esprit engine origin

[esprit22]

I (for some reason) always thought that the Esprit engine was a Ford block with Lotus bits added.

Bazza informed me that this is not the case and I was sober when he told me!

Did Lotus build the engine from scratch for Jensen to use in one of their cars, but engine gave so many problems that it ruined Jensen as a Company? Then Lotus learnt how to make engine better and used in Esprit.

Have I got it right Baz?

[Bibs]

There is quite a good thread on this.

http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/22017-i-am-rightarent-i/

[esprit22]

So Bazza is right (for a change) Lotus made the engine from scratch, not bad eh!

[andydclements]

Yep, it's the previous twin cam engine that was Ford based (Cortina, Elan, Europa used them).

[Bazza 907]

[Chris Southam]

Fascinating reading, although I struggle to work out something relatively recent can be shrouded in such mystery (as such).

When ever someone comes round to see my S2 they always question who's engine it is in there. Now I have a definitive answer

[dodge1979]

Maybe taking the topic off on a tangent...but I also get questions regarding the engine origin...mines an s4... So people ask me "is it the toyota engine?" my primal reaction is to turn hulk...honestly...elise...esprit..elise...esprit...hmm...secondly honestly really? But I opt for the polite "no, thats the elise. The esprit has only ever had a lotus design engine...."