1988 Lotus Esprit Turbo X180

Description

19th Jul, 2025 11:00
The July 2025 Car Auction

1988 Lotus Esprit Turbo X180
A very rare example of the Lotus range

Estimate
£20,000 - £24,000

Buyer's Premium: 12.50% of hammer with a minimum charge of £150.00 plus VAT

Lot details
Registration: E805XUA
Chassis: SCC082910JHD13146
Odometer: 96,000
Transmission: Manual
MOT: April 2026

A great looking example
Fresh MOT
Lots of money recently spent
Great value at the moment



We are very pleased to bring to market this very bright Lotus Esprit Turbo with the 2.2 engine. This eyeful of a car was first registered on 17/4/1988 by Bell & Colvill Ltd. of Surrey to a Mr Winter also of Surrey. We think he chose well, as it looks stunning finished in bright red with the two tone red and magnolia trim. The bodywork looks fantastic, the interior could do with a little bit of tidying up, but not much as it’s just wear and tear and not damage. It is just going through a cherished transfer and the Vendor is aiming to have a fresh MOT for the Auction.

This Lotus has a lovely collection of paperwork from years gone by right up to the modern day. The last are from Maidstone Cars - one from August 2023 at £9,029.80 and another from April 2024 for £4751.94. These give you an indication that it has been cared for and recently recommissioned, so is ready to go. As always, there may be something to do but that’s the joy of classic cars. The paperwork carries on with its original owner’s handbook, which doubles up as the service book and contains 16 stamps. There are also a couple of copies of Lotus advertising from the day, which use a red car, and it’s always good to have the same colour the manufacturer chooses to do their marketing with.

The Lotus looks very impressive and appears to be factory specification. It is sat on its original wheels, which are recently refurbished, and has the factory sunroof. With a little bit of cleaning up and a little tidy on the interior, this will be an absolute stunner. We think the Lotus Esprit is one of those cars that has been forgotten about, but is coming back with a vengeance. We think everyone would agree that it is a stunning looking car from every angle.

The Lotus Esprit Turbo was a standout sportscar, blending British engineering with sleek Italian-inspired design. Powered by a 2.2 litre turbocharged inline-four engine, it produced around 215 horsepower, delivering a 0-60mph time of approximately 5.4 seconds, that’s amazing by today’s standards let alone 27 years ago. With its lightweight fiberglass body and sharp handling, the Esprit Turbo was a true driver's car. The wedge-shaped design, penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro and later refined by Peter Stevens, gave it a timeless appeal. A pop culture icon, it was famously featured in James Bond films, Pretty Woman and Basic Instinct, but that film may have been watched for other reasons! The 1988 model marked the evolution of Lotus' philosophy - performance through lightness and precision. Launched in 1975 this iconic sportscar is celebrating its 50th anniversary, so what a good time to buy one.

This delightful Lotus Esprit X180 is from an enthusiast’s private collection. Originally registered in April 1988, this sleek British sportscar presents well in gleaming red coachwork with a contrasting cream leather interior with red detail. This colour theme is continued into the engine bay which also features red detailing. The paperwork file for this Lotus includes a V5C registration document and various bills and receipts for the impressive upkeep of this quintessentially English car.

Full Service History

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No warranty is given by Manor Park Classics Ltd as to the accuracy of the description of any Lot in any Catalogue or as to the age, authenticity, suitability, provenance, attribution, origin, condition, fitness for purpose, merchantable or satisfactory quality of any Lot or roadworthiness of any Motor Vehicle, and any warranties or conditions that would otherwise be implied by the Sale of Goods Act I979 in relation to the foregoing are hereby expressly excluded.

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Ad ID: 1499508783

Exact specification may vary from the details on this page. Please contact the seller to reconfirm any details before purchasing. See Terms & Conditions for further information.