2003 Lotus Esprit V8 Last Edition Sells For Double The Price Of A Brand New Emira

The Lotus Esprit enjoyed a long production run between 1976 and 2004, retaining its signature wedge-shaped silhouette despite the numerous updates during its lifecycle. A pristine 2003 Esprit V8 Last Edition went under the hammer in Bring A Trailer, fetching $144,444. This is almost double the base price of a brand-new Emira ($74,900), proving that the old Lotus sports car is still quite desirable.

Lotus built a total of 10,675 units of the Esprit during the 28-year production run, but the Last Edition is quite rare with only 79 models manufactured between 2003 and 2004. The pictured model is one of those, with 15k miles on the odometer since it left the Hethel factory and a Lotus Certificate of Vehicle Provenance proving its legitimacy.

The Last Edition is based on the final redesign of the Esprit. The puffy bodykit of the Esprit Series 4 (1994-2004) looks a lot curvier than the origami-style early models, with the numerous intakes, deeper skirts, and fixed rear wing creating an exotic ambiance. Despite the significant updates, the Esprit retained its pop-up headlights and the signature angular greenhouse throughout its lifecycle.

This particular example is painted in Mustard Yellow, which is a fitting option for the Lotus Esprit – at least in our eyes. The alloy wheels measure 17 inches at the front and 18 inches at the back, shod in mixed Sumitomo tires. Behind them, we can see the ventilated cross-drilled discs with Lotus-branded AP Racing brake calipers. Other cool features are the Elise-style quad taillights and the dual center-mounted exhaust pipes.

The black leather interior with yellow piping is in great shape, although the design can’t hide its age. This model comes fitted with Lotus-branded floor mats, a metal gearknob, body-colored accents on the center console and door cards, air conditioning, power windows, dual airbags, an Alpine audio system, and a tilting glass roof which can be replaced by a body-colored panel.

The Esprit was serviced recently and appears to be in a good state mechanically. The mid-mounted twin-turbo 3.5-liter V8 produces 350 hp (261 kW / 355 PS) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque and is mated to a five-speed gearbox. Those numbers may be in hot hatch territory these days, but things were different in the late ’90s and early ’00s. For comparison, Lotus’ current entry-level model, the Emira, is available with either a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-pot producing 360 hp (269 kW / 365 PS), or a supercharged 3.5-liter V6 producing 400 hp (298 kW / 405 PS). The current flagship on the other hand is the Evija EV with 1,973 hp (1,471 kW / 2,000 PS).

Would you invest $144k in this late-model-year Lotus Esprit with a collectible status, or spend half of the money to buy Hethel’s latest sports car?