1979 Lotus Esprit S2 JPS
The Lotus Esprit 'John Player Special' (officially the World Championship Commemorative Model) is a limited-edition variant produced between December 1978 and July 1979, of which approximately 185 were built. This right-hand-drive UK example, chassis number 61 of 100, left the production line on 20 February 1979 and was retailed through the London Lotus Centre in Chelsea. Its black and gold livery echoes the ground-effect Lotus 79 Formula 1 cars of the era. The car has covered just over 26,000 miles from new and has been part of a dedicated Lotus collection for approximately fifteen years.
Ownership
- 2024-02-24Auction saleEstimate £35,000 – £40,000
- 1979-02-20 →Factory deliveryLondon Lotus Centrepartial documentation
Acting as the factory-appointed retail outlet in Chelsea, this dealership was the first point of sale for the car after it left the production line.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownCurrent vendorfull documentation
Has held the car as part of a Lotus-themed collection for close to fifteen years; a comprehensive history file with a documented ownership timeline accompanies the car.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Service
Multiple servicing visits to marque specialists, including exhaust replacement, cam belt changes, and most recently a fuel pump replacement, all evidenced by invoices in the history file.
Exact dates of individual service episodes are not specified beyond 'recent'; all work documented by invoices.
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