Lotus wanted to make the perfect ‘drivers version’ of the iconic Esprit… cue the GT3, considerably lighter than the V8 (by 150kgs) and powered by the turbocharged and chargecooled 2.0 L Type 920 engine which had previously been used only in Italian market cars. Couple that with the slick GTA gearbox, superb brakes and sublime handling and Lotus did indeed develop a true drivers car – even faster than the V8 on country roads. They produced just 169 GT3’s between 1996 & 1999, with only 131 RHD’s, often regarded as the best Esprit ever produced, this example is presented in stunning and excellent condition all round.
The highly developed engine produces performance figures to shame more expensive supercars – 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds), 0-100 mph 12.9 seconds (0-160 km/h in 12.5 seconds) before reaching a top speed of 163.5mph (263 km/h).
And for those of you old enough to remember Pretty Woman… it does indeed corner like it’s on rails. Our car has the desirable options of V8 comfort seats with lumbar control and
lair conditioning.
To add to its rarity, it has been meticulously well looked after by the best in the business, with no expense spared and with a huge file to back this up. This is as good as it gets.
This car is a super sharp to drive, handling better than new, with every component of the suspension having been recently updated or replaced using genuine Lotus parts; it offers an incredible ride with the brilliant soundtrack of the 2.5 inch exhaust…tunnels highly recommended.
The huge & comprehensive file includes all supporting documentation for the full service history, presented in the original Lotus green handbook along with a spare key. The latest cambelt was carried out in April 2024.
More photos to follow.