Lotus Esprit Turbo SE - 1989

• Iconic British Super Car

• £15,000 + restoration

• Comprehensive history

• 280bhp on Chargecooled Turbo over boost

• 0-60 mph 4.7 seconds / max 163 mph

• Removable Targa Roof

• Appreciating Modern Classic

• [Click images to enlarge]

We are proud to have been able to photograph our iconic Esprit at Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit, we hope you like our pictures.

Here at QuickandBig.com we are absolutely delighted to offer for sale, our legendary Lotus Esprit Turbo SE. Values of these classic English Super Cars are appreciating.

Our beautiful example has just benefitted from a £15,000 plus mechanical recommissioning and interior and exterior restoration (completed at respected and prize winning, Bushell’s Restoration, www.bushellsrestoration.co.uk).

It comes with a comprehensive history file, and is ready to be driven, enjoyed and appreciated. It is a real enthusiast / investment opportunity.

The iconic Lotus Esprit really needs no introduction, we can thank Roger Moore as James Bond in the late 1970’s for helping to give the Esprit the global following it enjoys today.

In 1987 the classic 70’s “wedge” was redesigned by Peter Stevens (who went on to style the McLaren F1), the restyled Esprit (coded X180) being less angular and more rounded than the original Series 1/2/3 cars. Crucially interior space was also improved for the lucky occupants.

In 1989 the Turbo SE (Special Equipment) was launched, adding multi point injection, and an air-water-air intercooler, known as a Chargecooler, delivering 264bhp (280bhp on over boost). Power combined with Lotus’s legendary light weight and handling, the “Chargecooler” delivered Super Car performance of 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds and onto 163mph.

The Esprit Turbo SE, also benefitted from side skirts, air ducts in the revised front air dam and large rear wing.

The X180 SE was importalised in the 1990 Film Pretty Woman, with Julia Roberts exclaiming “corners like its on rails”.

Our fabulous Lotus Esprit Turbo SE was, back in 1989 the quickest and most powerful Lotus yet.

Back in 1989 the Turbo SE had a list price of £46,300 (plus extra’s) in todays money, that’s £102,794!

A contemporary Super Car from Germany or Italy, for example a Porsche 911 (964) Turbo, Ferrari (328/348) will today cost up to 3 times as much to buy, and many more times to run and maintain.

Our classic Esprit Turbo SE, had been stored as part of a private collection between 2012 and 2019. It was then recommissioned, including, replacement cam belt, fuel tanks and clutch.

We have just completed a significant mechanical overhaul tracking down or upgrading a number of difficult to source parts, including: full service, front tyres, both oil coolers, charge cooler plumbing, head light replacement (replaced with LED units, not cheap and look amazing), electric window motors, wing mirror motors, door locks re barreled, battery, alarm with remotes, cam cover gaskets, stainless exhaust (whilst retaining the period Cherry Bomb silencer, looks very cool and sounds fabulous).

We have just also had its luxurious SE interior refurbished to include: sympathetic replacement of some leather work, new (old stock) dash binnacle dial surround and re-veneered left and right curved veneer panels (find another whose original fitment burr elm dash looks this good). Full new custom made original colour luxury carpet set, including having the handbrake and seat belt slits trimmed in matching magnolia leather, new custom made boot carpets (we had this made using the originals as templates), new battery cover, sympathetic leather restoration and re-colour where needed, re-trimmed original steering wheel, replacement period Alpine hi fi.

We have also just had its body work beautifully restored at Bushells Restoration. Including: full respray in original Black (A02), resprayed cam covers and charge cooler covers and Cherry Bomb in original “crackle red”, replacement door frames, window rubbers, alloy wheel refurbishment (even replicating the original Route OZ stickers), new bumper grills, correct spot lights and side repeaters etc.

In short, our Esprit Turbo SE looks stunning, its been a 24 month labour of love, and we are very proud of it.

We have worked hard to strike the right balance between period originality / patina and modern day usability.

G86 JNG was first registered on 10/11/1989, and supplied new by the Norfolk Motor Company, Norwich, in the following 32 years it has only covered only 74,057 miles.

Our Esprit Turbo SE is presented in fully re-sprayed original Black, complimented by Magnolia extended leather interior.

Our iconic Esprit Turbo SE comes with a comprehensive service history, in the original owners manual / service book there are 15 service records. Its most recent service was completed independently for us, at 74,049 miles.

Its MOT history backs up its mileage as genuine, its most recent was passed with no advisories and expires on 6/7/25. A number of old MOT certificates are in the classic Lotus’s file.

The Esprit Team OZ original alloy wheels have just been professionally dipped, stripped and re-powder and are presented in immaculate condition. They are shod in 205/50/15 front and 245/50/16 rear tyres, the fronts are new and the rears have 6mm of tread.

Standard equipment was comprehensive on the Turbo SE (Special Equipment), glass back tail gate, tilt / removable targa top (ours also comes with it rare original wind deflector and roof storage bag), air conditioning, electric windows, remote central locking, ice warning system, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, front fog lamps, and Alpine hi fi.

We have tried hard to retain our beautiful Esprits originality, the only non standard addition’s are, its period Cherry Bomb / stainless steel exhaust (which sounds fantastic) and LED head light upgrade (the originals are impossible to source).

The rare Esprit comes with a fascinating folder of documentation, including original owners manual / service book, numerous old MOT’s, numerous tax discs and receipts, original show room brochure and price list, and Lotus Cars 40 years oy Excellence booklet.

The Turbo SE has 2 sets of keys (with matching barrels) and 2 remote fobs for the central locking.

It will have an independent 90+ point pre delivery inspection, for the new owners benefit. It is of course HPI clear and a full HPI report will be available to potential purchasers.

Many thanks for wading through our lengthy description, we believe it’s better to describe our cars fully. It is not in our interest to waste your time or ours with inaccurate descriptions. It does of course have the odd age related imperfection (which used car doesn’t), but for its age and mileage it really is excellent. An appreciating car, for the serious enthusiast, collector and investor.

Our beautiful Lotus really does tick all the QuickandBig.com boxes, being great value, quick, well presented, well maintained, rare, appreciating in value and very very cool.

Esprit values are climbing. Don’t kick yourself in 10 years time that you didn’t buy ours, (like I do every day about the 2 Sierra Cosworths I broke to build kit cars!)

Please visit the photographs and our terms and conditions again as they form part of the description, and use the “contact us” tab at the top of the page, to arrange a viewing / test drive by appointment. Any inspection is of course welcome. Part exchanges if its Quick, Big or unusual a pleasure.