An Icon Remastered
Fifty years after the original Lotus Esprit concept stole the spotlight at the 1975 Paris Motor Show, Encor has revealed the Encor Series 1 — a contemporary, carbon-fibre reimagining designed to preserve and elevate one of the most iconic shapes in automotive history. The Series 1 embodies what Encor calls a philosophy of “respectful enhancement.” Rather than treating the Esprit as a clean slate, the design and engineering team — whose collective résumé spans Lotus, Aston Martin, Koenigsegg and Skyships Automotive — approached it as a cultural artifact. Their mission was to remaster the car with today’s precision, craftsmanship and technical capability while safeguarding the purity that made the original so remarkable.
“The S1 Esprit was forward-thinking, pure and utterly uncompromised,” says Daniel Durrant, Encor’s Head of Design and former Lead Designer at Lotus for the Emira. “To touch a shape like this is a huge responsibility. Every line we’ve refined, every decision we’ve made, is about honoring the original’s intent while letting the car perform, feel and function the way its silhouette always promised.”
Design With Discipline
Durrant’s team began by digitally scanning the original Esprit, resurfacing and refining its geometry using modern design tools. The objective was to perfect: tighter highlights, cleaner transitions, greater precision and material honesty. The distinctive two-piece mould line of the 1970s fiberglass body could be removed, replaced by an uninterrupted autoclaved carbon-fibre shell that captures the purity of early sketches.
The result is a form that looks unmistakably Esprit, yet reveals its quality instantly: the tautness of the wheel arches, the crispness of the shoulder line, the exquisite sharpness of the front volume. The stance subtly broadens to accommodate modern tyres and brake cooling, while the lighting – now ultra-compact LED projectors integrated into low-profile pop-up housings – retains the distinctive wedge front end, but with contemporary performance and a cleaner aerodynamic face. Even the wheels speak the same language of reverence. Inspired by the original slot-mag design and the later Sport 350 five-spokes, Encor’s forged and billet-machined wheels reinterpret familiar cues with modern structural clarity and proportion.
Engineered for Today, Faithful to Yesterday
Beneath the full-carbon body sits the backbone of a Lotus Esprit V8, retained intentionally for continuity of identity and registration. The chassis is stripped, blast-cleaned and refinished before being paired with an entirely reconstructed powertrain. The mid-mounted 3.5-litre twin-turbo V8 receives forged pistons, upgraded injectors, remanufactured turbochargers, a new electronic throttle body, modern fuel and cooling systems, and an all-new stainless exhaust – transforming its character while preserving its unmistakable soul. Performance targets reflect this upgraded philosophy. The engine now produces approximately 400 bhp, with 350 lb ft of torque, pushing a target curb weight of under 1,200 kg. Acceleration from 0-62 mph is expected to take four seconds, with a top speed close to 175 mph.
The transmission receives equal attention. Working with Quaife, Encor re-engineers the original five-speed manual with a stronger input shaft, revised ratios, a helical limited-slip differential and a bespoke twin-plate clutch, giving the shift a precision and durability the original never possessed. Suspension components are upgraded to Sport 350 specification; braking is delivered by AP Racing; steering remains hydraulically assisted rather than electric, preserving the tactile, driver-focused character fundamental to the original Esprit.
“Lightness and tactility guide every decision,” explains Mike Dickison, Technical Director and former MIRA engineer. “The Series 1 drives with the purity you imagine from an analogue supercar, yet with a depth of capability the original platform could only dream of. It’s a transformation carried out with complete respect for its DNA.”
A Cabin That Balances Past and Present
Inside, the Series 1 preserves the Esprit’s most memorable elements: the dramatically sloped dashboard; the cockpit-like wraparound instrument binnacle; the tartan accents; the sense of sitting deep within a purposeful, driver-centric machine. Yet each element has been rebuilt from the frame outward.
The floating instrument cluster is perhaps the most striking reinterpretation: machined from a single billet of aluminum and wrapped around a modern digital display, it delivers clarity, beauty and a structural honesty impossible in 1975. The carbon-fibre dashboard “T” houses every essential control, putting function exactly where the driver expects it. Seats are restored, re-foamed and re-trimmed, maintaining their original ergonomics while elevating support and finish. Infotainment, climate, and camera systems – designed in-house by Skyships – are integrated discreetly, providing quiet convenience without disturbing the analogue intent. “This car is analogue at heart,” says co-founder Simon Lane. “We wanted to avoid the modern tendency toward gadgetry, therefore the technology exists to enhance the experience, not to dominate it.”
The Team Behind the Car
Encor Design is a collaboration shaped by decades of experience at the highest levels of the industry. Its leadership has delivered the Lotus Emira, advanced programs for Koenigsegg, bespoke personalization at Aston Martin, and engineering innovation through Skyships – the British company that evolved from conceptual airships in the 1990s to supplying cockpit electronics to global sports-car manufacturers.
For William Ives, Skyships co-founder, the Series 1 is personal. “The Esprit has been part of our story for nearly three decades. We built systems for its owners, we lived with these cars, and now we have the chance to bring all that experience together in a single, deeply considered package. This project has always been about respect.”
Commissioning and Availability
Production of the Encor Series 1 is limited to 50 individually commissioned cars worldwide. Prices begin at £430,000, excluding taxes, options and the required donor Esprit V8. Commissioning takes place either at Encor’s Chelmsford, UK HQ or via private consultation for international clients. Deliveries will begin in Q2 2026 and continue through 2027.
More Info
To visualize your Encor Series 1, go HERE.
Above contents © 2025 Encor, reviewed and edited by Rex McAfee , @rexmcafee
Top Gear
