ACBC's Esprit - For Sale

[Bibs]

https://www.markdonaldson.com/car/1981-lotus-esprit-series-3-turbo-dry-sump-ex-chapman-thatcher/

I remember seeing this a few times at the Donington show, what a special car it would be to own. 

 

[Advantage]

It seems lots of people have owned it but not many of them appeared to drive it.  

[ramjet]

Does have a bit of provenance, doesn't it.

[Lex Templar]

yes a bit chit chat about this in the dry sump register thread.

Looks lovely.

[LOTUSMAN33]

Some very good marketing with a great description which really pulls in perspective buyers.

Certainly a lovely car although personally I would prefer it had Comps but then this was Colin’s car so the latest options were inevitable.

Anyone asked a price yet?

Dave  
 

[KAS-118]

It does look very nice - but with all the effort they've put into the write-up I have the feeling its going to be ££££££££......

[Lex Templar]

9 minutes ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

Some very good marketing with a great description which really pulls in perspective buyers.

Certainly a lovely car although personally I would prefer it had Comps but then this was Colin’s car so the latest options were inevitable.

Anyone asked a price yet?

Dave  
 

Yeah I've talked to Mark, it's around 100,000 pounds.

[LOTUSMAN33]

Wow didn’t expect that price Lex, good luck to them but can’t help feeling if it sells that mileage won’t be increasing as destined for some private collection somewhere. 🙄

Dave  

[910Esprit]

36 minutes ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

Some very good marketing with a great description which really pulls in perspective buyers.

I like the fact that the dealer is honest enough to describe a repaint as a 'blow over'!

[Lex Templar]

Article here in motorsport mag.

Price in the headline too 

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/auctions/colin-chapmans-personal-lotus-esprit-up-for-sale

[The Pits]

Gone up since 2018 then. I could have had it for £85k then. Nearly all other classics have fallen since then so boldly priced. Really belongs in a Lotus heritage museum, amazed they haven’t snapped it up given they are planning one. Probably should be worth £100k but the number of people who really appreciate its value is small and not particularly wealthy. Not many Lotus collections out there, more’s the pity, but this would be pride of place in one. If I had the means I’d jump on it but under current circumstances I’d have to sell my own dry sump plus Evora to stretch to it, so will have to let it go. Bet he’d take £85k for it, or will do in a few weeks. Prob won’t let it go for less than £80k though would be my guess.

[Bibs]

1 hour ago, The Pits said:

Really belongs in a Lotus heritage museum

That's a cracking idea, would be ace to be back where it belongs!

[snowrx]

A stand out example of repairs-per-mile, even for an Esprit.  An engine overhaul at 6,700 miles- ouch! 

 

[nello]

Meaning no disrespect here but wasn't there some conjecture a while ago about how much he actually used this car?

[The Pits]

It would be enough for me even if he only drove it once! Does it really matter if he only put 1000 miles on it? Is it really any better if he put 3000 miles on it? The early engine overhaul suggests he enjoyed it to the full!

[stephenwhyte]

The reason to buy this is down to the provenance of it once being CC’s car and the fact he made some improvements over a standard Turbo Esprit. But the target audience is a small one so realising the target price before these current times is ambitious.....now it’s rather unlikely😬

[cbclotus]

Stunning car .But every esprit built are stunning as well .nice colour scheme .my old dry sump car was 62 I think  with bbs wheels from new .i think this car is just in front of mine .... Again with bbs ....

[nello]

Has anyone ever actually seen a photo with Colin driving or sat in an Esprit? The one where he is just about to get in to the Silver car with Giugiaro is about the closest I think I've seen!?

[LOTUSMAN33]

Doesn’t really count as motorshow pic but Neils right he seems rather elusive..

Dave  

[The Pits]

You have to say the garage is doing a good job of promoting the sale. It's being picked up by a variety of car content websites. Publicity will help a lot with the sale I'm sure. Even though I still think Lotus should have it in their heritage museum. In terms of provenance, regardless of how many miles ACBC actually drove in the car, what is more significant for me are the modifications he was trying out. It suggests some things that may have appeared on the Esprit had he lived. We know about the power steering and different door seals but who knows what other tweaks he had made to the suspension and whatever else?

TLF group buy?

[nello]

Good spot Dave! Is that Giampaolo Dallara in the car with him? Yes I know he liked the Elite/Eclat/Excel - seems to have liked his comfort as other than those he only seems to have ever driven around in his Rangey or Merc..............

Dallara was a big fan of Colin's - when news released of the new Dallara Stradale he was quoted - 

 "Dallara said the Stradale evokes the spirit of Lotus sports cars built under Chapman, whose work he started admiring when the UK niche automaker began building the Lotus Seven lightweight roadster. "I like to think that Colin Chapman, if he was still around, would appreciate the essentiality and simplicity of this car," Dallara said."

Apols if veering slightly off-track but I love this photo - LtoR - 

Paolo Stanzani the Lamborghini engineer - ACBC - Dallara then Lambo's chassis Guru and Jim Clark (and unidentified hidden behind Jim).

They are checking over the all new Miura at Sant d'Agata. 

 

l

Edited May 11, 2020 by nello

[The Pits]

Stanzani "As you can see we didn't give a rat's ass about luggage space."

Jim Clark is still thinking about the transverse V12... 

[jonwat]

Now in TopGear 

[skiing]

Does anyone have any details about the aerodynamic enhancements made to the car?  'redesigned bodywork to improve interior ventilation and cut wind noise.' 

[Bazza 907]

Henry

As I recall from seeing it 10 years or so ago it was the B pillar which in the pictures is silver/body colour rather than the usual black - I think it's flush with the door frames