Lotus · 1976
Esprit S1
Manual · RWD · United Kingdom
AutoIndex value · good UK car
£45,000
Researched from UK sold prices and auction results. How we value cars
Estimated price by condition
Project
£27,000
Restoration candidate
Driver
£45,000
Good usable example
Concours
£67,500
Show standard
Indicative condition bands · not a valuation of a particular car
Price check
Looking at a Esprit S1 for sale? Is it a good price?
Buyer’s notes
About the Lotus Esprit S1
The Esprit was launched at the 1975 Paris show and built from June 1976. Giugiaro’s wedge-shaped glassfibre body sat on a steel backbone chassis, with the 2.0-litre Lotus 907 four behind the seats and a Citroën five-speed transaxle shared with the SM and Maserati Merak. The S1 was replaced by the S2 in 1978.
What moves the price
- Originality: the S1’s particular details, its front spoiler, tail lights and wheels, set it apart from later cars.
- Chassis: an original, a sound one, or a galvanised replacement.
- History: cambelt changes and engine work on record.
Before you buy, check
- The steel backbone chassis, which rusts where it meets the body; galvanised replacements are common and should be documented.
- The 907 engine: cambelt changes on time, and no sign of head gasket failure or cracked manifolds.
- The glassfibre body for crash repairs, splits and poor paint, which show corner-cutting.
Facts checked against: Wikipedia · lotusespritturbo.com · petrolicious.com · practicalclassics.co.uk
Vehicle data
Specifications
From 1976
Performance
Production
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Lotus Esprit S1: value questions answered
- How much is a Lotus Esprit S1 worth?
- A good, usable UK example of the Lotus Esprit S1 is worth around £45,000 on the AutoIndex index. A project car that needs restoration is nearer £27,000, and a concours-quality example around £67,500. Condition moves the price more than anything else.
- What makes one Esprit S1 worth more than another?
- Service history and paperwork — complete, stamped, explained
- Mileage against the norm for the model
- Originality — matching numbers, original paint and trim
- Specification — gearbox, colour, factory options
- UK-supplied versus imported
- Is the Esprit S1 I'm looking at fairly priced?
- Enter its asking price and condition in the price check above. It compares the price with the index for that condition and tells you what to ask the seller about.
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