Overview[]
The 1988 Lotus Espirit is a British sports car in Driving Empire. It was added on November 22, 2024.
Description[]
THIS IS A VERY LARGE DESCRIPTION, CLICK [EXPAND] TO VIEW.
In 1987, the Esprit was restyled by British designer Peter Stevens. Stevens, who would later style the Gordon Murray designed McLaren F1, produced a less angular, more rounded Esprit. Giugiaro is said to have liked the new shape, claiming it was perhaps too close to his original design. The exterior changes were accompanied by a redesign of the interior that gave more space to the occupants. The revised Esprit was not given a new "Series" number but is often called by its project code of X180.
Panels for the body were produced using a new process called VARI (Vacuum Assisted Resin Injection). This method, which was patented by Lotus, offered advantages over the previous hand lay-up process. Kevlar reinforcement was added to the roof and sides for roll-over protection. This contributed to a 22% increase in the Esprit's torsional rigidity. The new rectangular taillights were borrowed over from the 1983-1985 Toyota Corolla Levin AE86.
The X180 cars inherited most of their mechanical components from the earlier HC Esprit and Turbo Esprit, although the name for the forced induction model was now Esprit Turbo. 1988 model year North American Esprit Turbo models kept the Citroën transaxle and Bosch fuel injection system used in the previous model year. Other X180 models received a new Renault UN-1 transaxle, which necessitated a move to outboard rear brakes.
Power output of the Type 910 turbocharged engine was unchanged, but 0–97 km/h (60 mph) acceleration times decreased from 5.6 seconds to between 5.4 and 5.1 seconds. Top speed was over 150 mph (240 km/h).
In 1989, the K-Jetronic system was replaced with a Lotus/Delco multi-point fuel injection (MPFI) system. The engine also received an air-water-air intercooler called a Chargecooler by Lotus. This revised engine was known as the Type 910S. Power output was up to 268 PS (197 kW; 264 hp) with 284 PS (209 kW; 280 hp) available on overboost. 0–97 km/h (60 mph) acceleration times decreased to 4.7 seconds and top speed was over 257 km/h (160 mph). The 910S engine went into the new Special Equipment (SE) model, which also received changes to the body, with side skirts parallel to the body, five air ducts in the front air dam, wing mirrors from the Citroën CX and the addition of a rear wing.
Lotus also produced the rarely seen Esprit S, a mid-range turbocharged variant offering fewer appointments and having a power output of 231 PS (170 kW; 228 hp), as well as the standard Turbocharged engine having a power output of 218 PS (160 kW; 215 hp) included as an option. Original normally aspirated (Esprit) and turbo (Esprit Turbo) models were discontinued after 1990. The S models were cancelled in 1991. A unique two-litre "tax special" Esprit with SE trim was developed for the Italian market. Equipped with an intercooled and turbocharged 1,994 cc (121.7 cu in) version of the 900-series engine that had a power output of 243 PS (179 kW; 240 hp) at 6,250 rpm, this model appeared in December 1991. This engine became available in other markets beginning in the fall of 1996.
In-Game Information[]
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Performance[]
This vehicle should be treated for driving pleasure/as a collector's vehicle, as the vehicle is not worth it for its stats.
Gallery[]
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Trivia[]
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Related Vehicles[]
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