James Bond Esprit Turbo

[brian_gt4]

Hi Alan, I don't have an Esprit - The V8 was the last car I worked with at Lotus.

Brian

[LJR]

Just been catching up on this thread and the below is how the DVLA sees the reg and chassis number linkages. I think that confirms that NCL 458V is the car that has been restored by Lotus for a customer. It is now in private hands and not on display anywhere.

OPW 654W SCCFC20A1AHD10930 CD910800718603

OPW 667W SCCFC20A3AHD10928 CD910800918520

OPW 678W SCC085912AHD10975 CC912801118856

459 JTA SCCFC20A8AHD10858 CD910791117542

[Andyww]

Yes, the identity of the "official" car with the plaque inside is 100% known to be NCL 458V, later 459JTA and now on an Arab number.

The info above doesnt match Brian Angus info about 10930. If correct it would suggest the reg OPW 654W was moved from 10929 (built as white) to 10930 (built as copper). Not sure of the reason for this as the copper in the movie had OPW 678W.

If the account from other Lotus people, and the Walton book, are correct this also ties up with 10930 being originally white and used in the movie then resprayed copper. At all times retaining its OPW 654W number but in the movie shoots the number OPW 678W temporarily applied for filming when it was copper. That would mean 10929 and 10930 were orignally white (as was 10928, maybe they overstocked on white paint!) but then 10930 changed to copper and used for filming but 10929 remain white, then both of these ended up with Dezer.

 

[Sizona]

On the Bond cars and reg no's etc subject I have following plate i might sell.

A 007 LOT

(AO07 LOT so has to be on a 2007 car onwards)

Please PM me if of interest.

[G_Reaper]

Hi Guys,

Here is the information I have uncovered which was too late to be included in the book. The info is a little different to Brian’s info but makes complete sense and also ties into Jeremy Walton’s info written around the time of Filming and includes the info Lotus employee’s told me first hand in the late 80s early 90s.

==================================================================

White Cars:-

NCL458V       Dev 1 Essex                                                    10858 On Location Corfu

OPW654W     Ex White Press Car                                         10930 On Location Corfu

Copper Fire Cars:-

NCL458V       Dev 1 Essex                                                    10858 On location Cortina

OPW654W     Ex White Press Car repainted Copper Fire     10930 On location Cortina

MPW71V        Dev 3 Essex                                                    10960 Q’s Lab Pinewood Studio

Film Promo Car Only

OPW664W      Ex White press Demo Car                             10929 Film Launch Promo Tool

I also suspect this car only has a normally aspirated engine fitted and is the car known to be sold a few years after the film launch by an official Lotus dealer proclaiming its Bond film connection.

OPW654W 10930 is on the DVLA data base as Bronze coloured and photographed in Norwich in the 80s on the road using its correct actual road legal registration (as seen earlier on this thread in Copper Fire bronze SEE BELOW). This car can be clearly identified after the filming as the Copper Fire car that had the “For Your Eyes Only” decals applied to it. NCL458V 10858 never had these decals.

 OPW654W 10930 is well known as a Lotus press demo car first then later used as the white car in the early part of the Bond film. Hence all this information ties in with Jeremy Walton’s book info of this period stating the 2 cars used being white then returned to the factory to be re-trimmed and re-painted Copper Fire for the second part of the film.

 

==================================================================

The White Car OPW664W 10929 Promo Tool

As both cars used in the on location filming ended their Bond careers painted Copper Fire there was no White car for post filming press engagements so enter OPW664W 10929. See the below early1980 period photograph with OPW654W 10930 covered in post filming decals and wearing false OPW678W plates this photo is also from earlier on this thread.

The DVLA data base has this car OPW664W 10929 last taxed April 1996 which ties into the time Peter Nelson “Cars of The Stars Keswick” purchased the car for his museum collection. He discovered the cars Bond film promotional use hence making it a minor display item connecting it to the Bond film and also why it is on display at the Dezer collection.

 

 

Peter Nelson (Cars of the Stars Keswick) only had NCL458V in his collection at the time we met and we compared our cars MPW71V 10860 and NCL458V 10858 back in the early 90s. He acquired OPW654W 10930 from the Lotus sell off in the late 90s. I am unaware of from where he bought OPW664W 10929.

==================================================================

NOTE  Reg No. OPW678W was never a registration number registered to an actual car used in connection with the film.

==================================================================

MPW71V Dev 3  Essex

I have documentary proof from Lotus MPW71V was the first Esprit ever to be trimmed in Copper Fire / biscuit hide and to have Lotus embossed in the rear bumper. This was carried out to screen test the colour scheme to make the Esprit stand out against the snow in the second part of the film and maximise brand exposure. In my correspondence with Patrick Peal in the late 80s early 90s he stated the car was hauled out of the car park and repainted and then re-trimmed by Connelly during the summer shut down for screen testing for the Bond film.

The Bond cars have minimal screen time in the film which can be broken down to 3 distinct specifications.

1)      Start of the film on location in Corfu white cars used with tobacco leather

2)      First appearance of the Copper Fire paint scheme in “Qs” Lab note:- No ski racks fitted no “Styled by G” badges.

3)      Copper Fire car with ski racks also has “Styled by G”  badges on location in Cortina.

 

I believe MPW71V 10860 was the car in “Qs lab”. As it was the first car produced in this specification and would have been screen tested at Pinewood studios. After it passed the screen test it makes sense that this car would be used for the scene at Pinewood showing the car without ski racks and no styled by G badges. When I bought MPW71V 10860 fresh from Lotus it had no signs of any Ski racks ever being fitted and no sign of   “styled by G” badges having been fitted.

I surmise MPW71V 10860 would have been used at Pinewood Studios while the two white cars were back at Lotus being re-trimmed to match MPW71V 10860 and having the ski racks produced and fitted. It also would explain why the car in the lab scene is only glimpsed fleetingly to help continuity just in case the 2 other cars being re trimmed and re painted differed slightly in detail from MPW71V 10860.

I believe I also can finally confirm OPW654W 10930 was also only the stand by car on set in Cortina as 10930 OPW654W has never been photographed with styled by G badges fitted when in Copper Fire trim. The car used for the moving shots of the Copper Fire Esprit doing the work in the film, clearly has the “Styled by G” badges fitted as per NCL458V 10958. This also explains OPW654W 10930’s  far superior condition compared  to 10858 NCL458V (when I inspected it) and hence after filming  OPW654W 10930 was used as the Copper Fire press car and covered in  Bond stickers. It is also interesting that I can only find confirmation that 10858 NCL458V has a plaque fitted by Lotus proclaiming its Bond use I cannot find any confirmation that OPW654W 10930 has such a plaque. This also leads me to suspect  that even in white trim OPW654W 10930 was probably the stand by car to NCL458V 10858.

MPW71V 10860’s Use for filming in Q’s lab would also explain why Lotus went to the extra cost of re trimming both of the white cars to Copper Fire as the only other Copper Fire Esprit in existence 10960 MPW71V was already busy at Pinewood studios being used by the film company.

I am still trying to find filming dates and some further confirmation of parts of the information detailed above.

Perhaps Bibs can get confirmation of the chassis numbers to specs and registration numbers from the Lotus archives to back up my research as DVLA don’t want to help with any information unless you are a parking company chasing someone for money.

Cheers Mike

Edited December 9, 2017 by G_Reaper2

[Lotusfab]

Well done Mike, interesting stuff! Which car do Deezer have?

[Andyww]

21 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

Well done Mike, interesting stuff! Which car do Deezer have?

Deezer has 10929 and 10930. These are marked on stickers on the cars so no doubt about that.

Mikes account above all ties up. Other versions seem to indicate reg number swaps but this version avoids any swaps, apart from temporary filming number changes.

[PhilW]

Very interesting. Clearly a lot of effort gone into this. Well done Mike. 

[RichardJGC]

Taken at the 1983 Lotus Founders Day. 

[Lotusfab]

Wow, where did you get the picture?

[RichardJGC]

I took it....when I was 16! :-).....had to wait another long 9 years before I got my own.

[Lotusfab]

Inside the Bond car

[G_Reaper]

On 05/02/2018 at 16:14, RichardJGC said:

Taken at the 1983 Lotus Founders Day. 

Thats 10930 OPW654W (Bond Standby Car)with false OPW678W reg plates before its bonnet was replaced. Note after the bonnet was replaced with an HC style bonnet the "James Bond" decal also was not replaced above the Lotus badge on the nose. Hence it is as it is now at Miami Deezer collection. Could that be 10929 OPW664W in the background with its white door mirrors?

Cheers Mike

Edited February 7, 2018 by G_Reaper2

[Lex Templar]

Hi everyone,

this is a great thread that I missed I’ve the past few years. I now have chassis #0953 which is one of three cars produced in 1980 to the same spec as the Bond car. White w/brown full leather, Panasonic roof mounted stereo and Compomotives. It’s getting a body off restoration.

Andy Graham has noted the first production Turbo Esprit was chassis #0899 August 1980, my question is do these Bond cars (primarily #0929, #0930) + the road test car (OPW667W) fall into the production category or pre-production? produced approx October 1980.

In addition to the three production white/brown cars in 1980 there was one identical car produced in 1981 along with another two cars - one with full brown leather w/no roof mounted stereo (I am guessing Trevor’s old car) + one w/half brown leather with no roof mounted stereo)

Lex

[silverfrost]

Bond related....  

   Alan partridge 

https://youtu.be/Lrp0wJsXNEA

[Lex Templar]

Another image of #0929 in its current state - with a bit of room around it this time.

 

[Lex Templar]

On 09/12/2017 at 12:36, G_Reaper said:

Hi Guys,

Here is the information I have uncovered which was too late to be included in the book. The info is a little different to Brian’s info but makes complete sense and also ties into Jeremy Walton’s info written around the time of Filming and includes the info Lotus employee’s told me first hand in the late 80s early 90s.

==================================================================

White Cars:-

NCL458V       Dev 1 Essex                                                    10858 On Location Corfu

OPW654W     Ex White Press Car                                         10930 On Location Corfu

Copper Fire Cars:-

NCL458V       Dev 1 Essex                                                    10858 On location Cortina

OPW654W     Ex White Press Car repainted Copper Fire     10930 On location Cortina

MPW71V        Dev 3 Essex                                                    10960 Q’s Lab Pinewood Studio

Film Promo Car Only

OPW664W      Ex White press Demo Car                             10929 Film Launch Promo Tool

I also suspect this car only has a normally aspirated engine fitted and is the car known to be sold a few years after the film launch by an official Lotus dealer proclaiming its Bond film connection.

OPW654W 10930 is on the DVLA data base as Bronze coloured and photographed in Norwich in the 80s on the road using its correct actual road legal registration (as seen earlier on this thread in Copper Fire bronze SEE BELOW). This car can be clearly identified after the filming as the Copper Fire car that had the “For Your Eyes Only” decals applied to it. NCL458V 10858 never had these decals.

 OPW654W 10930 is well known as a Lotus press demo car first then later used as the white car in the early part of the Bond film. Hence all this information ties in with Jeremy Walton’s book info of this period stating the 2 cars used being white then returned to the factory to be re-trimmed and re-painted Copper Fire for the second part of the film.

 

==================================================================

The White Car OPW664W 10929 Promo Tool

As both cars used in the on location filming ended their Bond careers painted Copper Fire there was no White car for post filming press engagements so enter OPW664W 10929. See the below early1980 period photograph with OPW654W 10930 covered in post filming decals and wearing false OPW678W plates this photo is also from earlier on this thread.

The DVLA data base has this car OPW664W 10929 last taxed April 1996 which ties into the time Peter Nelson “Cars of The Stars Keswick” purchased the car for his museum collection. He discovered the cars Bond film promotional use hence making it a minor display item connecting it to the Bond film and also why it is on display at the Dezer collection.

 

 

Peter Nelson (Cars of the Stars Keswick) only had NCL458V in his collection at the time we met and we compared our cars MPW71V 10860 and NCL458V 10858 back in the early 90s. He acquired OPW654W 10930 from the Lotus sell off in the late 90s. I am unaware of from where he bought OPW664W 10929.

==================================================================

NOTE  Reg No. OPW678W was never a registration number registered to an actual car used in connection with the film.

==================================================================

MPW71V Dev 3  Essex

I have documentary proof from Lotus MPW71V was the first Esprit ever to be trimmed in Copper Fire / biscuit hide and to have Lotus embossed in the rear bumper. This was carried out to screen test the colour scheme to make the Esprit stand out against the snow in the second part of the film and maximise brand exposure. In my correspondence with Patrick Peal in the late 80s early 90s he stated the car was hauled out of the car park and repainted and then re-trimmed by Connelly during the summer shut down for screen testing for the Bond film.

The Bond cars have minimal screen time in the film which can be broken down to 3 distinct specifications.

1)      Start of the film on location in Corfu white cars used with tobacco leather

2)      First appearance of the Copper Fire paint scheme in “Qs” Lab note:- No ski racks fitted no “Styled by G” badges.

3)      Copper Fire car with ski racks also has “Styled by G”  badges on location in Cortina.

 

I believe MPW71V 10860 was the car in “Qs lab”. As it was the first car produced in this specification and would have been screen tested at Pinewood studios. After it passed the screen test it makes sense that this car would be used for the scene at Pinewood showing the car without ski racks and no styled by G badges. When I bought MPW71V 10860 fresh from Lotus it had no signs of any Ski racks ever being fitted and no sign of   “styled by G” badges having been fitted.

I surmise MPW71V 10860 would have been used at Pinewood Studios while the two white cars were back at Lotus being re-trimmed to match MPW71V 10860 and having the ski racks produced and fitted. It also would explain why the car in the lab scene is only glimpsed fleetingly to help continuity just in case the 2 other cars being re trimmed and re painted differed slightly in detail from MPW71V 10860.

I believe I also can finally confirm OPW654W 10930 was also only the stand by car on set in Cortina as 10930 OPW654W has never been photographed with styled by G badges fitted when in Copper Fire trim. The car used for the moving shots of the Copper Fire Esprit doing the work in the film, clearly has the “Styled by G” badges fitted as per NCL458V 10958. This also explains OPW654W 10930’s  far superior condition compared  to 10858 NCL458V (when I inspected it) and hence after filming  OPW654W 10930 was used as the Copper Fire press car and covered in  Bond stickers. It is also interesting that I can only find confirmation that 10858 NCL458V has a plaque fitted by Lotus proclaiming its Bond use I cannot find any confirmation that OPW654W 10930 has such a plaque. This also leads me to suspect  that even in white trim OPW654W 10930 was probably the stand by car to NCL458V 10858.

MPW71V 10860’s Use for filming in Q’s lab would also explain why Lotus went to the extra cost of re trimming both of the white cars to Copper Fire as the only other Copper Fire Esprit in existence 10960 MPW71V was already busy at Pinewood studios being used by the film company.

I am still trying to find filming dates and some further confirmation of parts of the information detailed above.

Perhaps Bibs can get confirmation of the chassis numbers to specs and registration numbers from the Lotus archives to back up my research as DVLA don’t want to help with any information unless you are a parking company chasing someone for money.

Cheers Mike

Andy Graham overnight confirmed that from the little information they have on #0929, they have shown that it is a 2.2L normally aspirated engine in the car.

#0929 is also not part of the production figures as it is not a production specification car.

Lex

[Lex Templar]

Some good new information regarding Bond Specification production cars confirmed also, including the missing 2 x white/brown serial numbers of 1980.

5 x Monaco white/full brown leather Production Turbo Esprit for the UK  (1 with no roof top stereo)

 

??/??   #0928 white/brown – Lotus company car (1 of 3 1980)

10/80 #0929 white/brown – currently in Miami Dezer collection -  Not production spec. Build records not available. 2.2 normally aspirated engine confirmed by factory records.

12/80 #0953 white/brown (2 of 3 1980)

12/80 #0954 white/brown – Reg OPW 667W referred to as white heat road test car, not SORN since 1982 (3 of 3 1980)

 

08/81 #0982 Registration PPK 65X originally white/brown car, now white w/red. (1 of 2 1981)

08/81 #1035 white/brown, no roof mounted stereo or AC.  (2 of 2 1981)

 

#0928 + #0954 have not re-surfaced to date.

Lex.

 

[Andyww]

#0929 is a strange one, if this was built with an NA engine. This was the car used for all publicity shots for the non-Essex Turbo Esprit for brochures etc and appeared on the front of the Jeremy Walton Esprit book.

In fact it was these pictures which prompted me to buy a white TE a couple of years later. Little was I to know I had been looking at a non-Turbo in the pics!

I had always assumed the engine was swapped out later when the car became a museum piece but build records indicate otherwise it seems.

[Lex Templar]

On 03/04/2019 at 17:02, Andyww said:

#0929 is a strange one, if this was built with an NA engine. This was the car used for all publicity shots for the non-Essex Turbo Esprit for brochures etc and appeared on the front of the Jeremy Walton Esprit book.

In fact it was these pictures which prompted me to buy a white TE a couple of years later. Little was I to know I had been looking at a non-Turbo in the pics!

I had always assumed the engine was swapped out later when the car became a museum piece but build records indicate otherwise it seems.

It was these images for me too that got me in Giugairo Esprits.  

Was it not #0930 as a white car in these images wearing OPW654W? Antenna position on #0929 is in a different spot. (rear 3/4)

Or could it have been #0928 - which we now now from Andy Graham was also white w/tobacco and one of 3 cars made in 1980 to that spec. Andy noted it was a Lotus company car.

 

I take it the photos were taken somewhere about here on the Lotus test track?

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/3500/sA7uGf.png

 

Cheers,

Lex

 

 

[Andyww]

Thats true, could have been any of those!

[PhilW]

I used to fantacise about the picture above more than i did about Kim Wilde back in 1982!

[LJR]

On ‎03‎/‎04‎/‎2019 at 01:50, Lex Templar said:

Some good new information regarding Bond Specification production cars confirmed also, including the missing 2 x white/brown serial numbers of 1980.

5 x Monaco white/full brown leather Production Turbo Esprit for the UK  (1 with no roof top stereo)

 

??/??   #0928 white/brown – Lotus company car (1 of 3 1980)

10/80 #0929 white/brown – currently in Miami Dezer collection -  Not production spec. Build records not available. 2.2 normally aspirated engine confirmed by factory records.

12/80 #0953 white/brown (2 of 3 1980)

12/80 #0954 white/brown – Reg OPW 667W referred to as white heat road test car, not SORN since 1982 (3 of 3 1980)

 

08/81 #0982 Registration PPK 65X originally white/brown car, now white w/red. (1 of 2 1981)

08/81 #1035 white/brown, no roof mounted stereo or AC.  (2 of 2 1981)

 

#0928 + #0954 have not re-surfaced to date.

Lex.

 

PPK 65X had been painted blue, has it been changed back to white? Also I did a DVLA check of chassis vs reg no. before GDPR when there were ways to access their database and OPW 667W aka Whiteheat is 0928. 0954 I believe is in the US

[Lex Templar]

That's good info Lucas, #0928 makes more sense as OPW 667W given it appeared in so may articles on the cars release.

It later appeared with BBS wheels.

 

Interesting regarding #0954 - It would be great to know its condition.

PPK65K was blue yes, I read somewhere that it was back to white, on the dry sump register thread.

Lex.

 

 

[PhilW]

1 hour ago, Andyww said:

Thats true, could have been any of those!

Have to compare the picture to a similar view of a car with a roof stereo but I can see no hint of one which I would have thought I would.