The Lotus Esprit is back! Encor reveals wedge-shaped restomod beauty with 400bhp V8
British company Encor has created a carbon fibre remaster of the original Esprit S1 for us to drool over
If you’re still struggling to think of stuff for your Christmas list, and have been a particularly good petrolhead this year, may we suggest this jaw-dropping carbon fibre V8-powered remaster of the iconic Lotus Esprit S1?
It’s called the Series 1 and was created by Essex-based company, Encor, whose team has experience working for brands such as Porsche, Pagani, Aston Martin and Koenigsegg. If that’s not enough, the firm’s head of design, Daniel Durrant, was the man responsible for the staggering Lotus Emira.
“The S1 Esprit was forward-thinking, pure and utterly uncompromised,” said Durrant. “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.”
The later Esprit V8 serves as the donor for the Encor Series 1, with its chassis, engine and transmission retained, but heavily reworked. For instance, the 3.5-litre twin-turbo V8 (which was designed in-house by Lotus) gets forged pistons, upgraded injectors, new turbochargers, an electronic throttle body, modern fuel and cooling systems and an all-new stainless exhaust.
This ensures better driveability and, naturally, higher performance, with the engine now producing about 400bhp and 475Nm of torque. Because the Series 1 weighs less than 1,200kg, 0-62mph is expected to take just four seconds and the top speed is 175mph.
The five-speed manual gearbox, meanwhile, has received a stronger input shaft, revised ratios, a helical limited-slip differential and a bespoke twin-plate clutch, which Encor claims has given it a precision and durability the original could never deliver.
After being completely stripped and refinished, the chassis is fitted with Bilstein shock absorbers and Eibach springs from the most extreme Esprit, the Sport 350, and behind the billet-machined wheels are AP Racing brakes.
But for all the modern components and engineering, the Series 1 still uses hydraulically assisted steering rather than an electric set-up, as Encor wanted to deliver the tactile driving experience expected from a Lotus.
The company says the Series 1 was created “with the sole aim of preserving and elevating one of the most recognisable automotive forms ever created”, based around a philosophy that it describes as “respectful enhancement”.
There is no mistaking this Series 1 for anything else (except, perhaps, a submarine), with the wedge shape of Giugiaro-designed icon carefully massaged and refined in places. Yes, there are pop-up headlights, but fans of the original might notice that the two-piece mould line which ran along the side of the old car has been removed to create a cleaner look, and because it wasn’t necessary thanks to the new carbon fibre body.
The cockpit-like interior has also been tastefully and respectfully modernised, with tartan upholstery for the gorgeous bucket seats, a wooden gear lever, T-shaped centre console now made from carbon fibre and two large displays for all the modern conveniences you would want, including Apple CarPlay.
The infotainment, climate control and camera systems were all developed in-house by another British company, Skyships, and were designed to be integrated discreetly, so as not to disturb the analogue-focused nature of the Series 1.
“This car is analogue at heart,” said Encor co-founder Simon Lane. “We wanted to avoid the modern tendency toward gadgetry, therefore the technology exists to enhance the experience, not to dominate it.”
Encor says it will only make 50 examples of the Series 1, which can be individually commissioned by customers around the world. Prices start from £430,000, but that doesn’t include taxes, options or the required donor Esprit V8, so customers will probably be paying well over half a million quid for this wedge of perfection.
Deliveries are due to begin next summer and will continue through 2027.
If you think the Encor Series 1 might be a little out of your budget you can find plenty of cool cars available via the Auto Express Buy A Car service and don't forget to follow Auto Express to get the latest car news, reviews and deals...
