He's absolutely correct. I owned a 1985 Turbo Esprit several years ago and the car is so much more than what people realize. He didn't really even get on his in this video but when you get the Esprit out on the open road and take it up over 100mph that's where you really start to understand and appreciate the absolute brilliance that went into the engineering behind this car. There are things about owning and driving a Lotus Esprit that you simply don't get with any other car. Until you have actually driven one out on the open road at speed, you just can't appreciate all that this car really brought to the table. It was just way, WAY ahead of it's time in so many different ways. Lotus did so many things right - things that many other car makers to this day still don't even understand.
jeremy fine nope. He said it was Colin Chapman's final car and he wanted it for that reason. He only said he didn't like the s1 due to quality. The s1 was a development car and the poorest quality out if them all. But that chassis he's going on about being in love with was in every esprit ever made. So was the engine up to the v8 in the 90s..
Had to watch this episode one more time! Just so wonderful seeing Harry rolling along and so amazingy describing it all😊👌 Now I want to take my own Esprit Turbo SE for a similar trip! Thank you Harry🤝
Fabulous video and fabulous car - as a 13 year old lad in Norfolk in 1980 I remember cycling up to the Hethel test track with my pal (who's father worked at Lotus) and watching these being thrashed around during testing....I thought these cars were beautiful (and still do!) - thanks for sharing in your usual brilliant way.....
PS I went to school with Mike Kimberley's son! I was so envious as he always holidayed in Majorca and it sounded very exotic to a lad who only holidayed in Sea Palling on the North Norfolk coast!
@@noyesplease9522 There are quite a few in white from the '80s that you really wouldn't want today. Soft top Golf GTI or, worse still, an XR3. But the Series 1 Esprit in white is still the prettiest of all Esprits (and I say that as an owner of an S3 in Arctic Ice (pale blue).
@@ChristianRThomas I totally agree with you on the Golf and Escort. A car needs to have that certain quality to look good in white but for some reason I can't really pinpoint what that quality actually is. The Esprit has it. But for example when I see like a Porsche cayenne in white go by it makes me want to vomit for some reason
Catching up with older videos and this one is fabulous. It represents why many of us love cars- the joy of driving they bring. Harry puts the car first, its history, the personalities, the likes and dislikes with all his experience, story telling, knowledge and passion, without trying to be a star or trying to impress that most other channels get caught up in. The feeling is Harry is telling you a story like you are good friends. This video reminds us of the genius of Colin Chapman, with lightness being the priority and great handling alongside it being the hallmarks of Lotus. It reminds us of the design genius of Guigiaro, that designs can be timeless. It reminds us cars are meant to be driven and other videos that long road trips are all about the journey. Cars are not museum exhibits, they are meant to be in motion. The cockpit, the driving position, how the steering feels, the sound of the engine. These all bring joy and for that I am very grateful.
My original 'dream' car. 1977 and all I wanted in life was a lightsaber or an Esprit that could turn into a submarine. As a 7yr old, I never thought it was asking that much. As you grow with this car and realise all its formations, I still come back to the HC model. I prefer the design and I like the heritage. The original Chapman concept. A genius engineer, a genius racing car designer, a genius accountant ;o) This car was always my first love...
If there is one thing common through the generations it's the childhood dream of holding a lightsaber in your hands. And the sad knowledge that you will never do so.
Thanks for making these videos Harry. I'm thrilled that you are still a very active member of the autojourno community. It would be far too easy for you drive around without a camera but you choose to bring us along for the ride
I have owned three Esprits during the years when you could buy them new, I loved every one of them. Thanks for bringing back the memory’s of those happy days Harry.
Yearned after one of these since they appeared in 1980/81. Read all the road tests, had a go in one when I worked in London in the late 80's. They have always been just outside my financial limits. Came close once. Owned an Excel for a year, but never quite managed to get one. Had a few TVR's since 2004 but this is and will always be my dream car... Great vid Harry. Thank You. Will be watching & dreaming very regularly, alongside the Countach vids. Man after my own heart.........
Lotus body was a molded upper and lower shell bonded on a common seam. No structural components for a safety cage . Watch TH-cam video of delorean barrier impact . Pretty scary. The cars were death traps because the plastic body was just that, no safety cage, unlike corvette, or Ferrari. That’s why the cars were so light. Not streetable by today’s standards, one frontal impact or side impact and you are dead!
@@jvaubry Utter bollocks. As someone who has crashed an Esprit I can tell you that you feel almost nothing because everything is absorbed by the fibreglass. They are fantastically safe cars, the Excel being the safest of the lot. It aced every single US safety test first time - and in those days they were causing real headaches for UK makers. You are talking out of your arse.
@@jvaubry Incidentally, do you realise that Ferrari made both the 308GTB and the 308GT4 in fibreglass as well as steel? Or that both the Esprit and the Excel/Eclat have rollover bars (2.5" dia IIRC) and 7" x 1" x-section steel bars running the full width of the doors? If I had to choose two cars to have high speed crashes in, these would be it - way, way before I'd chose a Volvo.
Christian, lotus esprit is not as safe as you think, it is placard for head strikes with the w/s header, and in collisions with heavier vehicles, it gets punted like a football. The low height of the front bumper tends to make the car wedge under the vehicle in front, and getting t-boned in that car is no walk in the park either. If you don’t believe me check out the lotus forums like I did, and you will come away more informed
@@jvaubry Ca veut dire quoi, ici 'placard'? I would rather be in an Excel in a head-on with another vehicle because of that wedge shape. The Excel has about 2 feet of space before you get to the engine, but then most of the front of the Esprit is sacrificial. The sides of the Esprit should be pretty strong though I have thought about replacing that beam with a carbon fibre/polypropylene structure and reinforcing the inside of the doors with Carbon/Kevlar plus PP. The doors could be made structurally very much more sound nowadays. Back then you could hardly get decent glass fabric, let alone better materials at any sort of reasonable cost. Nowadays carbon fabric is £10 a sq metre, or less if you don't need a cosmetic finish. I'd still rather be in an Esprit than in any tin car - in fact I bought my first Lotus because the handling of a 205GTi scared the life out of me with lift-off oversteer, and then I saw one in a motorway sandwich. You don't get out of one of those alive.
What a wonderful video tribute to the model that was certainly the pinnacle of the Lotus Esprit model: the 1987 Lotus Esprit Turbo HCI. As the final year of the sharp-edged wedge design of Giugiaro, with the boldest of trim, such as the larger spoiler, deeper air-dam, and aggressive side skirts, this is the most beautiful model year produced. It also has the most impressive performance. I have always felt that the Lotus Esprit design, culminating in the 1987 model, was one of the two most stunningly elegant cars, the other being the Lamborghini Countach of approximately that same model year of 1987-1988. However, the Lotus Esprit's design is less wild and a bit more understated while still retaining that captivatingly sporty wedge shape, but with more subdued lines and trim. On a practical note, the 1987 Lotus is more obtainable as well, as a good example can be purchased currently for around $50K to $60K (curiously almost exactly its 1987-dollars sticker price) when one occasionally comes on the market... while a good 1987 to 1988 Countach is currently approaching a half-million dollars. Harry's discussion and praise of the Lotus Esprit is both informative and entertaining... probably the best Esprit test drive video I have seen. It's great to listen to someone who really understands the history behind Lotus, and appreciates the Esprit for all its eccentric and unique qualities. Nearly 35 years ago, when I was about 15, in the mid-1980's, one of my neighbors (though a stranger to me) saw me staring at his new Lotus Esprit he had recently purchased from "Larry Lotus & Buick" (what an odd combination for a dealer) of Fairfax County ,Virginia. To my delight, he took me for a brief ride in it... and I have wanted one ever since. Thank you for this inspiring video!
Essence of Chapman is precisely why it handles so brilliantly. Everything he touched had that light weight and brilliantly sorted suspension. It will break down. Great video.
I can here the joy in your voice when you describe and test your cars. That's why i don't miss any of your video's. And again, you don't need +500hp cars to enjoy the ride. That's why i love the new Alpine A110 so much. It's a bit similar to the Esprit's spirit/concept.
Happy to see a new video pop up today...thanks, Harry. The Esprit is still so exotic, sounds and looks great. Love these '80's sports cars that are light, have manual steering, etc. Same as the 911's at that time. It is so refreshing to see a car review without half of it being about the electronic systems, infotainment,non-essential luxuries, etc.
I own a 1983 Delorean and have always wanted her sister as well. It is amazing how closely they resemble each other. It makes sense however, being that they were developed and designed at the exact same time by the exact same people. Just wish the DMC got a better engine. Shame that DMC went under just before the turbo could be released in 1984. 0-60 under 5 seconds as opposed to the usual 9 seconds.
Beautiful car Harry I've always loved the look of this car, never ever thought I'd see one in the flesh so to speak as I live on a council estate but one day it happened and it was like a miracle to me,lol ,Colin Chapman certainly new what he was doing 🇬🇧👍
I really enjoyed this review. But if I'm being honest, I've thoroughly enjoyed every single one of your reviews that I've watched so far, and I've watched a lot of them Your genuine enthusiasm for cars is quite evident and it just makes me want to keep checking back in to see what you'll be sharing with us all next. It's not hard to imagine someone having such a great time driving supercars. However, I think it's when you review those cars that are a bit more common that you really manage to suck me into the experience. Regardless of what car you happen to be sharing with us, I love the wealth of details that you present in the process. Thank You!
These 1980s esprit turbos for me are the most beautiful sports cars ever designed. They look like a sports care should and far more aggressive than the later 90s models. If ever I am rich enough this is without a doubt the car I would buy. Superb looking machine. Very masculine looks. Far better looking esprit than the later more curvy models. Love this car.
Excellent video,thank you.Many many years ago I drove a S1 Esprit and my lasting impression of that 6 foot wide car was how it seemed to shrink once on the road.It was almost like driving a very fast go kart! One of the best handling cars ever.
This is my favourite body shape for the Espirit, timeless, sheer beauty, would love to see it back in production with modern mechanicals. Would love to see a full battery version with a turbine running on vegetable oil to top up battery, no range anxiety.
30 years ago when I was 18, my 23 year old best mate owned several Lotus inc a few S3 Espirit Turbo's. As a result I drove them a lot. Back then there was very little about for us to race on the roads, apart from big bikes, the Lotus was unmatched. I'm glad you enjoy yours, such a lot of car for the money. The only downside of ownership was getting stopped by the police regularly, not because we were young but because the cops wanted to have a look/ask questions - what mpg and how fast were the usual. This brought back lots of memories of my youth, thanks for posting.
Long is good. I love all the geekery about inlet manifold volume and boost pressures. Never knew you could take the roof off on the glass panelled ones. I have an Elise SC but sadly no garage. When we finally move out of town and get one I might have to scratch the Esprit itch.
You did the Esprit justice Harry, nicely done. I still prefer the looks of the SE (I have one :) ) but I'd love a copper turbo with the retro Goodyear tyres :)!
Always loved the Espirit. Very unique and I'm in love with those 80,s boxy interiors. Something special about a tuned and boosted 4 cylinder sound as well.
In the 90s as a 20 year old I worked at Portland’s Ferrari dealer that also dealt Lotus at the time and because of where it was geographically situated it rendered me MANY opportunities to drive the vehicles; the Esprit was BAR NONE and still is the most fun I have EVER HAD DRIVING AN AUTOMOBILE!
As a car lover this one ticks so many boxes on my hit list - design philosophy, shape, sound, brashness, it's iconic place in automotive history - it's not for everybody but if it is - wow! Hard to top this one - especially the color combination and glass roof! I absolutely love it - a bucket list dream car!
As the owner of a Ferrari 328 and a White over Red Turbo Esprit I agree with every word including the comments about how vastly superior the Esprit chassis is. Although I personally love the outrageous ruched red leather of my early Turbo over the flat leather :)
Interesting. I loved lots about my 308, the design, the build quality, the details, it's a Ferrari, etc. but to actually nail down a favourite bit of road, I'd take the Esprit every time!
God I love the Esprit. Things like this stick with you from childhood. I had a poster of a silver one on my wall when I was in elementary school, got it from a book fair I think. Even though I knew nothing about the car I loved the way it looked and ever since then it's been one of my dream cars. I've slowly come to the realization that I'd never be able to afford to own one (forget the purchase price, the maintenance costs would be way beyond my means), but in a perfect world I'd have a silver 1990-1992 turbo 4 model sitting in my driveway right now. Like the one Richard Gere drove in Pretty Woman.
What an absolutely superb review and road test, carried out by a knowledgeable, capable and enthusiastic driver/presenter. Few cars look good in white, whereas the Esprit looks outstanding! Thank you for producing this truly excellent video.
I’m glad this little treasure of a car has gone to you Harry. If I could sum you up with a word, it would be Git. You’re a lucky one. Colin Chapman was a genius, very forward thinking going small turbo and higher compression. It would be sacrilege to put an inter cooler in and start faffing with boost pressures.
One of my all time favourite cars... I too fell in love with it after seeing it in For Your Eyes Only, and still have some of the magazines (Fast Lane etc) with the original reviews. Great to see it's aged so well. Great video, cheers Harry
Cool car Harry love the colour combination, hearing that turbo & waste gate bought a smile to my face. I've really started to like some of these old Lotus's especially the Elite, so very 70's.
Fantastic Video Harry! I nearly bought one about 20 years ago but got a TVR 350i instead. Always like the look of the Lotus but it didn't have the noise of the V8 in TVR. Now though hearing the chatter of the wastegate on the Lotus, I may have made a mistake!
Can’t knock the TVR Wedge though, I had 5...a 350i, 2 x 400SE, a 420 SEAC, and a 450 SEAC. And you’re right....they make the most brilliant noise. No cats help of course.. Wasn’t Oliver Winterbottom involved in the design of both?
To me this one sexy car of all time ! Have many great memory with the Esprit in my youth days, never have any problem with it, the best handling for sure. Every young man should own and experience a Lotus one in his life time! Great video thanks for upload this
As a kid I always wanted to put a Lotus poster on my wall but they didn't make them. I've always loved the Lotus Esprit. Harry does the best sports car reviews, as he has more credibility than most. The Esprit is incredibly rare in the US, as most people who could afford them bought 911's or Corvette's. Thanks.
Just discovered Harry's Garage--and Harry's Farm too! You are a man of amazingly broad interest--and broad knowledge. Thank you, Harry, for sharing your knowledge in such an interesting manner. Great work!
JayEmm on Cars I think you’re right... according to Graham Robson‘s book, Colin Chapman had the windowsills of the large country home of Lotus made sloping, so that no-one could place an ashtray on them. Harry, I suspect the ashtrays would have been a Mike Kimberley-imposed compromise to make the car more practical... along with the sufficient headroom
Sounds surprisingly enticing. Great that this rare and mostly forgotten/dismissed car has survived in such wonderful condition and has ended up with the owner it deserves! Thanks for sharing, Harry......
Alex Shepherd yeah .... but two Bond girls later its ruffled leather...... as in ruffled feathers! Never forget Roger Moore disdainfully winding window down in the Esprit and dropping small fish on to the sand! RIP the legend that is Roger Moore!
I always stop what I’m doing and watch when I see you’ve uploaded a vid. It’s such a refreshing break from the ‘exhaust mod & ecu remap’ world we live in nowadays.(As into it as I am) 😊You’re collection is class and so are your vids. Good work sir. 👍🏻
“The leather looked knackered the day it was delivered” I absolutely cracked up when you said that. More humour please. Caught me off guard. Great review.
Great video Harry. Really lovely to see you enjoying and uncovering this cars magic. Again such a well delivered piece of informative film. Really got a sense of the car too. Thank you for taking the time to share this rare beast.
12:40 You said it was wastegate chatter but that's actually compressor surge/turbo flutter caused by having no bypass valve between the turbo and intake manifold.
Indeed - wasn’t quite as well engineered as the Uno Turbo of the era, which had not only a recirculating dump valve, but also an intercooler - and the turbocharger was water cooled. Lotus flew a bit closer to the sun with theirs :)
I saw this video ages ago but gave it a re-watch recently as I’m embarking on my own Esprit restoration, not a turbo HC unfortunately, an S2 but you can’t deny that the Giugiaro design was 👌 Until mine is back on the road I’ll have to make do with this vid and Harry’s road trip but that’s no hardship in all honesty! Great videos, wonderful review, subscriber for life!
Use to have one of these back in 87. Loads of Lotus characteristic foibles, (park it facing downhill in a heavy rainstorm and watch the ran be funnelled in to the engine bay !!), but loved it to bits. Only sold it to buy first house. Stunning car. Thanks for another great review Harry. Brought back loads of happy memories !
What a wonderful timeless shape. And that engine cover removal. Why couldn't Porsche do that with my Cayman S? I have 5 torque heads to undo....or is it 6? lol
Love your work Harry but not the esprit, sorry. Had one and I wouldn’t leave my garage without a box of tools and a fire extinguisher and never at night. It’s a beautiful wedge though.
Another great video Harry, thanks again for reviewing one of my favourite cars since I was a kid. I always thought that this was one of the most underrated supercars of the ‘80s and is only now getting the recognition it deserves. Would really appreciate a road test and comparison with the V8 powered ‘90s model as a v8 is considerably heavier than the four pot.
Thanks for this wonderfully informative video Harry. That Esprit deserves the love of a detailer, and then it will look astonishingly good. And thanks for enjoying it on the open road as it should be, not as a garage queen.
You forgot to demonstrate the submarine function.
:) be glad of the poor ventilation then!
Submarine car was a series 1, not series 3...
@@stephennoble2647 Ah, that explains why he didn't demonstrate it then.
@@Beer_Dad1975 😉
Very few reviewers can convey the excitement and adrenalin rush of driving a true sports car. Harry is one of those few.
He's absolutely correct. I owned a 1985 Turbo Esprit several years ago and the car is so much more than what people realize. He didn't really even get on his in this video but when you get the Esprit out on the open road and take it up over 100mph that's where you really start to understand and appreciate the absolute brilliance that went into the engineering behind this car. There are things about owning and driving a Lotus Esprit that you simply don't get with any other car. Until you have actually driven one out on the open road at speed, you just can't appreciate all that this car really brought to the table. It was just way, WAY ahead of it's time in so many different ways. Lotus did so many things right - things that many other car makers to this day still don't even understand.
What do you think is the reason they always seem to be so cheap? Are they unreliable or something. The price they are seems too good to be true.
Someone credible finally singing the Esprit's praises 👌🏼
Harry doesn't appear to be singing the Esprit's praises but only this particularly rare '87 Turbo HC variant.
'...an Esprit's praises.' works either, I'm easy. Was the HC the only good one?
jeremy fine nope. He said it was Colin Chapman's final car and he wanted it for that reason. He only said he didn't like the s1 due to quality. The s1 was a development car and the poorest quality out if them all. But that chassis he's going on about being in love with was in every esprit ever made. So was the engine up to the v8 in the 90s..
Colin Johnston Yeah...they dropped the submarine mode and missile launchers on later models.
They are all gorgeous, remember Bond Live and let die? Roger Moore and his Esprit, I still cum just thinking about it! The car, not Roger, ok!
Lovely car. Colin Chapman was very crafty in how he got the Esprit into the bond film. He parked one outside of EON's offices in London.
It was at Pinewood Studios.
Gorilla marketing.
Harry, why do you do this to me? I really should be studying now...
Had to watch this episode one more time! Just so wonderful seeing Harry rolling along and so amazingy describing it all😊👌
Now I want to take my own Esprit Turbo SE for a similar trip!
Thank you Harry🤝
Fabulous video and fabulous car - as a 13 year old lad in Norfolk in 1980 I remember cycling up to the Hethel test track with my pal (who's father worked at Lotus) and watching these being thrashed around during testing....I thought these cars were beautiful (and still do!) - thanks for sharing in your usual brilliant way.....
PS I went to school with Mike Kimberley's son! I was so envious as he always holidayed in Majorca and it sounded very exotic to a lad who only holidayed in Sea Palling on the North Norfolk coast!
You lucky Devil! 🤤
Probably one of the most beautiful cars ever made. I really love them also.
You cant call yourself a english carcollector if you dont have a esprit . Great video as always Harry . One of the best car Channels on youtube imo
As a 70's child, I have always loved the look of the esprit...
Spy who loved me Lotus chase on ITV4 as I type:)
I was 24 when this was made, it was my dream car and still is!
Not normally a fan of white cars, but that color combo fits that Esprit perfectly!
It's a period thing. It was the color of the time.
I owned a white Indy Fiero.
Only a few cars that actually look good in white. Most of them from the 80's
@@noyesplease9522 There are quite a few in white from the '80s that you really wouldn't want today. Soft top Golf GTI or, worse still, an XR3. But the Series 1 Esprit in white is still the prettiest of all Esprits (and I say that as an owner of an S3 in Arctic Ice (pale blue).
@@ChristianRThomas I totally agree with you on the Golf and Escort. A car needs to have that certain quality to look good in white but for some reason I can't really pinpoint what that quality actually is. The Esprit has it. But for example when I see like a Porsche cayenne in white go by it makes me want to vomit for some reason
Catching up with older videos and this one is fabulous. It represents why many of us love cars- the joy of driving they bring.
Harry puts the car first, its history, the personalities, the likes and dislikes with all his experience, story telling, knowledge and passion, without trying to be a star or trying to impress that most other channels get caught up in. The feeling is Harry is telling you a story like you are good friends.
This video reminds us of the genius of Colin Chapman, with lightness being the priority and great handling alongside it being the hallmarks of Lotus.
It reminds us of the design genius of Guigiaro, that designs can be timeless.
It reminds us cars are meant to be driven and other videos that long road trips are all about the journey. Cars are not museum exhibits, they are meant to be in motion. The cockpit, the driving position, how the steering feels, the sound of the engine.
These all bring joy and for that I am very grateful.
Without a doubt the best car reviewer/car lover/car collector on the web. Harry, we love your reviews... please keep the vids coming!
My original 'dream' car. 1977 and all I wanted in life was a lightsaber or an Esprit that could turn into a submarine. As a 7yr old, I never thought it was asking that much. As you grow with this car and realise all its formations, I still come back to the HC model. I prefer the design and I like the heritage. The original Chapman concept. A genius engineer, a genius racing car designer, a genius accountant ;o)
This car was always my first love...
If there is one thing common through the generations it's the childhood dream of holding a lightsaber in your hands. And the sad knowledge that you will never do so.
Owned an 87 HCi for two years. Beautiful car, but holy smokes, the care and feeding was unreal.
Thanks for making these videos Harry. I'm thrilled that you are still a very active member of the autojourno community. It would be far too easy for you drive around without a camera but you choose to bring us along for the ride
I have owned three Esprits during the years when you could buy them new, I loved every one of them. Thanks for bringing back the memory’s of those happy days Harry.
Yearned after one of these since they appeared in 1980/81. Read all the road tests, had a go in one when I worked in London in the late 80's. They have always been just outside my financial limits. Came close once. Owned an Excel for a year, but never quite managed to get one. Had a few TVR's since 2004 but this is and will always be my dream car...
Great vid Harry. Thank You. Will be watching & dreaming very regularly, alongside the Countach vids.
Man after my own heart.........
That is such a beautiful car, congratulations Mr. Bond!!! Cheers again from México.
Stunning car, my favourite was the red one with the ski’s on the back!
This is the best technical/ #petrolhead reviewer of all time.... Thank you Harry !!! #harrysgarage
Lotus body was a molded upper and lower shell bonded on a common seam. No structural components for a safety cage . Watch TH-cam video of delorean barrier impact . Pretty scary. The cars were death traps because the plastic body was just that, no safety cage, unlike corvette, or Ferrari. That’s why the cars were so light. Not streetable by today’s standards, one frontal impact or side impact and you are dead!
@@jvaubry Utter bollocks. As someone who has crashed an Esprit I can tell you that you feel almost nothing because everything is absorbed by the fibreglass. They are fantastically safe cars, the Excel being the safest of the lot. It aced every single US safety test first time - and in those days they were causing real headaches for UK makers. You are talking out of your arse.
@@jvaubry Incidentally, do you realise that Ferrari made both the 308GTB and the 308GT4 in fibreglass as well as steel? Or that both the Esprit and the Excel/Eclat have rollover bars (2.5" dia IIRC) and 7" x 1" x-section steel bars running the full width of the doors? If I had to choose two cars to have high speed crashes in, these would be it - way, way before I'd chose a Volvo.
Christian, lotus esprit is not as safe as you think, it is placard for head strikes with the w/s header, and in collisions with heavier vehicles, it gets punted like a football. The low height of the front bumper tends to make the car wedge under the vehicle in front, and getting t-boned in that car is no walk in the park either. If you don’t believe me check out the lotus forums like I did, and you will come away more informed
@@jvaubry Ca veut dire quoi, ici 'placard'? I would rather be in an Excel in a head-on with another vehicle because of that wedge shape. The Excel has about 2 feet of space before you get to the engine, but then most of the front of the Esprit is sacrificial. The sides of the Esprit should be pretty strong though I have thought about replacing that beam with a carbon fibre/polypropylene structure and reinforcing the inside of the doors with Carbon/Kevlar plus PP. The doors could be made structurally very much more sound nowadays. Back then you could hardly get decent glass fabric, let alone better materials at any sort of reasonable cost. Nowadays carbon fabric is £10 a sq metre, or less if you don't need a cosmetic finish. I'd still rather be in an Esprit than in any tin car - in fact I bought my first Lotus because the handling of a 205GTi scared the life out of me with lift-off oversteer, and then I saw one in a motorway sandwich. You don't get out of one of those alive.
Amazing ! I really enjoyed your test harry ! Many happy years for you mate !!
What a wonderful video tribute to the model that was certainly the pinnacle of the Lotus Esprit model: the 1987 Lotus Esprit Turbo HCI.
As the final year of the sharp-edged wedge design of Giugiaro, with the boldest of trim, such as the larger spoiler, deeper air-dam, and
aggressive side skirts, this is the most beautiful model year produced. It also has the most impressive performance.
I have always felt that the Lotus Esprit design, culminating in the 1987 model, was one of the two most stunningly elegant cars,
the other being the Lamborghini Countach of approximately that same model year of 1987-1988. However, the Lotus Esprit's
design is less wild and a bit more understated while still retaining that captivatingly sporty wedge shape, but with more subdued
lines and trim. On a practical note, the 1987 Lotus is more obtainable as well, as a good example can be purchased currently for
around $50K to $60K (curiously almost exactly its 1987-dollars sticker price) when one occasionally comes on the market... while a
good 1987 to 1988 Countach is currently approaching a half-million dollars.
Harry's discussion and praise of the Lotus Esprit is both informative and entertaining... probably the best Esprit test drive video I
have seen. It's great to listen to someone who really understands the history behind Lotus, and appreciates the Esprit for all
its eccentric and unique qualities.
Nearly 35 years ago, when I was about 15, in the mid-1980's, one of my neighbors (though a stranger to me) saw me staring at his new
Lotus Esprit he had recently purchased from "Larry Lotus & Buick" (what an odd combination for a dealer) of Fairfax County ,Virginia.
To my delight, he took me for a brief ride in it... and I have wanted one ever since. Thank you for this inspiring video!
Essence of Chapman is precisely why it handles so brilliantly. Everything he touched had that light weight and brilliantly sorted suspension. It will break down. Great video.
In terms of look, i definitely prefer this than the 90s and early 2000 Esprit.. may be because it carries the Bond flair along with it
I can here the joy in your voice when you describe and test your cars. That's why i don't miss any of your video's. And again, you don't need +500hp cars to enjoy the ride. That's why i love the new Alpine A110 so much. It's a bit similar to the Esprit's spirit/concept.
Hoping Harry does a video on that new Alpine...
I test drove the Essex Turbo version back in 84/85. That was so fast down a country road. Thanks for the throwback memories Harry.
Jay for President...Harry for Prime Minister. The world will be better off. That's a beautiful car.
Happy to see a new video pop up today...thanks, Harry. The Esprit is still so exotic, sounds and looks great. Love these '80's sports cars that are light, have manual steering, etc. Same as the 911's at that time. It is so refreshing to see a car review without half of it being about the electronic systems, infotainment,non-essential luxuries, etc.
I own a 1983 Delorean and have always wanted her sister as well. It is amazing how closely they resemble each other. It makes sense however, being that they were developed and designed at the exact same time by the exact same people.
Just wish the DMC got a better engine. Shame that DMC went under just before the turbo could be released in 1984. 0-60 under 5 seconds as opposed to the usual 9 seconds.
Beautiful car Harry I've always loved the look of this car, never ever thought I'd see one in the flesh so to speak as I live on a council estate but one day it happened and it was like a miracle to me,lol ,Colin Chapman certainly new what he was doing 🇬🇧👍
I really enjoyed this review. But if I'm being honest, I've thoroughly enjoyed every single one of your reviews that I've watched so far, and I've watched a lot of them Your genuine enthusiasm for cars is quite evident and it just makes me want to keep checking back in to see what you'll be sharing with us all next. It's not hard to imagine someone having such a great time driving supercars. However, I think it's when you review those cars that are a bit more common that you really manage to suck me into the experience. Regardless of what car you happen to be sharing with us, I love the wealth of details that you present in the process. Thank You!
That bike was moving.
wise man 19:50 crazy!
That was me on the motorcycle
Kyong Hansen
Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, or did a cat piss in your Cheerios and you ate it anyway?
Q- Bert 😂😂
Ikr? Made me jump! Watch it in slow mo, its only there for about 2 frames!
After all these years, Esprit is still my most favorite car. Thank you for bringing this video to us. Really enjoy it a lot.
These 1980s esprit turbos for me are the most beautiful sports cars ever designed. They look like a sports care should and far more aggressive than the later 90s models. If ever I am rich enough this is without a doubt the car I would buy. Superb looking machine. Very masculine looks. Far better looking esprit than the later more curvy models. Love this car.
I absolutely love these videos..the history, the drive, the details, I can almost smell the fuel..fantastic video thank you Harry
Guess who got a drone for Christmas!? Love it!
That'll be his son I reckon...:-)
One of Harry’s best videos, his passion for the Esprit comes through all the way and he looks like he’s part of the car.
Lucky man! What a lovely car! Lotus Esprit is, along with Aston Martin, my favourite car! And what a nice Bond movie prop it is(1977, 1981)!!!
Excellent video,thank you.Many many years ago I drove a S1 Esprit and my lasting impression of that 6 foot wide car was how it seemed to shrink once on the road.It was almost like driving a very fast go kart! One of the best handling cars ever.
This is my favourite body shape for the Espirit, timeless, sheer beauty, would love to see it back in production with modern mechanicals. Would love to see a full battery version with a turbine running on vegetable oil to top up battery, no range anxiety.
Me too, love this body design
I fear the modern mechanicals would take it up to two tons...
30 years ago when I was 18, my 23 year old best mate owned several Lotus inc a few S3 Espirit Turbo's. As a result I drove them a lot. Back then there was very little about for us to race on the roads, apart from big bikes, the Lotus was unmatched.
I'm glad you enjoy yours, such a lot of car for the money. The only downside of ownership was getting stopped by the police regularly, not because we were young but because the cops wanted to have a look/ask questions - what mpg and how fast were the usual.
This brought back lots of memories of my youth, thanks for posting.
The best 27 mins 16s of 2018 thank you Harry :-). I'm like you being a very lucky owner of an Esprit HC Turbo.
Sorry it was bit long but lots to talk about and thought the other vids already out there on Esprit weren't up to much..
Your could do a 1 hour special, I'll be watching :-) and i agree it's about time there was a proper video, best I've seen - thanks again.
Long is good. I love all the geekery about inlet manifold volume and boost pressures. Never knew you could take the roof off on the glass panelled ones. I have an Elise SC but sadly no garage. When we finally move out of town and get one I might have to scratch the Esprit itch.
You did the Esprit justice Harry, nicely done. I still prefer the looks of the SE (I have one :) ) but I'd love a copper turbo with the retro Goodyear tyres :)!
No need to apologies Harry - loved it !
Always loved the Espirit. Very unique and I'm in love with those 80,s boxy interiors. Something special about a tuned and boosted 4 cylinder sound as well.
Thank you from Canada! Love your work!
Thanks, Mrs.M is Canadian. Great country!
In the 90s as a 20 year old I worked at Portland’s Ferrari dealer that also dealt Lotus at the time and because of where it was geographically situated it rendered me MANY opportunities to drive the vehicles; the Esprit was BAR NONE and still is the most fun I have EVER HAD DRIVING AN AUTOMOBILE!
Great video Harry, you do pick some great cars and I have to say feel exactly the same on why you picked this. Keep up the videos please, there great.
As a car lover this one ticks so many boxes on my hit list - design philosophy, shape, sound, brashness, it's iconic place in automotive history - it's not for everybody but if it is - wow! Hard to top this one - especially the color combination and glass roof! I absolutely love it - a bucket list dream car!
As the owner of a Ferrari 328 and a White over Red Turbo Esprit I agree with every word including the comments about how vastly superior the Esprit chassis is. Although I personally love the outrageous ruched red leather of my early Turbo over the flat leather :)
Interesting. I loved lots about my 308, the design, the build quality, the details, it's a Ferrari, etc. but to actually nail down a favourite bit of road, I'd take the Esprit every time!
I also prefer the ruched leather!
God I love the Esprit. Things like this stick with you from childhood. I had a poster of a silver one on my wall when I was in elementary school, got it from a book fair I think. Even though I knew nothing about the car I loved the way it looked and ever since then it's been one of my dream cars. I've slowly come to the realization that I'd never be able to afford to own one (forget the purchase price, the maintenance costs would be way beyond my means), but in a perfect world I'd have a silver 1990-1992 turbo 4 model sitting in my driveway right now. Like the one Richard Gere drove in Pretty Woman.
Love the review of a car I've loved since I first saw it in For Your Eyes Only!
that was the S1
Fezza yes with skis on the roof
What an absolutely superb review and road test, carried out by a knowledgeable, capable and enthusiastic driver/presenter.
Few cars look good in white, whereas the Esprit looks outstanding!
Thank you for producing this truly excellent video.
That is the perfect spec. Another great buy Harry
What a fantastic looking and sounding car. That engine sounds silky smooth even when worked right up to the redline.
Harry, why do you do this to me? I really should be studying now...
I’m glad this little treasure of a car has gone to you Harry. If I could sum you up with a word, it would be Git. You’re a lucky one.
Colin Chapman was a genius, very forward thinking going small turbo and higher compression. It would be sacrilege to put an inter cooler in and start faffing with boost pressures.
19:54 that motor bike flying past😂 great vid Harry thanks 👍🏻
One of my all time favourite cars... I too fell in love with it after seeing it in For Your Eyes Only, and still have some of the magazines (Fast Lane etc) with the original reviews. Great to see it's aged so well. Great video, cheers Harry
Amazing and beautiful car, from the best auto youtuber, thank you Harry. ps love the drone shots
Cool car Harry love the colour combination, hearing that turbo & waste gate bought a smile to my face. I've really started to like some of these old Lotus's especially the Elite, so very 70's.
Fantastic Video Harry! I nearly bought one about 20 years ago but got a TVR 350i instead. Always like the look of the Lotus but it didn't have the noise of the V8 in TVR. Now though hearing the chatter of the wastegate on the Lotus, I may have made a mistake!
You need both!
Can’t knock the TVR Wedge though, I had 5...a 350i, 2 x 400SE, a 420 SEAC, and a 450 SEAC. And you’re right....they make the most brilliant noise. No cats help of course.. Wasn’t Oliver Winterbottom involved in the design of both?
SO GOOD to see someone love this car as much as I do... and in your top 3? Marvellous
Love your collection, soo many special things in it.
I feel like you need a classic bmw!
Andre Tennis doesn't he have an original m3?
I thought I saw a 635
I aways wondered what happened to the 1980's yuppies, great to see this one is still living the dream.
Truly interesting car & great video!
To me this one sexy car of all time ! Have many great memory with the Esprit in my youth days, never have any problem with it, the best handling for sure. Every young man should own and experience a Lotus one in his life time! Great video thanks for upload this
Great buy what a beautiful car
As a kid I always wanted to put a Lotus poster on my wall but they didn't make them. I've always loved the Lotus Esprit. Harry does the best sports car reviews, as he has more credibility than most. The Esprit is incredibly rare in the US, as most people who could afford them bought 911's or Corvette's. Thanks.
Last time Lotus cared about looks. Still best Bond car (!)
Oh come on. Modern lotus look as good if not better than these.
John Ó Maoilearca Come on, man... the Elise, perhaps-
The Elise is fantastic in my book....
John Ó Maoilearca - The Lotus Evora looks good.
Elise etc are fine - but nothing as head turning as Esprit was in 1977.
Thank you, Harry! I'm living vicariously through you as an auto enthusiast!
Thumbs down as you didn't drive into the sea :)
or drop a fish out the window lol
or fire a missile
I love that bit cos it makes zero sense :D
The white turbo Espirit version blew up if I recall.
@LCTRgames, He's referencing the one from the James Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me.
Awesome review Harry, I love your passion for the cars that you add to your collection and get just as much enjoyment out of old and new.
Lol at the motorcycle @19:53
Paul Motel Well and truly on it !
lol, doesn't phase Harry!
he was cruisin' lol
Just discovered Harry's Garage--and Harry's Farm too! You are a man of amazingly broad interest--and broad knowledge. Thank you, Harry, for sharing your knowledge in such an interesting manner. Great work!
Are you sure about Colin being a smoker? I had been told that despite his association with John Player, he detested the habit?
JayEmm on Cars I think you’re right... according to Graham Robson‘s book, Colin Chapman had the windowsills of the large country home of Lotus made sloping, so that no-one could place an ashtray on them.
Harry, I suspect the ashtrays would have been a Mike Kimberley-imposed compromise to make the car more practical... along with the sufficient headroom
Alex Shepherd I doubt Mike put them in there, it was just how things were in the 70s/80s - he certainly needed more headroom than the Esprit had!
Colin Chapman is an automotive legend. Sorely missed.
meech, i drove one of those, i had Amiga 500 :)
Sounds surprisingly enticing. Great that this rare and mostly forgotten/dismissed car has survived in such wonderful condition and has ended up with the owner it deserves! Thanks for sharing, Harry......
Brilliant!!
Harry smiles as he blasts over a section of roadway marked "slow." Made me smile, too!
A couple of things...... ‘ruffled leather’....... and of course Roger Moore! 👍🤠😍🚗
4 wheels on My wagon ‘ruched’ leather? :)
Alex Shepherd yeah .... but two Bond girls later its ruffled leather...... as in ruffled feathers!
Never forget Roger Moore disdainfully winding window down in the Esprit and dropping small fish on to the sand! RIP the legend that is Roger Moore!
I always stop what I’m doing and watch when I see you’ve uploaded a vid. It’s such a refreshing break from the ‘exhaust mod & ecu remap’ world we live in nowadays.(As into it as I am) 😊You’re collection is class and so are your vids. Good work sir. 👍🏻
I thought it wasn't gonna start wen I heard that crank
“The leather looked knackered the day it was delivered” I absolutely cracked up when you said that. More humour please. Caught me off guard. Great review.
Does it turn into a submarine? :D
Great video Harry. Really lovely to see you enjoying and uncovering this cars magic. Again such a well delivered piece of informative film. Really got a sense of the car too. Thank you for taking the time to share this rare beast.
12:40 You said it was wastegate chatter but that's actually compressor surge/turbo flutter caused by having no bypass valve between the turbo and intake manifold.
correct
That doesn’t sound like a great thing for turbo longevity.
The old wastegate chatter myth from someone who should know better.
777jones
These were running quite low boost, so they would not suffer as much as a modern high boost unit.
Indeed - wasn’t quite as well engineered as the Uno Turbo of the era, which had not only a recirculating dump valve, but also an intercooler - and the turbocharger was water cooled. Lotus flew a bit closer to the sun with theirs :)
I saw this video ages ago but gave it a re-watch recently as I’m embarking on my own Esprit restoration, not a turbo HC unfortunately, an S2 but you can’t deny that the Giugiaro design was 👌 Until mine is back on the road I’ll have to make do with this vid and Harry’s road trip but that’s no hardship in all honesty! Great videos, wonderful review, subscriber for life!
Lol, that interior just screams love-shack.
Use to have one of these back in 87. Loads of Lotus characteristic foibles, (park it facing downhill in a heavy rainstorm and watch the ran be funnelled in to the engine bay !!), but loved it to bits. Only sold it to buy first house. Stunning car. Thanks for another great review Harry. Brought back loads of happy memories !
How funny, I only sold mine to buy property too…..
What a wonderful timeless shape. And that engine cover removal. Why couldn't Porsche do that with my Cayman S? I have 5 torque heads to undo....or is it 6? lol
I had a 1987 lotus excel for a year from 2014. The noise brought back some good memories :)
Love the Esprit.
Love your work Harry but not the esprit, sorry. Had one and I wouldn’t leave my garage without a box of tools and a fire extinguisher and never at night. It’s a beautiful wedge though.
Another great video Harry, thanks again for reviewing one of my favourite cars since I was a kid.
I always thought that this was one of the most underrated supercars of the ‘80s and is only now getting the recognition it deserves. Would really appreciate a road test and comparison with the V8 powered ‘90s model as a v8 is considerably heavier than the four pot.
I used to work for a guy in the 80s who had a gold turbo Esprit, beautiful car! I've wanted one ever since.
Awesome channel for guys who never stopped appreciating the classics! Good work Harry! Wooohoooo!
This and the Countach are my dream cars...amazing to see one running in this condition. Great video!
Thanks for this wonderfully informative video Harry. That Esprit deserves the love of a detailer, and then it will look astonishingly good. And thanks for enjoying it on the open road as it should be, not as a garage queen.
Three cheers for the great Colin Chapman and for Harry’s Garage!
I've had a crush on these since I first saw one in 84; my favorite looking car.