Lot 34: 1988 Lotus Esprit Turbo at the Mathewsons December 2026 auction

What to check on any Lotus Esprit (1976 to 2004)

• Glassfibre does not rust, but it cracks, crazes and is hard to repair well.
• The four-cylinder twin-cam is durable if serviced, often running to six figures.
• The early Citroen-Maserati box is the most fragile part of the early cars.
• On S1 and S2 cars the driveshafts act as upper rear links, wearing the universal joints and outer wheel bearings.
• Pop-up headlamp motors fail when water gets in, and window faults are often a switch rather than a motor.
• Check the VIN on the car matches the V5C and the claimed model.

Full Lotus Esprit (1976 to 2004) buyer's guide →

Checks for this car

• Check the backbone chassis for rust.
• Check the cambelt history.
• Check the turbo and cooling.
• Ask for the service file.