Stevens Esprit launch at Earls Court Motorfair 1987

[Mark Blanchard]

Found this video of the launch of the X180 Turbo at Earls Court Motorfair from 1987. 

It still looks great all these years later.

 

[LOTUSMAN33]

I like the first edition with the grey lower, most have been colour coded since which is a shame.

Good find Mark 👍🏻

[Mark Blanchard]

Yes all the 1987 Turbos had the Vulcan grey valance.  It’s super rare that video.  I’ve only ever seen the X180 launch covered in Motor magazine.

[exeterjeep]

I took a number of pics at the show...and sent them to Andy G at Lotus some years ago as well.

[Mark Blanchard]

Superb photos.  Thanks for sharing.  So cool to have seen the launch back then.

[Jack Stone]

Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere: the fibreglass X180 show model (made at Dove) in a Hethel workshop (on what look like regular G-Esprit BBSs). Pic is courtesy of Peter Stevens from his excellent REVS webcast with Steve Cropley in Apr 2021. (Any ideas about the identity of the car at the back on the left?)

Edited February 22, 2022 by Jack Stone

[MPx]

1 hour ago, Jack Stone said:

 (Any ideas about the identity of the car at the back on the left?)

 

Not a Lotus??   Hard without being able to see the rear three quarter window.  A bit like a Brooklands Capri???  (Wrong wheels - they are more like a 610 Alpine, but the back is wrong for that!)

[Mark Blanchard]

10 hours ago, Jack Stone said:

Pic is courtesy of Peter Stevens from his excellent REVS webcast with Steve Cropley in Apr 2021.

Yes it was a great interview.  I did a screen shot of that photo for the www.lotusespritturbo.com website too.

[yeller77]

Odd angle being up on a lift, could be Isuzu Piazza getting "handling by Lotus" development work about that time.

[Jack Stone]

On 25/07/2021 at 20:00, exeterjeep said:

I took a number of pics at the show...and sent them to Andy G at Lotus some years ago as well.

Does anyone know how quickly after X180 launch Lotus switched over to the Citroen CX door mirrors? And are these early cars fitted with the G-Esprit units?