Lotus built the Esprit from 1975 to 2004, i.e. for almost 30 years. However, the last Esprit models only have the basic design and silhouette in common with the early cars, while instead of a slender four-cylinder engine, a turbo-powered eight-cylinder unit provides powerful propulsion at the end. But did this make the Esprit better? And how did it compare with the competition of the time? This comparative report portrays an Esprit S1 from 1978 and its descendant, the Esprit V8 GT from 1998. Many pictures and two sound samples provide a multimedia experience.