotus pinched off the mid-eighties AE86 Toyota Corolla, are all good – and while we’re on the subject of lights, the headlamps not only rise and fall as they should but they have also been upgraded to expensive LED jobbies for better nighttime vision.

Oh, and it’s got yellow front foglamps for the win.

The SE also sits on Lotus-designed OZ Route alloy wheels. Finished in Anthracite, they are 15 inches in diameter on the front and 16 inches on the rear because, well, Lotus.

Refurbished in 2019, they are in a good condition being free of kerbing and other damage. However, the years have taken a (limited) toll as they show some light alloy corrosion and just a little flaking paint. This is not a big deal, but it is something you’ll probably want to remedy given how good the rest of the exterior is.

Their design allows the uprated red brake calipers to be seen behind them, which adds a touch of a flair to what are otherwise understated wheels.

Tyres are 255/50R16 Yokohama Advan Neova on the rear axle, and 205/50R15 Yokohama Advan Neova on the front.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

As a Special Equipment (SE) model it also received side skirts, Citroën CX door mirrors, and five ducts in the front air dam in addition to the glass roof we mentioned earlier.

Flaws are few. The SE-specific front air dam took a low-speed hit on a speed bump, so this will need repairing.

And while the paintwork does polish up well the seller is honest enough to admit that “it isn’t perfect” and has some very small microblisters on the front nearside part of the bumper and a chip on the nearside door “the size of a penny "​

Finally, some of the black finish to the door surrounds is flaking away.

The interior is very nicely finished, and if the ‘wood’ trim used on the dashboard is less than convincing, few will find anything to complain about the rest of the fixtures and fittings.

Especially the seats, which are both comfortable and supportive, a balancing act some manufacturers struggle with. Not Lotus though as the cushions are wide enough for almost anyone to be able to get comfortable.

They’ve also survived the rigours of three decades with impressive aplomb and show only moderate colour loss to the edge of the driver’s seat.

An armrest, under which lies cubby storage, straddles the wide transmission tunnel. Other storage includes a small elasticated pocket between the front seats, a small space under the radio, a carpeted pocket in the passenger footwell, and a good-sized glovebox, making this is a surprisingly practical car.

The three-spoke, leather-covered steering wheel is simple but effective and still looks great following its refurbishment in 2019.

The grey carpets are very good and what little headlining there is – the standard glass sunroof takes up most of the space – looks good.

The door cards are tidy generally with a decent finish still to their main fabric. The lettering on the switches is a little faded though, and there’s some flaking paint on the ashtray surround.

Overall though the cabin is very good and should help lay to rest the reputation the Hethel-based firm had for building fragile interiors.

However, the speedometer doesn’t work. The seller says he’ll take a look at it this weekend, but he can’t guarantee it will be fixed by the time the auction ends.

Also, the air-conditioning system doesn’t work and it will need to be upgraded to use the newer refrigerant.

The seller describes his Esprit as being “mechanically very good” and, as you can see in the video, the Type 910S turbocharged engine starts, idles and revs as it should.

But then the thousands he tells us it has had spent on it recently include uprated brake discs and calipers front and rear (well over a thousand pounds was spent on the calipers alone…) along with fully re-bushed suspension, new springs, and adjustable Gaz dampers.

Other recent new parts include a wiper motor, battery, camshaft timing belt, and a steering gaiter.

As you’d expect given the attention to detail we’ve seen so far, the engine bay is very clean and nicely presented.

The Esprit’s MoT certificate is valid until June 2025 and it, like the four before it, was issued with no advisories.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file includes a presentation pack, a Certificate of Vehicle Provenance from Lotus, and a bunch of old invoices for servicing work and repairs over the years.

Being an engineer the seller couldn’t resist compiling a list of the work that’s been carried out on the Lotus since it came out of storage in 2018. A copy will be supplied with the car, but the highlights are 74 lines of work that cost a total of £7,433.

With an interesting history, much recent expenditure, and an excellent MoT record, we think this Lotus Esprit Turbo SE has an awful lot going for.

It’s also got a lot of charm and looks terrific, making this a British sportscar you can buy with your head AND your heart.

And it’s not as if it’s likely to break the bank; we estimate it’s going to fetch somewhere between £16,000 and £20,000, which doesn’t feel like a lot of money for a car of this quality and provenance, does it? especially when one considers that as a Turbo SE, it was far and away the most expensive and quickest of the range.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in St Andrews, Fife. To arrange an appointment to inspect this vehicle, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.