What happened to that “Lotus Active Suspension” Esprit?

[Jack Stone]

This machine was running around Hethel in 1983 with what at the time was a fairly advanced suspension system, but what is now pretty standard on the high-end super cars (I guess “Esprit II” will have one).

A VOSA vehicle details enquiry still lists this Esprit but suggests it has been unlicensed since in 1985 – any ideas what happened to it?

[Advantage]

LEW clicky for those unedumacted types. Also a SID clicky for further interesting reading.

[nello]

It was sat at Hethel with the other 'museum' pieces before they sold alot of them off.....I saw it there circa '96'ish

[alan]

I saw an dry sump espirt with active suspension at Hethel about 5 years ago - loads of electronics stuff on the passenger side dash. It looked pretty sad / neglected. I asked to be told if they would consider selling it as it should be on display somewhere but did not hear anything.

Might be worth dropping Brian Angus or one of the other old timers an email to see if its still there.

Alan

[GordonMasson]

I was down at the factory a couple of years back and Brian showed me round a fair bit of the place.

I could be wrong but i seem to remember seeing this car then.

Might be worth a call to see if it is for sale.... would be nice to see it resurected

[alan]

Question asked, but Brian is on a no doubt well earned holiday at the moment so it may take a while to get a reply.

[Vulcan Grey]

IIRC they had SID listed in that auction, for ~£7000, a few years ago. They pulled it from the auction though... too valuable?

My friend was at the auction and tried to buy the Etna.

[alan]

An update from the factory on this -

The Active Esprit is still at Hethel.

It has had an external clean up and is on display in one of the new offices in the factory.

It still has the original Dry Sump Engine. We had it running a couple of years ago

following several years standing idle. We put some new fuel pipes on, some fresh fuel on

the tanks and fitted a new battery. We cranked it over for about a minute to generate some

oil pressure. Once we confirmed there was oil pressure we activated the Ignition System

and after a few seconds it started - a bit lumpy initially but it settled down and idled.

No work has been done to the mechanicals since then.

SID is also still at the Factory but nothing has been done to it.

[The Veg]

Very interesting! Thanks Alan.

[Jack Stone]

Thanks to all the replies and info supplied (and to Billy Fish PM).

Hopefully someone can sneak a pic of the machine in its new revived status and post it on TLF....

[Simon350S]

Thats good news and it's nice to see them looking after their history. I'd like to see it and SID too.

Got the SID magazine upstairs somewhere.

[nello]

Just reviving this as I came across

this footage

Lovin' the very final seconds at 06:14 when the cars on the deck until the engine starts and the active setup kick in!

Is it me or does the Computer control board plumbed into the passenger glovebox look like something off the Panasonic cockpit stereo!

[dodge1979]

That is the shit innit? What an awesome video, even if such a system never came to light..

[Mysterae]

Nice video! When that active stuff kicks in it's like a cat that's getting ready to pounce, then it's off!