1983 Lotus Esprit Investors Edition #43 on 2040-cars
Eminence, Missouri, United States
I am always available by mail at: agathaaeertley@ukswimmers.com .
1983 Lotus Esprit Turbo
"Investors" Edition
"Investors" Edition quick explanation...
In 1983, after several years of absence, Lotus returned to the US market. A new private Import & Distribution
company - Lotus Performance Cars was formed with the help of 50 Investors. The principal investors who enter to a
total value of 1,8% (or 150.000 US Dollars) to the capital of the new distributor, Lotus Performance Cars, received
the first batch of Lotus Turbo Esprits. They were called the Special Edition, or as they were also know, the
“Investors' Edition." A series of 50 cars were manufactured in 1983 to accompany the financial transaction by
Lotus. The cars featured specially painted bumpers the same color as the two-tone side body panels and tinted
sunroofs (an extra that was not available until 1985) and the engines were balanced and blueprinted. A
commemorative plaque " Investor's Special" was screwed to the wheels. 48 of the 50 cars manufactured were sent to
the USA. These units were the first build of Turbo Esprit cars for the USA following a period of inactivity in
supplying cars to that territory.
Brian Angus, Lotus Cars: The Specification of these cars included such items as Special Body Paintwork,
'Powercurved Engines' and 'Matched Suspension'. The Engines were Run In & Powercurved on the Dyno. This exercise
included checking engine ignition & valve timing etc. to ensure optimum performance. Compression & leakage checks
to ensure Run In success. The Power figures were recorded and printed out onto a Graph which was supplied with the
car. The Suspension components (Springs & Dampers) were checked and matched pairs allocated to the cars. These cars
had the following specification:- They were all built to the owners specification which included :- Removable
tinted glass roof panel, Individually tested engine with power curve, Individually tested and matched suspension
ride control units, Comprehensive security system, Hall marked English silver plaque on the steering wheel
personally engraved for the driver. Individually hand sign-written 'Special Edition' insignia and serial number on
drivers door External colour scheme and interior trim exclusive to Special Edition (Optional)
Start of the vehicle build on production line was October 1982 and the cars passed to Sales (PTS). The first cars
(83 MY) were PTS in February 1983. In August 1983 the first of 50 'Special Edition' Cars was passed to sales.(at
this point 105 'Standard' cars had been built). The last of the 50 cars was passed to sales in October 1983.
Thanks to Brian Angus from Lotus Cars for the Information.
This one is # 43 of the 48 delivered to the US. You probably already know Esprits are rare to begin with but an
"Investors" Edition? Wow! Even more so! For all you Wedge Head fans out there, calm down, stop drooling and read
on. Here are a few details regarding this wonderful car.
First let me say, if you're into car shows, you'll have no problem winning Best in Class and depending on the
caliber of the event, possibly Best in Show. It's been on the cover of Lotus Ltd's Remarque magazine as well as
featured in a Hemmings Sports and Exotics article. This Esprit is probably one of the most enjoyable cars I've ever
driven. While a V8 Esprit is at the top of the evolutionary ladder, this 83' feels more nimble, more raw, more what
a Lotus should be. The steering is light, the woosh from the turbo inlet intoxicating. The blow off valve release
sounds so...mechanical, but not annoying like a modern day "boy racer". For a car without ABS, the brakes are
phenomenal. It's obvious how Lotus got it's reputation for great handling cars. Perfectly tuned. Stiff when you
need it but no where near harsh. Shifting is a breeze and I'm happy to add, no issues with 2nd gear syncros!
Everything works on the car! All switches, gauges, and lights. Even the high tech overhead digital clock works.
I have the original Owner's Manual as well as a copy of the original window sticker and "Investors" Edition
handbook. Ownership history goes back to the 90's with receipts to go along with it. I personally know the 3
previous owners. All Lotus Ltd members. True Wedge Heads.
The paint is original except for the area around the rear window louver. Don't worry. It's a perfect match in color
and texture. It still retains it's beautiful glossy shine and factory hand painted 43 Investors Edition script on
the driver's door. Overall, patina is minimal. No rub throughs from over buffing. No deep scratches. This car does
have the Euro front bumper. I have no idea what the difference is but a previous owner, decided it looked better.
Interior is a 9.5 out of 10. No rips or tears in the upholstery. I'm deducting .5 because the seats have been
recovered. It's obvious they were done correctly and I must say the color is an extremely close match. The dash and
door panels are perfect, as well as the headliner. The carpet, a little faded, is still decent without any major
stains. The steering wheel is period correct but it does not have the personal name plate as mentioned above. A
previous owner must have kept that as a souvenir. The only interior "flaw" is a 1/16" wide by 1/2" long leather
stretch crack on the lower part of the instrument cluster that has thankfully been halted by a staple.
During my 2.5 years of ownership, here's the maintenance I had completed:
New BF Goodrich TA radials. Nice high profile with white letters like the original Goodyears. All "road forced"
balanced.
New front brake pads and rotors.
New distributor, spark plugs and wires
Carbs cleaned and tuned to perfection
A/C work (A new leak developed after the work was completed. Before the freon escaped, it blew ice cold for about 3
days. The leak may be near the right front wheel wheel.)
New front wheel bearings
A former owner, who was an Esprit God, rebuilt the engine using better pistons (possibly HCI), so this car most
likely has more horsepower than original. It pulls soooo strong! I have all the paper work, including hand written
notes regarding this engine work.
Most of the rubber items, to include belts, bushings and hoses were replaced within the last 8 years. Does the
timing belt need to be replaced? I would change it. Not because of mileage but because of time. Fortunately it's
not an engine out service! Not a huge expense. I just don't have anyone near me I feel is capable of doing the job
correctly. The mechanic should use a Burroughs Gage (sp) to measure the belt tension.
I've included quite a few photos. If there is anything in particular you would like a better shot of, please let me
know.
Lotus Esprit for Sale
1998 lotus esprit v8 twin turbo(US $19,100.00)
2002 lotus esprit(US $16,200.00)
1999 lotus esprit v8(US $18,900.00)
Lotus: esprit 25th anniversary(US $22,300.00)
2001 lotus esprit(US $25,600.00)
2003 lotus esprit(US $35,700.00)
Auto Services in Missouri
Wodohodsky Auto Body ★★★★★
West County Nissan ★★★★★
Wayne`s Auto Body ★★★★★
Superior Collision Repair ★★★★★
Superior Auto Service ★★★★★
Springfield Transmission Inc ★★★★★
Auto blog
U.S. issues new tariff threat, this time against British-built cars
Mon, Jan 27 2020WASHINGTON — Britain is the United States' closest ally but their long friendship may be sorely tested as the two countries try to forge a new trade agreement after Britain's exit from the European Union. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday in London that he was optimistic that a bilateral deal with Britain could be reached as soon as this year. But Mnuchin gave up no ground after a second meeting with his UK counterpart, Sajid Javid. Javid has insisted that Britain will proceed with a unilateral digital services tax, despite a U.S. threat to levy retaliatory tariffs on British-made autos. Mnuchin told reporters after Saturday's meeting that such taxes would discriminate against big U.S. tech companies like Alphabet Inc's Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon. The UK Treasury declined to comment on the private meeting. The divide highlights the challenges ahead as the Trump administration seeks a new bilateral agreement with Britain, part of a broader push to rebalance relations with nearly all its major trading partners. The stakes are high — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pegged the trade deal with United States as a way to ease the pain of breaking with Europe, Britain's largest trade partner. U.S. President Donald Trump, has promised a "massive" trade deal to support Brexit, the product of a populist movement similar to his "America First" agenda. The goodwill and special relationship the two countries have enjoyed for decades may not count for much, experts say. "Trump is not going to be doing Johnson any favors," said Amanda Sloat, a senior fellow with the Brookings Institution in Washington. "He's not going to give him a trade deal without major concessions." Even before the digital tax issue arose, the Trump administration threatened to tax foreign car imports, which could hit British-made Jaguar, Land Rover, Mini, and Honda Civic hatchback cars. Stiff U.S. trade demands include increased access for U.S. farm goods, concessions that will be difficult for Britain's entrenched natural food culture to swallow. The United States also wants Britain to change the way its National Health Service prices drugs and allow in more U.S. pharmaceuticals, which could prove politically unpopular for Johnson's government. Washington's demand that London block Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd for national security reasons could also cloud talks.
Lotus reveals Exige 360 Cup, limited to 50 cars
Sat, Aug 15 2015After over a decade on the market, Lotus keeps finding ways to sharpen the already razor-like Exige, and for the new 360 Cup the company incorporates even more improvements for the venerable sportscar. Chief among the upgrades is freer flowing induction and an improved exhaust to take the supercharged 3.5-liter V6 to 355 horsepower, a 10-hp improvement over the standard V6 Cup. In a vehicle weighing just 2,491 pounds, that should be plenty, and the Brits promise the engine sounds better too. On the outside, these Exiges, which are limited to 50 copies, wear new lightweight pieces for the front access panel and louvered rear tailgate. The rest of the body uses the V6 Cup's aero package that produces 93 pounds of downforce at 100 miles per hour. Improved brake discs are hidden behind Motorsport Red wheels, and each car comes with a numbered build plate. They're eligible to race in the Lotus Cup series, and for those really wanting to hit the track, the options include adjustable anti-roll bars, Ohlins dampers, a fire extinguisher, electrical cut-off, FIA carbon seats, air conditioning, and a removable steering wheel. Lotus is returning to the US market with the Evora 400 in December and plans to bring back the Elise in 2020. You need to be in Europe to get one of these Exiges, though. Prices in the UK start at 62,995 pounds ($98,558), including a 20 percent tax. THE LOTUS EXIGE 360 CUP 14/08/15 Limited edition - 1 of 50 - Exige V6 Cup Increase in power of 10 PS New lightweight louvered tailgate and front access panel Lotus Motorsport redefines the Exige V6 Cup with the introduction of the Exige 360 Cup. New lightweight panels and an increase in power mean the Lotus Motorsport Cup model continues to provide a benchmark in handling and performance. The Exige 360 Cup bespoke styling signals an evolution in design, with an option of four colours (Metallic White, Metallic Grey, Metallic Black and Metallic Silver) and stealth matt black roof, front access panel and louvered tailgate. This design is a limited edition run of 50 vehicles and each of these special Exige 360 Cup cars will receive a numbered Lotus Motorsport build plate. This new model boasts an increase in power of 10 PS with freer flowing induction and a sports exhaust system, which combined with a low vehicle weight of 1130 kg gives an incredibly pure driving experience on road and track. The powertrain updates also give the Exige 360 Cup a sportier soundtrack to enhance the driving experience.
Lotus announces Exige V6 Cup racer
Mon, 20 Aug 2012The Lotus Exige is once of the most focused race cars that you can purchase on the market today, but for those individuals who desire to track the mid-engined racer, Lotus has released its latest no-frills, all-go racecar: the Exige V6 Cup.
The Exige Cup features a supercharged 3.5-liter V6 making 346 horsepower, enabling the 2,380-pound race car to get from zero to 62 mph in just 3.8 seconds. Power is put to the road with the help of Lotus Dynamic Performance Management, which allows for Touring, Sport and Race settings for the engine.
The Exige V6 Cup also features revised aerodynamics in the front fascia and rear diffuser, and it rides on a fully adjustable suspension that reaches the road with special wheels wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo tires.