Lotus Esprit S2

(1978 - 1980)

Brand:

Lotus

Model:

Esprit S2

Related:

Esprit

Country:

United Kingdom

Car articles about Lotus Esprit S2 by year

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Four versus eight cylinders - Lotus Esprit S1 and V8 GT compared

June 21, 2017 — Bruno von Rotz 95

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.

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Lotus Esprit S2 - the sports car that James Bond was never allowed to drive

July 9, 2013 — Bruno von Rotz 92

Every child knows the Lotus Esprit, not least from the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me" as a prancing and diving movie car. The Esprit was created by Italian designer Giorgio Giugiaro and was shown as a prototype as early as 1972. The S1, which was available in 1976, was followed two years later by the S2, which is the subject of this report and is documented in many pictures and, like its predecessor the S1, in brochures and historical photographs.

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From the road to the racetrack - 20 years of Lotus Esprit in motorsport

October 22, 2017 — Balz Schreier, Zoe Waltenspül, Sara Räss 48

The Lotus Esprit was active in motorsport for many years, but it did not attract attention because of its successes, which mostly failed to materialize. Nevertheless, this racing car has been fascinating through all its evolutions, from the S1 in 1979 to the V8 in 1998. We show the Esprit in motorsport during all these years in many pictures in this racing car article.

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Lotus Esprit Turbo - and what even James Bond didn't know about his company car

January 7, 2016 — Bruno von Rotz 40

The Lotus Esprit is one of the best-known models from the English small series manufacturer, not least because of its appearances in James Bond films. Lotus presented the Esprit Turbo in 1980 and, consequently, Bond used it as his company car in the 1981 film "For your eyes only". Significantly faster and more comfortable than its predecessors, the Esprit Turbo was a real competitor for Porsche, Ferrari and Maserati. This report tells the story of the Lotus Esprit Turbo of the 1980s and shows it in historical and contemporary pictures.

Current market prices for Lotus Esprit S2

Lotus Esprit Serie 2 (1978-1981)

null, 160 PS, 1973 cm³

Lotus Esprit Turbo (1980-1987)

null, 209 PS, 1973 cm³

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Photos of Lotus Esprit S2 (random selection)

Lotus Esprit S2 (1979) - a driving machine for the discerning with take-charge qualities

Lotus Esprit S2 (1978) - Special model 'Limited Edition' - shown at the Motor Show in Birmingham

Lotus Esprit S2 (1979) - Colin Chapman with his sports car in front of the company plane

Lotus Esprit S2 (1979) - low front thanks to folding headlights

Lotus Esprit S2 (1979) - immediately recognizable as an S2 by the rear lights

Lotus Esprit S2 (1979) - Plastic mid-engine sports car in original gold-colored paintwork - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2023

Bojan and Brigitte Pajic-Eggspühler took victory in the sports classification in their 1978 Lotus Esprit S2 - RAID Suisse-Paris 2013

Lotus Esprit S2 JPS (1979) - offered as lot 511 on the occasion of Silverstone Auctions "The Classic Sale at Silverstone" on August 27, 2022

Lotus Esprit S2 - with front spoiler and all kinds of improvements compared to the S1 - Swiss Classic British Car Meeting Morges 2017

Lotus Esprit S2 (1979) - in terms of handling, the Lotus was one of the best of its time

Lotus Esprit S2 (1979) - you rarely come across an Esprit today

Lotus Esprit S2 (1979) - at the GP Brugger Schachen 2013

Lotus Esprit S2 Ex-Urban Priol (1978) - offered as lot 54 at the Dorotheum Salzburg Classic Expo auction on October 20, 2018

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Auctioned vehicles of Lotus Esprit S2

Brand	Model	Year	Status	Auction name
Lotus Esprit S2 1979 Sold ACA Kings Lynn Auction (January 25, 2014)	Esprit S2	1979	Sold	ACA Kings Lynn Auction (January 25, 2014)
Lotus Esprit S2 JPS (#61/100) 1979 Withdrawn Iconic Auctioneers Race Retro Collectors' Car Sale (February 24, 2024)	Esprit S2 JPS (#61/100)	1979	Withdrawn	Iconic Auctioneers Race Retro Collectors' Car Sale (February 24, 2024)
Lotus Esprit S2 JPS 1979 Sold Silverstone Auctions The Classic Sale at Silverstone (August 27, 2022)	Esprit S2 JPS	1979	Sold	Silverstone Auctions The Classic Sale at Silverstone (August 27, 2022)
Lotus Esprit S2 1979 Not Sold Silverstone Auctions NEC Classic Motor Show Sale (November 12, 2022)	Esprit S2	1979	Not Sold	Silverstone Auctions NEC Classic Motor Show Sale (November 12, 2022)
Lotus Esprit S2 JPS #68/100 1979 Sold Iconic Auctioneers NEC Classic Motor Show Sale (November 11, 2023)	Esprit S2 JPS #68/100	1979	Sold	Iconic Auctioneers NEC Classic Motor Show Sale (November 11, 2023)
Lotus Esprit S2 1979 Sold Broad Arrow Auctions The Zurich Auction (November 1, 2025)	Esprit S2	1979	Sold	Broad Arrow Auctions The Zurich Auction (November 1, 2025)
Lotus Esprit S2.2 1980 Sold Iconic Auctioneers Supercar Fest Sale (May 18, 2024)	Esprit S2.2	1980	Sold	Iconic Auctioneers Supercar Fest Sale (May 18, 2024)
Lotus Esprit 1979 Sold H&H Classics The Imperial War Museum Duxford (March 29, 2017)	Esprit	1979	Sold	H&H Classics The Imperial War Museum Duxford (March 29, 2017)
Lotus Esprit World Champ Commemorative Edition 1979 Sold Richard Edmonds Castle Combe Circuit Auction (October 25, 2014)	Esprit World Champ Commemorative Edition	1979	Sold	Richard Edmonds Castle Combe Circuit Auction (October 25, 2014)
Lotus Esprit "JPS" 1979 Sold Silverstone Auctions The Silverstone Classic Sale 2016 (July 30, 2016)	Esprit "JPS"	1979	Sold	Silverstone Auctions The Silverstone Classic Sale 2016 (July 30, 2016)

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Engine sounds of Lotus Esprit S2 vehicles (random selection)

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