Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership finalists 2024

This wonderful British sports car looks stunning, but it has taken a huge amount of work to bring it to the condition you see here. And after buying the car from a collector in France back in 2018 the owner discovered that things weren’t quite as they seemed.

The original plan was for a full respray but when it was assessed by the experts at Grandstand Coachworks in Wiltshire it became clear that what Nathan had was a normally-aspirated Series 3 Esprit wearing the body kit from a Turbo model.

“One of the first things we did was remove the incorrect parts and source an original set of S3 side skirts. They were in the eaves of an old barn in Norfolk that was owned by someone that used to work for Lotus.” But further investigation revealed a worrying problem which would mark the start of a nut-and-bolt rebuild.

That problem was fuel tanks suffering from serious corrosion, so with the decision taken on a full restoration the engine was removed and sent away for a specialist rebuild. An interior re-trim would follow using black leather and Alcantara, and in the meantime the rust-free chassis was re-painted as was the sleek body, keeping the original Monaco White.

“There was much more to do, too, including overhauling the brakes, upgrading the suspension, new wiring throughout and fitting a modern audio system. I did restore many original components but also focused on optimising safety and handling, and it took more than four years in all.”

The first time on display since the restoration was finished, we can certainly understand why the enthusiastic owner is so proud of it. And James Bond fans will want to note the registration number which is almost the same as another famous Lotus…