2008 Lotus Exige S 240 Burnt Orange One Owner 3,738 Mile Touring Pack Starshield on 2040-cars

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Now’s your chance to buy Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s 1981 Turbo Esprit

Lotus founder and Chairman Colin Chapman’s former 1981 Turbo Esprit Series 3 sports car is for sale, and it looks fantastic in its metallic silver exterior imprinted with “turbo esprit” on both sides and the bonnet, and contrasting red leather interior. Built in February 1981 but not registered until August, it was ChapmanÂ’s personal car until his death in late 1982, and was also driven at one point by former Lotus Formula One driver Elio de Angelis. Chapman even arranged for British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to drive it, at the Norfolk Airport in 1981. Thatcher was quoted in the local paper as saying it was “lovely to drive.” Right, then. Lotus built the car to ChapmanÂ’s specifications, with a lowered and modified suspension, modified bodywork to reduce wind noise, special brake pads and features like power steering and air conditioning that didnÂ’t figure in production models. Chapman, who suffered from hay fever, also had pollen filters installed, plus a roof-mounted Panasonic stereo system. ThereÂ’s also a specially assembled, blueprinted engine; Esprit Turbos of that model year featured a 2.2-liter turbocharged inline-four that made 210 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque. This was also the first Esprit model to be fitted with BBS alloy wheels. After ChapmanÂ’s death, the car was maintained for a few months by the companyÂ’s Factory Service Department, and eventually made its way to a succession of private owners. The car is currently on its sixth owner across seven transactions (one ended up re-acquiring the car), but it has just a hair over 11,000 miles on the odometer, with a new clutch slave cylinder and radiator core installed in the past decade. “This vehicle has lived a pampered existence and is a testament not only to its rich pedigree but to those who have cared for it over the years,” says the listing at Mark Donaldson Ltd., which claims it comes with extensive records. According to Top Gear, the seller is looking to fetch at least 80,000 pounds, or around $97,000. Related Video:    

Recap: 2013 Spanish Grand Prix is Catalan for 'Lottery' and 'More pit stops'

This year's Formula One season might qualify as being just as crazy as last year's, only it's a different kind of crazy. Instead of a new winner every Sunday, how the winner actually manages to take the victory is the mystery, and just when we thought the season might have settled into a groove regarding team performance, here comes the Spanish Grand Prix to remind us that we don't know anything until the race has been run.
There were many similarities to past weekends to being this one: Mercedes-AMG Petronas showed awesome one-lap pace, Fernando Alonso did well enough in qualifying to get fifth on the grid but talked up the race pace of the Ferrari, Kimi Räikkönen was the equivalent of a racing photobomber, never saying much but always showing up in the picture, Felipe Massa wasn't really big on the tires and McLaren might want to consider starting a blues band they spend so much time singing them.
Then the lights went green and things went nuts...

Lotus Exige S tears the roof off

Some things just don't make sense. But then we're not sure they really have to. Imagine Porsche took the Cayman, which is essentially the coupe version of the Boxster, and turned it into a convertible. Wouldn't make much sense, would it? Well that's essentially what Lotus did with the creation of the Exige S Roadster.
The Exige, you see, was already the fixed-roof version of the Elise. So what was the point in turning it back into a roadster? That's what our friends at XCar tried to ascertain in the video below. We could tell you what conclusion they arrived at, but that would spoil all the fun. So we'll just let you enjoy the seven-minute clip and see for yourself. Just remember: it doesn't have to make sense. It just has to be a Lotus.