Essex 007

[LotusElan17]

Barrie - when you viewed I expressed my opinion that if there is an Essex Esprit anyone would wish to own it is 007 as it is inextricably linked to the James Bond movie "For Your Eyes Only", you agreed but perhaps you were just being polite and wishing I would just shut up with my sales patter.

I of course said the same thing to Chris, I didn't need to convince him of that as it was already very much his opinion.

Essex enthusiasts will already know the link between the Essex Commemorative models and the James Bond film, for those that don't know then you should be informed that the first three Essex production models were retained by Lotus with 2 cars being provided to the film makers, they were painted originally in the Essex colours and of course repainted white and bronze for the film, the other production model retained by Lotus was used as a development hack for a proposed V8 engine.

004 was therefore the first customer car and is currently in the hands of Steve Tryner who has compiled the Essex Register, his car is concours and it would take £50,000 to part it from his hands, undoubtedly the best condition Essex in existence and probably worth every penny.

Barrie, your car 011 is in fantastic original condition having completed just 25,000 miles, almost certainly the lowest mileage Essex in existence, I valued your car at £25,000 and you didn't disagree, in fact I suspect it might be nearer £30,000 for you to part with it, not that you ever would I understand from talking with you.

With there being only 5 Essex Esprits in the UK it is difficult to accurately value such a rare car, I personally believe I have priced it very competitively bearing in mind the above valuation of 2 of the other 4 available, if I were to spend a few thousand make it concours I doubt anyone could argue with a valuation of £25,000, particularly since I have learned it has full Lotus dealer stamped service history book, I wonder how many other 30 year old cars, let alone Esprits, can boast that.

The tyres were supplied by Chris and are nearing the end of their life, however, they are perfectly road legal and the MOT report shows them at a tread depth of 4mm. In fact the Essex Register shows that 007 was provided to Goldblatts with Dunlop tyres, so for full originality it might be better to change the Goodyears, having said that it doesn't bother me either way, I am not a purist, nor do I subscribe to the theory that to be perfect it has to be concours, I would much rather a more usable example that I could drive without worrying when the next stone chip was going to occur.

GKP - as a moderator I would have thought you would be more impartial, it seems to me that every post concerning a G car you wish to put a downer on it, we are all Lotus enthusiasts and Esprit lovers, I have owned one or more Lotuses for the last 33 years, I currently have 5, was 6 until May when I sold one of my Excel SEs. You have a wonderful looking Stevens car, I even love the colour, why not just be happy with it and not try to score points against the G cars, I guess if you don't get G cars by now you never will. I could be unkind and say that I wouldn't give a Stevens car the time of day, many do say that, but the fact is I love all Lotuses and I would buy a V8 tomorrow, and I just might if I sell a few of my cars.

Edited July 24, 2010 by LotusElan17

[Advantage]

I have owned many, many Esprits. More than most on here. Some have been G cars. We are currently a 3 Lotus owning household. There's a white, orange carpeted, tartan trimmed early 1976 S1 tucked away in the back of my garage which I've owned for over twenty years. How you can claim that I have a downer on them is a mystery. However, I would offer that my S1 has more of a Bond connection than an Essex with a sticker on the side!

Therefore I would suggest you take my one and only previous comment on this thread with the pinch of salt it deserves and address the other concerns raised by other Forum members instead. Good luck with your sale, have you advertised it on here?

[LotusElan17]

You are clearly more of an Esprit enthusiast than me, I have only had 2, the first a silver T reg 1978 S2 which I bought in 1982 and kept for a couple of years, really loved that car and having kids forced me to sell, if I saw it today I would buy it back without a moments hesitation, whatever the condition.

When I bought the S2 I really wanted the Essex but it was way out of my price range and I waited 29 years before I bought one, it is now too rare for me to enjoy driving it so although I have now sold my motorsport Elise I am still committed to selling the Essex, I thought I would withdraw the sale once the Elise was gone but I am comfortable with my decision and it will remain on sale until sold.

Address the concerns raised, sorry not with you, I see no concerns, perhaps you are reading between the lines. So it is not immaculate, needs a bit of cosmetic attention, but then again it is not priced as a concours example. £16K is a hell of a lot less than other valuations, £30K and £50K, I suspect you will question the validity of a premium over other Turbo Esprits, as I have said previously either you get the appeal of the limited edition Essex or you don't and I will wager you are in the latter category, your prerogative, we are all entitled to our opinion.

I am happy with the condition of my car, has a new MOT, has full Lotus dealer service history, has had an engine/gearbox rebuild less than 10,000 miles, has a new turbo and bills for £26K, so the headlining needs replacing, the leather re-connolised and a few bits of paintwork, it doesn't need new carpets as they are perfectly presentable. If I attend to these so called issues, £2-3K tops, then it will be concours and valued up there with the others, so perhaps that is what I will do and shut up the detractors, then again if it is concours I wouldn't wish to drive it.

As for my impression that you have a downer on the Essex I think it stemmed from the comment that you made when I posted the pictures of 004 and 007 at Donington, I recall your comment was "nice car pity the two blue ones are in the way", I presume that the yellow one you were referring to in the background might have been yours, probably just a tongue in cheek comment that I misinterpreted, or then again.

Fair enough if you think a white S1 is more of a Bond car than a Turbo Esprit with a sticker on it, (don't have a downer on the Essex, are you sure?), I would contend that it is just as a tenuous link as the Essex connection, how many white S1 are there left, I suspect far more than the 12 Essex that exist.

Edited July 24, 2010 by LotusElan17

[matk]

David I agree wholeheartedly with all your comments re the Essex, but for the life of me can't see the Bond connection.

The two in FYEO were not Essex cars, just dry sump turbos. They don't look like Essex's at all. They are just dry sump turbo cars with early production features such as split rim compomotives. There are others that are just the same knocking around. Should these owners feel they have a bond connection too?

Dave Browns:

I just don't follow how you can say yours is more special than other Essex cars just because it is no 7. Before you shoot me down please understand that as I've said I agree with all you say re Essex cars in genearl, its just the Bond Connection I can't see

[LotusElan17]

Sorry, I shall try to explain again.

The Essex commemorative models were the first Turbo Esprits made.

The first 3 were retained by Lotus, they were painted in the Essex colours, and were given the numbers 001 002 and 003.

2 Essex Esprits were provided to the makers of For Your Eyes Only.

The cars in the film were ESSEX Esprits, they were repainted white and bronze.

With these facts clearly detailed in the Essex Register how can you doubt that there is a link with the James Bond film.

Since the link with the film is indisputable, unless you wish to question the information provided by Lotus themselves, then I duly contend that there is indeed a provinence with 007 Essex Esprit and James Bond, this is my opinion you are entirely free to completely disagree, it doesn't alter my perspective whether or not I owned 007.

The Bond film Essex Esprits probably didn't have the dry sump turbo engines fitted, there appears to be some confusion about which engine was fitted, it makes no difference to the fact that 001, 002 or 003 was in the film.

I would just like to point out that at no point have I ever thought I really was James Bond or pointed a walther ppk at anyone (since I don't own one) and I don't like martinis whether shaken or stirred.

Edited July 25, 2010 by LotusElan17

[matk]

Ahh I've got you now.

So any Series one Esprit with a seven in its chassis number will go up in value as it's linked to the one in Spy Who Loved Me?

[psteinb]

Background

The Essex was the first release of the Turbo Esprit and was the primary Turbo Esprit model being maketed by Lotus during the Bond movie release.

For reference, I own the first white Turbo Esprit off the assembly line in 1980.

Here are 2 crucial links to the Essex and Bond...

1. The intention of using the Turbo Esprit in For Your Eyes Only was that it co-incided with the release of the Turbo Esprit from Lotus in 1980/1981. Much of the marketing and hype surrounding the release of the movie was based around the Turbo Esprit - an example of which is in the picture below. It is important to remember that the Essex was the first edition of the Turbo Esprit being hyped by Lotus at the time, even though it failed to garner sales that the factory would have liked. (Essex was an oil company that I believe was embroiled in very public legal action at the time over an oil spill they were involved with - hence leading to a bad public reputation with any brand 'Essex' related. Not good timing for Lotus).

2. As we're aware, the Essex was the first release of the 'new' Turbo Esprit and was meant to be a run of 100 beginning in 1980. However, when there wasn't enough demand Lotus simply churned out Turbo's in regular colours, as per customer requests. Hence, my white Esprit was made during the 'run' of Essex Esprit's in mid/late 1980, and it has ALL the same features as the Essex bar the paint job. Also, another Forum member 'Per' owns the Esprit built just before mine (in black) and it TOO has all Essex features bar the paint job. In 1980 only 57 Turbos were produced.

For many years my car would easily have been referred to as an Essex model by the factory and connoisseurs. And there has been much debate over the years as to whether car's such as mine and Per's and others like them should be classified as 'Essex' cars. The general points of confusion were that car's like mine and Per's had the same features of the Essex (e.g. roof radio and A/C) and also, interestingly, they were also released out of the factory with the Essex sticker decal on the side near the petrol cap!

Ultimately, it had to be decided by the factory many years later, that despite having all the features of the Essex, they were NOT Essex cars as they did not have the blue paint job. However, it is fair and reasonable to say that they are 'de facto' Essex cars, as the primary intention of our cars was to be produced with Essex colouring - but obviously limited due to customer demand.

So i hope this helps to clarify how the Essex and Bond are closely related.

[Bazza 907]

Not wanting to deter from the seriousness of this debate but...

doesn't the girl in that that photo look bl**dy cold?

[Simon350S]

I have to say that I was always of the belief that the Esprits used in the film were Essex models, originally intended to be supplied in Essex colours but were repainted at request of the production team to look better against the snow, well atleast the Copper one anyway....

Personally I LOVE the Essex, if one had come up for sale when I was looking I may well have bought one, instead I bought the first 'Essex coloured' one that I went and saw.

I hope you sell it for what you want, although if it were mine I'd probably be keeping it!

[Mark Blanchard]

I thought it Bond Esprit was an S3 (or similar) and I seem to remember reading somewhere that it wasn’t actually a Turbo either despite the graphics???

I mentioned this on the forum a few weeks ago, after speaking to Coys, who sold the car.

[Advantage]

I must admit (and this isn't a downer on G cars) I always thought the copper car was just a rebodied n/a, which at some point in its life was a mule for Engineering.

[Paul C]

Hi guys,

Sorry if this is a bit off topic, but has anyone noticed this Essex for sale:

ESSEX

[LotusElan17]

Ahh I've got you now.

So any Series one Esprit with a seven in its chassis number will go up in value as it's linked to the one in Spy Who Loved Me?

Regards

Mat

I think a limited edition model with the commemorative number 007 is slightly more significant than a S1 Esprit with a seven in the chassis number.

David

PS by slightly I mean hugely

Edited July 25, 2010 by LotusElan17

[Nelly]

With respect, is no one allowed an opinion without the threat of a lengthy reply pointing out how wrong they are?

You have a great car Dave, I think you should be happy with whatever condition it is in considering its rarity. The fact it is model "007" is to me a nice conincidence, but just because others can't see a bond connection doesn't mean they are wrong.

I think you should keep the car, especially as you have now sold your Elise - it sounds as though it means an awful lot to you..

Edited July 25, 2010 by Nelly9000

[LotusElan17]

I have stated in two seperate posts, this is now the third time that I will say it, we are all entitled to our opinion, it would be a boring world if we all agreed on everything. Where have I stated that anyone was wrong in having an opinion. If you don't get the Bond connection then fine, if you were selling the car I am am sure you would emphasise such a connection wouldn't you, be honest

My lengthy posts are an attempt to correct misapprehensions and misinterpretations with hard facts not supposition, as anyone who has read the Essex Register and related history will testify.

Yes I will regret selling it I have no doubt, but if I don't derive great pleasure in driving it what is the point in keeping it in the garage just to look at. If it goes into the hands of a true collector I doubt you will ever see it for sale again, I don't classify myself as a true collector as I buy a car on a whim with full intentions of keeping it forever only to find myself bored with it after a couple of years, the motorsport Elise lasted 4 years, the only car I have kept longer is one of my Elan +2's which I have had for 26 years.

[nigeninja]

David you Essex car and for that matter any Essex car in that livery is in my opinion the ultimate G car,to me the 007 conection makes no differance I would pay well over the price you have advertised it for and brought your car over my S4S any day.

As for tyres I'm sorry but who cares what make they are

[LotusElan17]

I entirely agree, to me (my opinion only I am not intending to speak for anyone else) the Essex is the ultimate Lotus not just Esprit, it is my favourite Lotus of all time, having owned 15 Lotuses I think I have qualified as a true Lotus enthusiast.

007 is not better than the others, I have already clearly stated that it is in no way up to the standards of Barries' or Steve's, and is valued at considerably less than theirs, however, if given a choice of one Essex to own and keep for posterity irrespective of value and condition then I personally would choose 007.

[red vtec]

Personally I dont see the 007 meaning anything, its not a film car. Saying that the cars in the Films were Essex in different colours means nothing. Thats like having a Capri and saying its connected to The Professionals TV show. I can understand you mentioning the 007 as others will find a connection, and people are Bond mad.

It is a extremly rare Esprit and in the top end of collectable Esprits, along with Sport 300 and 350's.

As for the tyres, yes they are road legal, but I dont think I'd be happy roaring about on such an old set, but that will probably not be the case anyway. People with these types of cars have them for high days and holidays and shows.

As for restoring the leather etc, not sure how that works, in Ferrari circles it would be described as the patina of the car, I can never work out how in some cars its allowed and other cars have to be fully restored.

Good luck with the sale, they are stunning cars.

Chris

[LotusElan17]

As I have said I don't get concours, I have never had a concours car and I have better things to do with my time than getting the toothbrush out every Sunday cleaning every nook and cranny, others will no doubt derive great pleasure in doing so it is just not my cup of tea.

I like originality, but would not consider myself a purist, what tyres it has fitted does not concern me as long as they are road legal and are the correct size. With the leather, I think that a lived in look is perfectly acceptable for a 30 year old car, but if it needed to be concours, whether to sell on or take to shows, then of course things like that need to be done.

I have never restored a car to concours condition but the Essex might be the first, I wont drive it thereafter but merely trailer it to shows and keep on sale until a suitable buyer comes along, having sold my Elise I am in no rush to sell.

[matk]

No I really did mean I got your logic.

After all it makes my car more valuable too. Follow along with me on this one................

I have an Eclat Riviera in the same spec and colour as the one Lewis Collins drove in Who Dares Wins. That makes it a "Who Dares Wins" car. Who Dares Wins was of course the 4th highest grossing film in British Cinemas in 1982, making it a very significant movie. Additionally of course as we all know Lewis Collins auditioned for the role of Bond, so voila, a Bond connection!

The early turbos had other significant differences from the Essex cars. Though some did appear with the roof stereo and aircon, not all did (check out Dodgy's car). if you check the official dealer listings of the day, these were standard on the Essex cars, but only listed as chargeable, extra options on the normal colour scheme turbos.

[red vtec]

I belive Lewis Collins once went to Norfolk, so another connection

[matk]

Exactly!! Even more added value! I'm starting to feel like a millionaire!!

[red vtec]

Martin Shaw who acted with Lewis Collins was born in Birmingham, Triumph were made in Birmingham and parts were used on the Lotus Elan!!!

It's win win

Also Gordon Jackson acted with Gareth Hunt in Upstairs, Downstairs, Hunt acted in The new avengers with Patrick McNee who acted opposite Diane Rigg who was in a Bond Film and drove an Elan in the Avengers!!! Also McNee was in a Bond film. God I'm good

I had a blue VW Passat once, there is one in the opening scene of Four Weddings and Funeral, I should have hung on to it must be worth a packet.

[rocket63]

Are you bored Chris?

[red vtec]

Yes