A 44-year-old Lotus Esprit built by the company to test an experimental suspension system will go on sale this weekend expected to win between £90,000 and £120,000 (U.S. $114,200–152,300). Barring the suspension, the car is in a fully restored state.
Lotus had used its early active suspension designs in multiple Formula 1 racecars. In 1983, for example, the automaker resorted to a height-adjustable hydraulic design. This suspension type was banned in the F1 regulations in 1994, never to make a comeback.
The car on sale was a test mule for the tech. An array of accelerometers tracked the movements of the body along three axles. A special pump adjusted the pressure in hydraulic pistons mounted next to every wheel based on the real-time data received.
According to official data, an Esprit coupe like this could theoretically be driven through corners with loads reaching as high as 1.5G without swaying even a little bit on stock tires. It could also be configured to lean into the curves, much like bikers do.
Lotus ultimately decided to scrap the prototype, but a car collector and fan bought it out nine years ago. It received a near-complete restoration that saw the suspension remaining intact. According to the seller, the original design is lost to the time, and restoring it would be impossible without some re-engineering and fine-tuning. At any rate, an endeavor like that would necessitate expert assistance form Lotus.
The car is finished in gold and black, just like the British automaker’s racecars of that era.