Encor Series 1 Lotus Esprit Restomod Unveiled [w/video]

A few weeks ago we wrote about a British firm that announced it is creating a restomod Lotus Esprit. Click here to read original article on our site. Today the company pulled the covers of its Encor Series 1 Lotus Esprit restomod. The newly found company will be building just 50 of these revised Espirits, with a list price of £430 000 (we’re scared to do the conversion into ZAR), which excludes a donor car and any special requests.

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“This car is analogue at heart. We wanted to avoid the modern tendency toward gadgetry, therefore the technology exists to enhance the experience, not to dominate it. In every detail, we act as conservators of Chapman’s ideals. Our mission is to elevate the Esprit for a new era without sacrificing its soul. Anyone can modify a car. What sets us apart is the way we treat the Esprit – not as a project, but as a responsibility
– Simon Lane, Encor co-founder

Buy now and take advantage of free delivery in South Africa on orders over R349.

Respectful Recreation

The Encor Series 1 Lotus Esprit is viewed as ‘respectful enhancement’ by it creators. The company has great respect for the original, which it treats as an automotive icon. As a result they wanted to remaster it with the sensitivity, craftsmanship and capability of the present day, without disturbing the purity that made it so extraordinary in the first place.

“The S1 Esprit was forward-thinking, pure and utterly uncompromised,” says Daniel Durrant, Encor’s head of design and former lead designer at Lotus for the Emira. “To touch a shape like this is a huge responsibility. Every line we’ve refined, every decision we’ve made, is about honouring the original’s intent while letting the car perform, feel and function the way its silhouette always promised.”

New Tech

The team has applied a light touch to the original’s wedge-like shape. The 1970s fibreglass body has been replace by a carbon-fibre shell. The stance has been subtly widened to accommodate modern tyres and brake cooling. The original’s pop-up headlights now feature ultra-compact LED projectors. The rims, although larger and wider, have taken inspiration from the original slot-mag design and the later Sport 350 five-spokes.

V8 Power

The Encor Series 1 Lotus Esprit takes its appearance from the very first of the family. However, the engine is from the very last. A Lotus Esprit V8 is the powertrain of choice. The 3,5-litre twin-turbo V8 is refereshed with forged pistons, upgraded injectors, remanufactured turbochargers, a new electronic throttle body, modern fuel and cooling systems. As a result it now produces approximately 300 kW, with 474 N.m of torque. A kerb mass of 1 200 kg allows fo a 0-100 km/h time of about four seconds, with a top speed close of 280 km/h.

A five-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear axle. The unit is rebuilt by specialists Quaife, which fits a helical limited-slip differential and a twin-plate clutch. In addition, the suspension has been upgraded to Sport 350 spec. The steering remains hydraulically assisted rather than electric, which will be music to purists’ ears. The interior, while updated, has distinctively retro cues. These include a wooden gear shift knob and tartan trim on the seats and door cards.