Showing 17,060 miles at time of cataloging
2003 Lotus Esprit V8

3,606cc Twin-Turbocharged V8
Fuel Injection
350bhp at 6,500rpm
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Independent Front and Rear Suspension w/ Electronic Damping
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

* 2003 was the last year of Esprit production, Lotus officially ended the line in February 2004
* This is a late, rare example from the final model year before the line closed entirely
* Finished in Silver Metallic over Black Leather
* Showing 17,060 miles at time of cataloging


THE LOTUS ESPRIT

The Lotus Esprit is one of the most iconic British sports cars ever built — a low, wedge-shaped mid-engine exotic that combined dramatic styling with Lotus' philosophy of lightweight performance and razor-sharp handling.

Produced from 1976 to 2004, the Esprit evolved through several generations while always retaining its unmistakable silhouette. The original Esprit was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign.
Its sharp wedge profile became one of the defining supercar shapes of the late 1970s and 1980s.
Later redesigns by Peter Stevens modernized the body while preserving the original proportions. Stevens would later design the legendary McLaren F1.

The Esprit achieved worldwide fame in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me
where it transformed into a submarine — one of the most memorable movie cars ever created.
That white Series 1 Esprit became permanently linked to Bond culture and helped elevate Lotus into global recognition.

Over nearly three decades, the Esprit evolved from a lightweight four-cylinder sports car into a genuine supercar contender. Engines included a naturally aspirated inline-4, turbocharged inline-4, and finally the twin-turbocharged V8.

When Lotus closed the Esprit production line in early 2004, it ended one of the longest continuous runs in British sports car history. The 2003 V8 Twin Turbo represents the model at its most complete — the accumulated refinement of nearly three decades applied to a mid-engined platform that had never stopped improving. Peter Stevens' bodywork, penned in 1987, remained as taut and purposeful as the day it was drawn.

The V8 engine was Lotus's own — conceived, engineered, and built at Hethel, a point of considerable pride for a manufacturer of its size. Twin Garrett turbochargers feed a 3.5-liter all-aluminum unit that pulls with authority from low revs and sharpens into something urgent above four thousand.

The V8 powered Esprit was Lotus's answer to critics who felt the four-cylinder Esprit, however tuneable, couldn't compete with Ferrari and Porsche on bragging rights. They proved they could build a proper V8 from scratch — and it sounded magnificent doing it.

The Chassis, true to Lotus philosophy — lightweight, mid-engined, and all about handling. The backbone steel chassis wrapped in a fiberglass body kept weight down to around 1,300kg, meaning the V8 felt every bit as fast as the numbers suggested.

The Esprit ended production in 2004, making the V8 the last and most powerful iteration of a 32-year lineage. It remains one of the most characterful supercars of its era.


THE CAR OFFERED

Lotus Esprit V8 bearing Chassis No. SCCDC08223HA10471 is a late and desirable example — it would have the most refined version of the twin-turbo V8, benefiting from years of development. The final years of Esprit production are the most sorted and collectible.

Finished in Silver Metallic over Black leather sport seats, the interior consists of an aluminum shift knob, aluminum pedals, silver trim, and a period correct Alpine AM/FM CD player. The car is also equipped with a JRZ suspension and recently installed Nitto tires.

Recent service includes new fuel pumps and spark plugs, as well as a timing belt service. Accompanying the car are multiple keys, owner's manuals, and both removable tops.

Showing just 17,060 miles at the time of cataloging, this 2003 Lotus Esprit V8 represents the most refined iteration of a three-decade icon — built at Hethel, powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V8, and finished in an era when pop-up headlamps and a razor-edged wedge styling were the language of exotic motoring.

The 2002–2004 Esprit V8 has grown increasingly collectible as the final chapter of a lineage that began in 1976 — nearly three decades of continuous production from a small factory in Norfolk.