The Lotus Esprit is an iconic supercar, and its wedge shape remains a design classic. It was built by Lotus cars for many years, and it is one of their longest-running monikers. The ‘folded paper’ silhouette of hard lines juxtaposed against sharp surfaces is an alluring shape, while now it is poised for a comeback as a retro supercar by a company called Encor. It will bring a reimagined version of the Esprit, but with a V8 too, and with modern amenities. To be called Encor Series 1, it is based on a Series 4 Esprit. Here, the 3.5-litre twin-turbo eight-cylinder has been overhauled and doused with more firepower.
There will be more performance, but greater everyday usability too, with more precision. It will also be more exotic with its carbon fibre build, and some classic design cues would be retained, but via a new look with new LED projector headlamps, which would be low-set. The Encor Series 1 will be limited to just 50 cars, but it will retain the Lotus DNA, with the technology plus power of modern-day supercars. It will not be a big change but a honed recipe, and that is crucial to maintain its essence.
The interiors will get more creature comforts but within the cloak of its timeless appeal, and it will be more reliable plus exploitable. There is, however, the small matter of the price, which is a stratospheric $580,000 without the donor car, and that is a lot. However, for fans of the Esprit with deep pockets, this is a much-improved machine and promises to further tweak this recipe for modern tastes. Reimagined cars are not retro-infused machines but ones that improve, but without letting go of the soul of the car.
