Back in 1975 Colin Chapman’s wedge-shaped junior supercar, the Lotus Esprit Series 1, made its debut at the Paris Motor Show.
Fifty years later and the Esprit is back in the headlines after UK manufacturer Encor teased images of a Esprit S1-inspired restomod developed with input from Simon Lane (formerly Lotus Advanced Performance) and Emira designer Daniel Durrant.
Just 50 Encor S1s are planned for production and each will be built from an Esprit V8 donor car. To, in Chapman’s words, ‘add lightness’, the original fibreglass bodywork is replaced with carbonfibre. The CAD-refined exterior has also been aerodynamically enhanced and features narrow LED headlights in place of the original pop-up lamps.
The original twin-turbo V8 is retained, then rebuilt and uprated for extra performance, refinement and usability. Performance figures – and transmission spec – remain under wraps, but expect comfortably more than the original’s 350bhp.
Encor has brought the interior up to date with premium materials including leather, Alcantara and machined aluminium, as well as modern conveniences such as Apple Car Play, 360-degree cameras and climate control.
Each Encor S1 will cost around £430,000 before options, taxes and the donor car. More details will come when the production-ready car is officially unveiled in November 2025.
‘In every detail, we act as conservators of Chapman’s ideals,’ said Encor co-founder Simon Lane. ‘Our mission is to elevate the Esprit for a new era without sacrificing its soul. Anyone can modify a car, but what sets us apart is the way we treat the Esprit – not as a project, but as a responsibility. Progress should enhance, not replace.’
