104-451: The Lotus Esprit is a sports car built by Lotus Cars from 1976 to 2004 at their Hethel , England factory. It has a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout . Together with the Lotus Elise / Exige , it is one of Lotus' most long-lived models. The Esprit was among the first of the (near) straight-lined, hard-edge creased, and sometimes wedge-shaped, polygonal "folded paper" designs of
208-544: A 1980 Giugiaro designed aerodynamic and aesthetic restyling package. The Lotus Esprit however, lived on through the 1990s, and into the 2000s. It received its first significant restyling by designer Peter Stevens , who also did styling on the McLaren F1 . Stevens gave the Esprit overall softer lines and shapes, but the car did not get a new series number – it is instead often just called the 'Stevens Esprit', or by its project number,
312-487: A 2.2 L 910-series, but with performance-enhancing modifications that included enlarged inlet ports, cylinder head modifications, a re-calibrated ECM and a revised turbocharger. Engine output rose to 305 PS (224 kW; 301 hp) and 393 N⋅m (290 lb⋅ft) of torque. Top speed was 270 km/h (168 mph), slalom speed 99.3 km/h (61.7 mph), lateral acceleration increased to 0.91g and 0–97 km/h (60 mph) took 4.6 seconds. The last iteration of
416-502: A 28-year production run, the Esprit was one of the last cars made with pop-up headlights, together with the 5th generation Chevrolet Corvette . In 1970 Tony Rudd , who had started at Lotus the previous year, proposed two new model development projects. The first, Project M50, resulted in the 1974 Elite . The second, Project M70, meant to develop a successor to the Europa which, like the Europa,
520-531: A backbone as a part of the chassis to strengthen it. Examples include the Volkswagen Beetle , where the transmission tunnel forms a backbone. The Locost may appear to be using a backbone in addition to the outer space frame . But examination shows that, in standard form, it is adding negligible stiffness and only serves as a convenient support structure for the sheet metal panels forming the transmission tunnel . The Triumph Herald and Triumph Vitesse used
624-477: A body that would compensate for this shortcoming. Examples of cars using a backbone chassis are Simplicia (1910), De Tomaso Mangusta , DMC DeLorean , Lloyd 600 , Lotus Elan , Lotus Esprit and Europa , Škoda Popular , Škoda Rapid , Škoda Superb , Tatra 77 , Tatra 87 , Tatra 97 , Toyota 2000GT and TVR S1 . Trucks with a backbone chassis include the Tatra 111 , Tatra 148 and Tatra 815 . Some cars also use
728-399: A controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996 Lotus Elise , a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021. Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present Mazda MX-5 , the 1995-2002 BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4 ),
832-409: A definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to the inherent risk of performance driving. There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as muscle cars and grand tourers , with some cars being members of several categories. Traditionally,
936-454: A new 3.5 L (214 cu in) V8 twin-turbo engine was added, offering 355 PS (350 hp; 261 kW). Contrary to a long list of low-volume British (sports) cars, with the 3.5 l Rover V8 engine , the Esprit received a Lotus in-house designed V8. Top speed rose from some 214 km/h (133 mph) in 1976, to over 280 km/h (174 mph) for the V8, twenty years later. After
1040-527: A new design that incorporated the same round taillights as the Lotus Elise S2. Few, if any, mechanical changes were made to the car. After a 28-year production run, the last Esprit rolled off the production line on February 20, 2004, and was shipped to Chicago. A total of 10,675 Esprits were produced. Alongside the Chevrolet Corvette C5 (which ended production on July 2, 2004), the Esprit was one of
1144-579: A new style of illuminated dashboard switches. Many switches and buttons came from the Morris Marina . A special edition model was released to commemorate Lotus' victory in the 1978 F1 World Championship . Wearing the black and gold livery of John Player & Sons ( JPS ), Lotus' F1 sponsor at the time, these cars were known as the Commemorative Edition Esprits as Lotus had stopped being sponsored by JPS. They were mechanically identical to
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#17328551386871248-466: A number of non-Essex-liveried but otherwise identical specification dry sump turbo cars. By the end of 1980, Lotus was building three different models of Esprit with distinct chassis designs and body moulds - the domestic (i.e. UK) S2.2, the export S2.2, and the dry sump-engined Turbo Esprit. The Series 3 (or S3 ) and Turbo Esprit debuted in April 1981. The two models shared a common chassis, and bodywork
1352-399: A pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated overhead inlet valves , a honeycomb radiator, low-tension magneto ignition , a long wheelbase, a low center of mass and a very effective suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car. At the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup ,
1456-504: A private museum in Tokyo, Japan. Chassis 114-002 was damaged at Oulton Park and became a parts donor for the remaining cars. Chassis 114-003 was destroyed in a fire. In 2002, the Esprit received another styling update done by future Lotus Design head Russell Carr . Carr, who had contributed to the S4 update, revised the car with changes that included replacing the pre-facelift Toyota AE86 taillights with
1560-427: A production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race. The 1910 Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing. The 27/80 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche , who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler —like
1664-483: A revised engine management system with larger fuel injectors and now had a power output of 290 PS (213 kW; 286 hp). These cars were designated Type 105 and were campaigned by the Pure Sports team headed by "Doc" Bundy, who helped with development. In the first season the car was able to claim six pole positions, win four races and post two one-two finishes. Late in 1990, Lotus built 20 road-going examples of
1768-721: A second prototype, registered as "IDGG 01" and known as "the Red Car", that would be a functional car. Design of the car's mechanical systems progressed, but was not complete when the Esprit was officially announced. The Esprit was launched in October 1975 at the Paris Motor Show and entered production in June 1976, replacing the Europa in the Lotus model lineup. These first cars became known as " Series 1 " (or S1 ) Esprits. The wedge-shaped fibreglass body
1872-640: A test conducted by British magazine Autocar in 1993). Esprit sales and production fell sharply in 1991 and 1992 as the SE started to face newer competitors like the Honda NSX . Another refresh of the car in 1993 penned by Julian Thomson resulted in the Series 4 (or S4 ). Exterior changes included a smaller rear spoiler placed halfway up the rear deck-lid, revised front and rear bumpers, side skirts and valence panels. New five-spoke alloy wheels were also fitted. The taillights from
1976-399: A top speed of 222 km/h (138 mph) may have been optimistic, as actual road tests revealed a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 8 seconds and a top speed of about 214 km/h (133 mph). The S1 Esprit was distinguished from later Esprits by its snow-shovel style front air dam, Fiat X1/9 -sourced taillights, absence of body-side ducting, and Wolfrace alloy wheels. Inside the car,
2080-419: Is a design feature of Czech Tatra heavy trucks (cross-country, military etc.). Hans Ledwinka used this style of chassis for the Tatra 11 car in 1923. He then developed the design on trucks with 6x4 model Tatra 26 , which had excellent off-road abilities. This type of chassis has been used in numerous sports cars . It does not provide protection against side collisions , and thus has to be combined with
2184-449: Is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation. In 1962, the MG B introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a unibody construction and
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#17328551386872288-406: Is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat. The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the handling characteristics of a car and are therefore crucial in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used rear-wheel drive with the engine either located at the front ( FR layout ) or in
2392-592: Is over 282 km/h (175 mph). In 1998 the V8 range was split into SE and GT models. Both cars had revised interiors and similar performance with the SE being the more luxurious of the two and the GT being more lightweight and performance focused. The ultimate incarnation of the Esprit was the 1999 Sport 350 . Only 50 were made. the ECU in the Sport 350 was remapped to have the same Lotus type 918 power output of 350 horsepower (per
2496-571: Is then placed on this structure. It was first used in the English Rover 8hp of 1904 and then the French Simplicia automobile in 1909. The backbone chassis was extensively developed by Hans Ledwinka who used it in greater numbers on the Tatra 11 and subsequent vehicles. Ledwinka later used backbone frames with central tube and axles with swinging driveshafts on Tatra trucks, becoming known as Tatra-concept . The truck backbone chassis
2600-511: The Audi RS 2 Avant . Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher-performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time. In 1989, a new generation of Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a front-wheel drive layout,
2704-534: The BMW 303 , Citroën Traction Avant and Fiat 508 — offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable, and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the Austin 7 and Wolseley Hornet six , however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over
2808-601: The Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world". Between the Great Depression and the World War II the pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers, although the period was not devoid of advances, for example streamlining . Cheap, light-weight family sedans with independent front suspension— such as
2912-660: The Essex Turbo Esprit was launched. This special edition model wore the blue, red and chrome livery of the Essex Overseas Petroleum Corporation , the sponsor of Team Lotus from 1979 to 1981. While Lotus dealer Bell and Colvill had been offering turbo conversions for the S2 Esprit from as early as 1978, the Essex Turbo Esprit was the first factory turbocharged Esprit. The Essex Turbo Esprit received
3016-473: The Gordon Murray designed McLaren F1 , produced a less angular, more rounded Esprit. Giugiaro is said to have liked the new shape, claiming it was perhaps too close to his original design. The exterior changes were accompanied by a redesign of the interior that gave more space to the occupants. The revised Esprit was not given a new "Series" number but is often called by its project code of X180 . Panels for
3120-509: The Jensen FF became the first sports car to use all-wheel drive . The Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was Opel Manta , which was produced from 1970 to 1988. The 1973-1978 Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This
3224-527: The SM and Maserati Merak . Rear brakes were mounted inboard, following contemporary racing practice. The Series 1 embodied Lotus' performance through light weight mantra, weighing less than 1,000 kg (2,205 lb). Front suspension consisted of upper A-arms and lower lateral links triangulated by the anti-roll bar. Rear suspension consisted of tapering box-section trailing arms and lower lateral links. The half-shafts had no provision for plunge and handled some of
Lotus Esprit - Misplaced Pages Continue
3328-410: The dry sump type 910 engine which has a power output of 213 PS (157 kW; 210 hp) at 6,250 rpm and 200 lb⋅ft (271 N⋅m) of torque at 4,500 rpm. Acceleration from 0-97 km/h (60 mph) could be achieved in 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The chassis and rear suspension were redesigned, with an upper link added at the rear to alleviate strain on
3432-403: The 1905 Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , the 1908 Delage , the 1910 Bugatti Type 13 , and the 1912 DFP 12/15 . Early motor racing events included the 1903 Paris–Madrid race , the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911 Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present Monte Carlo Rally . The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among
3536-426: The 1920s. The term initially described two-seat roadsters (cars without a fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with a fixed roof (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts. Authors and experts have often contributed their ideas to capture
3640-486: The 1921 Coppa Florio . Another approach— such as that used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race for sports cars was held in 1923, although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the Tourist Trophy Series of Races , organised after
3744-404: The 1948 Ferrari 166 S . A new concept altogether was the modern Gran Turismo class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high-speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or berlinetta coachwork. The 1947 Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati. In Germany, the motor industry was devastated by
3848-495: The 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the silhouette racing car , Lancia Rally 037 . In the 1970s, turbocharging began to be adopted by sports cars, such as the BMW 2002 Turbo in 1973, the first Porsche 911 Turbo in 1975, and the Saab 99 Turbo in 1978. Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as
3952-452: The 1980–1986 Renault Fuego and 1992–1996 Rover 220 Coupé Turbo , to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987 Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992 Ferrari F40 . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars that competed for production car top speed records . These cars included the 1986–1993 Porsche 959 , 1991–1995 Bugatti EB 110 , 1992–1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 1993–998 McLaren F1 . The 1980-1995 Audi Quattro
4056-497: The 1990s, all-wheel drive has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the Lamborghini Huracan , Bugatti Veyron , and Nissan GT-R . Rear engine layouts are not typical for sports cars, with
4160-441: The 1995-2002 MG F , the 1996–present Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present Audi TT . Backbone chassis Backbone tube chassis is a type of automobile construction chassis that is similar to the body-on-frame design. Instead of a two-dimensional ladder-type structure , it consists of a strong tubular backbone (usually rectangular in cross section ) that connects the front and rear suspension attachment areas. A body
4264-524: The 1996 BPR Global GT Series 4 Hours of Donington. Reliability dogged the car throughout the year, with problems linked to brakes, oil pumps, oil pipes and overheating, and it was succeeded by the Type 115 Elise GT1 the next year. Two of the Esprit GT1 cars were converted to GT2 specifications. Chassis 114-001 was acquired by Mike Haines Racing, who developed it into a competitive GT2 car. Chassis 114-001 now resides in
Lotus Esprit - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-532: The Esprit in GT2 and GT3 classes, Lotus began to develop a new version of the car to race in GT1 class racing. Development of the car was entrusted to the newly formed Lotus GT1 Engineering group, which included many staff from the recently dissolved Team Lotus Formula One team. The Esprit GT1 was built on the Type 114 platform using the body from the new S4 road-going Esprit made from composite materials and carbon fibre. Changes to
4472-672: The Giugiaro-styled Esprit were announced in April 1986. Higher compression ratios for the engines was indicated by the ' HC' moniker. Power output of the naturally aspirated engine rose to 172 PS (127 kW; 170 hp) and 160 lb⋅ft (217 N⋅m) for the Esprit HC , and to 218 PS (160 kW; 215 hp) and 298 N⋅m (220 lb⋅ft) for the Turbo Esprit HC , with more torque available at lower engine speeds. For markets with stringent emissions requirements like
4576-460: The Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile". The model was named after King Alfonso XIII of Spain , a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque. Other early sports cars include
4680-543: The S1 Esprit had a one-piece instrument cluster with green-faced Veglia gauges. The S1 is rare in the present day, mostly due to drivetrain problems. In 1978, the revised Series 2 (or S2 ) Esprit was introduced. External changes included intake and cooling ducts added behind the rear quarter windows; bigger, ribbed taillights, this time from the Rover SD1 , and a new front spoiler that was now integrated, folding rearward under
4784-541: The S2 was, as indicated in its model name, having a 2.2 L type 912 engine . Engine power output was unchanged but torque rose from 190 N⋅m (140 lb⋅ft) to 217 N⋅m (160 lb⋅ft). The S2.2 received a galvanised chassis, but not the revised chassis structure to come in the Series 3. S2.2 cars are extremely rare even among Esprits. According to Lotus only 88 were produced during its thirteen-month production span. In 1980
4888-480: The SCCA Escort World Challenge series. These cars started out as regular SE models but had all unnecessary equipment, trim removed and glass replaced by plexiglass. The suspension geometry was revised and Monroe shock absorbers were added. The brakes were by AP Racing, and the car's Delco/Moraine ABS system was the first anti-lock braking system ever used on an Esprit. The Chargecooled Type 910S engine had
4992-465: The Type 105 and gave them the name X180R. These were developed to homologate parts for the 1991 and 1992 racing seasons, specifically to allow an Esprit to campaign in IMSA 's newly formed Bridgestone Supercar Championship . With a MSRP of $ 126,000, these cars came with amenities like glass windows, sport seats, a heater and air conditioning. The chassis of the road-going X180R was also galvanized, in contrast to
5096-455: The Type 105. The engine was modified with larger fuel injectors, a better Chargecooler and the removal of the catalytic converter which caused the output to rise to 305 PS (224 kW; 301 hp). In 1991 driver/actor Robert Carradine placed second in the series and in 1992, Bundy won three races and took the driver's title. In 1993, the sanctioning body changed the rules such that the X180R
5200-540: The United States, Lotus introduced the first fuel-injected Esprits. The HCi variant added Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection and a catalytic converter to the Turbo HC engine. This engine had the same peak power as the carburetted version but at a somewhat higher engine speed. Torque dropped to 274 N⋅m (202 lb⋅ft). In 1987, the Esprit was restyled by British designer Peter Stevens . Stevens, who would later style
5304-678: The X180, made from 1988 to 1994. In 1994, an official Series 4 Esprit, drawn by designer Julian Thomson, had a further rounded shape, especially the bumper sections and lower body of the car. Styling-wise, this became the most long-lived Esprit (1994–2004), only receiving its last changes, by Russell Carr in 2002. Over the years, the performance of the Esprit's 4-cylinder engine was increased from around 150 PS (148 hp; 110 kW) and just under 200 N⋅m (148 lb⋅ft) of torque, to double those power figures, mainly through greater inlet and exhaust flow, and strong turbo-charging . And from 1996,
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#17328551386875408-605: The body were produced using a new process called VARI (Vacuum Assisted Resin Injection). This method, which was patented by Lotus, offered advantages over the previous hand lay-up process. Kevlar reinforcement was added to the roof and sides for roll-over protection. This contributed to a 22% increase in the Esprit's torsional rigidity. The new rectangular taillights were borrowed over from the 1983-1985 Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 . The X180 cars inherited most of their mechanical components from
5512-405: The bodywork included a new carbon fibre splitter, diffuser and floor. Power came from a Type 918 V8 engine with a single Garrett T4 turbocharger that had a power output of 557 PS (410 kW; 549 hp). The Renault transaxle was not considered adequate for the task. Where the GT2 cars used Hewland DG300 units, the GT1 would use the new TGT200 6-speed transverse transaxle. The front suspension
5616-479: The car appeared during the next year or two, all conforming to the same basic design and earning for themselves a reputation second to none for fast and reliable travel. The 60-h.p. cars were announced late in 1902. The cars were possessed of a very real performance superior to anything else which could be bought at the time... and the model achieved an almost invincible position among the fast cars of its day. The Sports Car: Development and Design The basis for
5720-405: The car design is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both a Triumph Spitfire and Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity", or that emphasise the "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using
5824-411: The development of performance cars such as the 1910 Vauxhall Prince Henry , 1910 Sunbeam 12/16 , 1910 Talbot 25 hp , 1910 Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913 Star 15.9 hp . Following the halt in sports car production caused by World War I , Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although
5928-466: The earlier HC Esprit and Turbo Esprit, although the name for the forced induction model was now Esprit Turbo . 1988 model year North American Esprit Turbo models kept the Citroën transaxle and Bosch fuel injection system used in the previous model year. Other X180 models received a new Renault UN-1 transaxle, which necessitated a move to outboard rear brakes. Power output of the Type 910 turbocharged engine
6032-400: The early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car. For example, the 1921 Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including
6136-496: The engine to have a power output of 306 PS (225 kW; 302 hp) at 6,400 rpm and 389 N⋅m (287 lb⋅ft) of torque at 4,400 rpm. The power to weight ratio rose to 243 hp per tonne, same as the Porsche 964 Turbo 3.6 . The Sport 300 could accelerate from 0–97 km/h (60 mph) in 4.7 seconds and had a claimed top speed of 270 km/h (168 mph) (tested top speed amounted to 259 km/h (161 mph) during
6240-463: The exact origin of the name is not known. The decade that followed became known as the vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding Brass Era cars . Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of " tax horsepower " (where vehicles were taxed based on bore and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output) and the introduction of leaded fuel , which increased power by allowing for higher compression ratios . In
6344-519: The excitement of speed and the glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be a two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only. In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in The Times newspaper in 1919. The first known use of the term in the United States was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during
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#17328551386876448-467: The first supercars . Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964), Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964), Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968), Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973), Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973), Dino 246 (1969-1974), De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993), Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and BMW M1 (1978-1981). In 1966,
6552-516: The first World War by the R.A.C. , appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products." The classic Italian road races— the Targa Florio , and the Mille Miglia (first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination. By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in
6656-612: The four-cylinder Esprit was the GT3 , a turbocharged, Chargecooled variant with the 2.0 L Type 920 which had previously been used only in Italian market cars. The GT3 was produced alongside the Esprit V8. Lotus originally intended to produce 50 GT3 models, but following the car's popularity, a total of 190 units were eventually built. The interior of the GT3 featured a re-designed instrument binnacle, which
6760-638: The front air dam, wing mirrors from the Citroën CX and the addition of a rear wing. Lotus also produced the rarely seen Esprit S , a mid-range turbocharged variant offering fewer appointments and having a power output of 231 PS (170 kW; 228 hp), as well as the standard Turbocharged engine having a power output of 218 PS (160 kW; 215 hp) included as an option. Original normally aspirated (Esprit) and turbo (Esprit Turbo) models were discontinued after 1990. The S models were cancelled in 1991. A unique two-litre "tax special" Esprit with SE trim
6864-468: The half-shafts. The brakes were also improved. Giugiaro designed an aerodynamic body kit for the car, with a rear lip spoiler, prominent louvered rear hatch, more substantial bumpers, a deeper front airdam, and air ducts in the sills just ahead of the new three-piece 15-inch Compomotive rear wheels. Inside scarlet leather combined with a roof-mounted Panasonic stereo for a dramatic environment. 45 Essex Turbo Esprit cars were built, interspersed and followed by
6968-486: The last cars produced with retractable pop-up headlights . Sports car A sports car is a type of car that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling , acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1910s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around the world. Definitions of sports cars often relate to how
7072-556: The late 1920s were AC Cars , Alfa Romeo , Alvis , Amilcar , Bignan and Samson, Chenard-Walcker , Delage , Hispano-Suiza , Hotchkiss , Mercedes-Benz and Nazzaro . Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the Austin Seven and MG M-type "Midget". Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and
7176-477: The lateral forces. There were coil-over shock absorbers and disc brakes at all four corners. Steering was by an unassisted rack and pinion. While the S1 Esprit was lauded for its handling and was said to have the best steering of any Esprit, it was generally regarded as being under-powered, especially in markets such as the United States where the engine was stifled by emission controls. Lotus' claim of acceleration from 0–97 km/h (0–60 mph) in 6.8 seconds and
7280-507: The mass-produced cars upon which they were based. The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was Morris Garages , who produced 'MG Midget' models of the M-Type , J-Type , P-Type and T-Type . The K3 version of the K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the Mille Miglia , Tourist Trophy and 24 Hours of Le Mans . The Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940)
7384-526: The middle of the vehicle ( MR layout ). Examples of FR layout sports cars include the Caterham 7 , Mazda MX-5 , and the Dodge Viper . Examples of MR layout sports cars are the Ferrari 488 , Ford GT , and Toyota MR2 . To avoid a front-heavy weight distribution , many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the firewall as possible. Since
7488-544: The most common layout for sports cars was a roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof). However, there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats. Sports cars are not usually intended to transport more than two adult occupants regularly, so most modern sports cars are generally two-seat or 2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered sports sedans rather than sports cars. The 1993-1998 McLaren F1
7592-569: The name), but in different rpm / gear range (turbo spool characteristics) compared to the normal SE/GT sales version and had chassis, body and braking improvements that included thinner fibre layer in the body, AP Racing brakes and stiffer springs . Among the visual changes was a large carbon fibre rear wing on aluminium uprights in place of the standard fibreglass rear wing. The Sport 350 weighed 1,300 kg (2,866 lb) and could accelerate to 97 km/h (60 mph) in 4.3 seconds and to 161 km/h (100 mph) in under 10 seconds. Having raced
7696-496: The nose and sides. The S3 gained the new larger bumpers but kept the simpler sill line and glazed rear hatch of the S2.2 body. Both cars came with 381 mm (15 in) BBS alloy wheels. One interesting omission was that the Esprit S3 had no cigarette lighter as standard equipment; ashtrays are tucked away in the door sills. Minor changes were made to bodywork and front suspension for the 1985 model year. The final incarnations of
7800-516: The nose and so forming the start of the car's initially modest, thin black side-skirts. S2 Esprits also had 360 mm (14 in) Speedline alloy wheels designed by Lotus. Other changes included relocating the battery from above the right side fuel tank under the rear quarter window to the rear of the car, adding an access door to the engine cover, installing wider seats and replacing the Veglia instrument cluster with individual gauges made by Smiths and
7904-734: The notable exception of the Porsche 911 . The front-wheel drive layout with the engine at the front ( FF layout ) is generally the most common for cars, but it is not as common among traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is used by sport compacts and hot hatches such as the Mazdaspeed3 . Sports cars with an FF layout include the Fiat Barchetta , Saab Sonett , or Opel Tigra . The ancestor of all high-performance cars had its origin in Germany. The 28-h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler racing car of 1899
8008-451: The philosophy of achieving performance through minimizing weight and has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines. A different style of roadster was the AC Cobra , released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to 7.0 L (427 cu in) in size by Shelby . The Porsche 911
8112-504: The pre-facelift Toyota AE86 were carried over from the previous generation. The S4's engine had the same power output as the SE at 268 PS (197 kW; 264 hp). The S4 was the first Esprit to use power steering . The S4 was complemented in 1994 by the S4 Sport ( S4s ). The most obvious external change from the S4 was the addition of a rear wing from the Sport 300 . The engine was still
8216-423: The production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as Aston-Martin (350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939). Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead. Significant manufacturers of sports cars in
8320-506: The prolific, and highly successful Italian industrial and automotive designer Giorgetto Giugiaro . The Esprit's backbone chassis was later adapted to carry the body of the DeLorean car , another low-bodied, Giugiaro-drawn, sharp-creased, wedge-shaped sportscar design. In 1978, the first updates led to the series 2 and 2.2 L (134 cu in) engined Esprit S2.2, made until the 1982–1988 Series 3 and Turbo Esprit models, that used
8424-452: The regular 2.0, with special seat and dash trim, smaller steering wheel and special plaque. According to Lotus a series of 300 were built, but it is likely the total was considerably lower. Lotus' production records are notoriously vague, but reliable estimates suggest that 149 Commemorative Esprit cars were made. The S2.2 was a stop-gap model introduced in May 1980 whose only major difference from
8528-545: The sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars. In England, the development of sporting cars was inhibited by the Motor Car Act 1903 , which imposed a speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the Brooklands motor circuit , which inspired
8632-408: The sports car is traced to the early 20th century touring cars and roadsters , and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One. A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 hp , described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler . The Mercedes included pioneering features such as
8736-476: The sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments [and] very rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved." In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines, such as
8840-475: The untreated chassis of the Type 105. The special road-going 1991 model year X180Rs were only sold within the United States. They were fitted with a full roll cage, reduced sound insulation, special bucket seats, competition-type disc brakes, synchromesh gearbox with limited-slip differential, 16" Revolution racing-style 3-piece wheels, special tuned suspension and shock package, racing-type front spoiler and rear wing, and competition type mirrors. The type 910S engine
8944-473: The war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars". The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era. The 1961 Jaguar E-Type
9048-582: The wind-tunnel test results with the model and halted the project, but the Italian coachbuilder pressed on and built a full-size mock-up on a stretched, modified Europa chassis. That nameless prototype, often simply called "the Silver Car", appeared on the Italdesign stand at the 1972 Turin Auto Show and the positive reception convinced Chapman to approve further development. Development continued with production of
9152-415: Was a pioneering all-wheel drive sports car. The 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day. The BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with
9256-671: Was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in 1974 , 1975 , and 1976 . The Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. It was sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the 1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for 1980 World Championship for Makes and 1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes . Montecarlo also won
9360-562: Was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans . Another successful Bugatti sports car was the Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car. The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in
9464-466: Was assessed a 136.1 kg (300 lb) weight penalty, which made the cars uncompetitive. An extensively modified derivative of the X180R was sold in Europe as the Sport 300 . These are known as the fastest of the four-cylinder Esprits and among the most desirable with only 50 cars produced. The Sport 300 utilised a Garrett T4 turbocharger along with an improved Chargecooler and larger inlet valves enabling
9568-485: Was based on a common set of moulds. The S3 received the 2.2 L Type 912 engine. The Turbo Esprit had a wet sump engine with the same power and torque output as its dry sump predecessor. Interior trim was revised which, when combined with changes to the body moulds, resulted in more headroom and an enlarged foot-well. The Turbo Esprit retained the aerodynamic body kit of the Essex cars and featured prominent 'turbo esprit' decals on
9672-461: Was developed for the Italian market. Equipped with an intercooled and turbocharged 1,994 cc (121.7 cu in) version of the 900-series engine that had a power output of 243 PS (179 kW; 240 hp) at 6,250 rpm, this model appeared in December 1991. This engine became available in other markets beginning in the fall of 1996. In 1990, two specially prepared Esprits competed in
9776-545: Was developed to an officially reported 286 hp, though actual output is unknown. Three more race cars were built for the 1991 season to be run by Lotus Sport alongside the two upgraded 105s in the American IMSA Bridgestone Supercar Championship. The new cars were designated Type 106, but adopted the X180R name as well. They had a reinforced chassis with a revised roll cage and larger wheels and tyres but weighed 136.1 kg (300 lb) less than
9880-525: Was mounted on a steel backbone chassis . Power was from the 1,973 cc (120.4 cu in) Lotus 907 four-cylinder engine that was rated at 160 hp (119 kW; 162 PS) in European trim and 140 hp (104 kW; 142 PS) in US/Federal trim. The engine was mounted longitudinally behind the passengers and drove the rear wheels through a Citroën C35 5-speed manual transaxle also used in
9984-527: Was narrower and more focused than the design used for previous models. Other notable interior features included a milled steel gearshift knob and a colour coded central tunnel to complement it. In 1996, Lotus launched the Esprit V8 . The car came equipped with Lotus' own Type 918 V8 engine . The engine is an all-aluminium 90° DOHC 4 valves per cylinder with a flat-plane crankshaft and two Garrett T25/60 turbochargers but with no Chargecooler. The transaxle used
10088-523: Was now upper and lower A-arms, while at the rear were upper and lower lateral links paired with upper and lower trailing links. The braking system used AP Racing carbon ceramic discs and calipers, and Penske triple-adjustable gas-pressurised shock absorbers were used at all four wheels. The chassis was similar to the production Esprit but with a roll-cage that added stiffness. Weight was reduced to 900 kg (1,984 lb). Production amounted to 3 units: chassis 114-001, 114-002 and 114-003. Two cars debuted at
10192-678: Was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975 Triumph TR7 , however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982. The original Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for
10296-662: Was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon rear-engine design and the use of a flat-six engine . Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the Group 4 era. In 1965, the BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day. The Lamborghini Miura (1966) and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high-performance cars are often cited as
10400-441: Was the same Renault unit as before but upgraded by Lotus. Despite having a modified transaxle, the Type 918 engine was detuned from a potential 507 PS (373 kW; 500 hp) to 355 PS (261 kW; 350 hp) to prevent gearbox damage. In period tests, acceleration from 0–97 km/h (60 mph) was achieved in 4.1 seconds, with a 402 m ( 1 ⁄ 4 mile) of 12.7s at 180 km/h (112 mph). Top speed
10504-451: Was to be a two-door fixed-head mid-engine coupé . A meeting between Colin Chapman and Giugiaro was arranged in 1971 by designer Oliver Winterbottom , who also suggested that Giugiaro use his Maserati Boomerang concept as the inspiration for the new Lotus. Work began on the new car in mid-1971 with production of a 1:4 scale model. According to Italdesign, Chapman was disappointed with
10608-476: Was unchanged, but 0–97 km/h (60 mph) acceleration times decreased from 5.6 seconds to between 5.4 and 5.1 seconds. Top speed was over 150 mph (240 km/h). In 1989, the K-Jetronic system was replaced with a Lotus/Delco multi-point fuel injection (MPFI) system. The engine also received an air-water-air intercooler called a Chargecooler by Lotus. This revised engine was known as the Type 910S. Power output
10712-403: Was up to 268 PS (197 kW; 264 hp) with 284 PS (209 kW; 280 hp) available on overboost. 0–97 km/h (60 mph) acceleration times decreased to 4.7 seconds and top speed was over 257 km/h (160 mph). The 910S engine went into the new Special Equipment ( SE ) model, which also received changes to the body, with side skirts parallel to the body, five air ducts in
10816-417: Was without a doubt the first attempt to give real performance to a road car. Many of its features, such as a honeycomb radiator and gate gear change, were continued on the much improved version which Paul Daimler designed in 1899-1900. This was of course the famous Mercedes. It also laid down standards of chassis design which were to be followed, almost unthinkingly, for the next thirty years. Several variants of
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