Engine: Lotus
907 DOHC1973cc-140
bhp--------------------- Gearbox: Maserati
SM 5-speed ----------------------------------- Chassis: Central
box-section steel backbone with-------- two prongs at
the rear.------------------------------------------------- Front Suspension:
double wishbones,------------------------- & coil spring
/ damper units.----------------------------------------- Rear Suspension:
Fixed-length half-shafts, lower --------- transverse links,
box-section semi-trailing radius arms-- and coil spring
/ damper units.-------------------------------------- Wheelbase: 8
ft. 0 in.---------------------------------------------------- Front Track:
4 ft. 11.5 in.---------------------------------------------- Rear Track: 4
ft. 11.5 in.----------------------------------------------- Length: 13 ft.
9 in.------------------------------------------------------- Weight: 2220
lbs.--------------------------------------------------------
The Lotus Esprit
was the successor to the popular------ Lotus Europa.------------------------------------------------------------- The Lotus Esprit
was first shown to the world as a-------
styling exercise by the famous Italian design studio------------
of Giorgetto Giugiaro, Ital Designs, in 1974.------------------------
The show car was so successful and inquiries so great--- that Lotus committed
to taking the successor to the----
Europa into production.----------------------------------------------------- Glass-Fiber bodied,
steel backbone chassis and Lotus' own 907 multi-valve
engine mounted mid-ship with------ 4 wheel
independent suspension were all features of--- these first Esprits.-------------------------------------------------------- The mid-engined
Esprit was powered by the 140 hp 907 engine
and weighed only 2200 pounds.------------------------- The Esprit accelerated
0-60 in less than 8 seconds,------- cornered at over
0.8 G's.----------------------------------------------- Even in town
these cars returned in excess of 30 miles
to the gallon.--------------------------------------------------------------------- It was uprated
in 1978 to the Series II.-------------------------- .
