Half a century after the debut of the original Lotus Esprit, a new player wants to bring the wedge-shaped icon back to life. A company called Encor has announced that it will unveil the Encor Series 1 in November, a reborn Esprit that blends heritage with heavy-hitting modern tech—and a price tag that makes Ferrari’s configurator look like discount shopping.
A Familiar Shape, Reinvented
The Encor Series 1 takes its design cues from the Lotus Esprit Series 1 of 1976, Giorgetto Giugiaro’s angular masterpiece that turned up in The Spy Who Loved Me. But Encor isn’t starting from scratch. Instead, each car will begin life as a Lotus Esprit V8 Series 4, the last and most powerful generation of the model. From there, the donor is stripped to its bones and rebuilt with obsessive attention to detail.
Out goes the original fiberglass, in comes a full carbon-fiber body. Encor says the panels are computer-modeled for “millimeter precision” and optimized aerodynamics. The Series 1 will retain the Esprit’s trademark pop-up headlights, now modernized and flanked by extra LED lighting. The result should look like a greatest-hits Esprit remix—retro in silhouette, cutting-edge in execution.
A Heart Rebuilt for Today
Powering the reborn Esprit is a thoroughly reengineered version of the original car’s 3.5-liter twin-turbo V8. Encor promises significant improvements in both performance and day-to-day usability, though horsepower figures haven’t been disclosed. Considering the donor Esprit V8 made 350 hp back in the late ’90s, expect a healthy bump closer to today’s supercar territory.
Inside: Bond Never Had It This Good
Forget the cramped, minimalist cabins of old. The Encor Series 1’s interior will be swathed in leather, Alcantara, and machined aluminum, with an emphasis on craftsmanship. But modern luxuries aren’t forgotten—Apple CarPlay, a 360-degree camera system, and a contemporary climate control unit will make the Esprit a far more livable machine than its famously finicky predecessor.
A Dream Team of Talent
Backing Encor’s project is a team of former engineers and craftsmen from some of the biggest names in the business: Pagani, Koenigsegg, Aston Martin, Porsche, and Lotus. Among them are specialists who worked on the Lotus Emira and the bespoke personalization programs at Q by Aston Martin and Lotus Advanced Performance. In other words, this isn’t just a tuner job—it’s a boutique coachbuilt revival with pedigree.
The Price of Nostalgia
Exclusivity won’t come cheap. The starting price is £430,000 (about $540,000 at today’s rates), and that figure excludes taxes, options, and even the donor Esprit V8 itself. In other words, you’ll need to source your own Esprit before Encor even begins its rebuild.
Why It Matters
The Lotus Esprit has long been a cult favorite—quirky, flawed, and brilliant in equal measure. By marrying the DNA of the Esprit with carbon fiber, modern electronics, and hand-built craftsmanship, Encor hopes to give the legend a second life. Whether the market is ready for a half-million-dollar boutique Esprit revival is another question. But for diehard fans of wedge-shaped nostalgia with modern-day reliability, the Encor Series 1 might just be the ultimate reborn Bond car.
Source: Encor