- Encor’s Esprit revival is based on the Series 4 chassis, not the original S1.
- Twin-turbo V8 produces 400 hp and sounds naturally aspirated at full revs.
- A five-speed manual and hydraulic steering keep the driving experience analog.
There’s no shortage of classic sports cars being dragged into the modern era by small firms with big ambitions. Some get restored, others get rewritten, and the 1975 Lotus Esprit S1 is firmly in the latter camp, with British outfit Encor reworking the wedge-shaped icon in a run of just 50 examples.
Read: Bond-Era Lotus Esprit Reborn To Outrun Supercars
Unveiled in December, the car is known as the Series 1. Its design draws inspiration from the original, but it is actually based on the Series 4 model launched in 1994. The platform was chosen for its more advanced chassis and stronger underlying structure. We now have an idea of what the car will sound like, and it’s bound to get any car enthusiast excited.
Like the flagship Series 4 Esprit, the Series 1 uses a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8, known as the Type 918. This engine has been upgraded with new turbochargers, pistons, and injectors, allowing it to churn out 400 hp at 6,200 rpm and 350 lb-ft (474 Nm) of torque at 5,000 rpm. Compared to the original Esprit S1, this marks a substantial increase in output and addresses the limitations of the earlier four-cylinder engine.
A short clip shared to social media reveals the deep burble of this mill, and it sounds just like a V8 should. Indeed, even though it uses forced induction, it sounds more like a naturally aspirated V8. At high revs, it should be even more intoxicating.
More Than A Powerful Engine
Encor has confirmed the car’s V8 will be run by a new ECU and will include electronic throttle-body control, improving precision and drivability. It is coupled to a five-speed manual transmission that drives power to the rear wheels, delivering an impressive 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time of 4 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph (281 km/h).
The gearbox itself has been extensively reworked, retaining parts of the original casing while effectively creating a stronger, modernized transmission.
The company is committed to ensuring the car drives just like a Lotus should. As such, it will include hydraulically assisted steering to provide maximum feel to the driver. It’ll also come equipped with beefy brakes from AP Racing, new suspension and anti-roll bars, and an electronic parking brake. A limited-slip differential has also been added.
Lightweight carbon fiber bodywork helps keep the wet weight to just 2,645 lbs (1,200 kg), giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 333 hp per tonne. The design looks contemporary without straying from the Giugiaro-penned shape of the original.
Production is capped at just 50 cars, each starting at £430,000, or roughly $570,000 at current rates. That’s more than two brand-new Ferrari Romas in the US, which start from around $279,000 apiece. And that price still doesn’t include the donor Series 4 V8 you’ll need to hand over in the first place.
Photos Encor
