Chelmsford has produced many clever ideas over the years, but few arrive with the presence of the Encor Series 1. Half a century after the original Lotus Esprit stunned the crowds in Paris, Encor has brought its silhouette back into the spotlight. The company’s approach is simple on paper and deeply complex in practice: keep the purity, elevate the execution and treat the car as cultural artwork rather than a blank project.
Encor calls its philosophy respectful enhancement. It means honouring the Esprit’s character while using today’s materials, today’s tools and today’s understanding of what makes a driver-focused car feel special. The team behind it includes talent with experience at Lotus, Aston Martin, Koenigsegg and Skyships Automotive. Moreover, they approached the car with the restraint of preservationists and the precision of modern engineers.
As Daniel Durrant, Encor’s Head of Design, puts it, the S1 Esprit was “forward-thinking, pure and utterly uncompromised”. His team viewed altering its shape as a responsibility, not a playground. Every change had to serve the original spirit.
Design: A Study in Discipline and Detail
From Digital Scan to Carbon-Fibre Sculpture
The design team began by digitally scanning an original Esprit. The data gave them a foundation for a meticulous resurfacing process. Instead of reinventing it, they refined it, addressing small transitions, subtle surface behaviour and lines that early composite techniques could never quite perfect.
Key improvements include:
- Sharper highlights across the body
- Cleaner connections between surfaces
- Greater precision and consistency in form
- An uninterrupted carbon-fibre shell
The removal of the old two-piece mould line is one of the clearest differences. As a result, with autoclaved carbon fibre, the shell now resembles the clean intentions of the earliest design sketches. Consequently, you see the Esprit you know, yet with far more clarity.
A Familiar Shape with Modern Purpose
The overall stance is broader to support contemporary tyres and cooling needs. The iconic wedge silhouette remains intact, but the front profile benefits from compact LED projectors housed in slim pop-up units. They retain the retro theatre while improving performance and aerodynamics.
The wheels follow the same philosophy. They reference the original slot-mag style and the later Sport 350 design, yet they arrive as forged, billet-machined modern pieces. The structural clarity is unmistakable.
Engineering: Authenticity Meets Capability
Built on Lotus DNA
Under the carbon skin sits the backbone of a Lotus Esprit V8. Encor deliberately retained the chassis to protect authenticity and ensure correct registration. Each chassis is stripped, blast-cleaned and refinished before the mechanical rebuild begins.
The mid-mounted 3.5-litre twin-turbo V8 is restored and uprated with:
- Forged pistons
- Upgraded injectors
- Remanufactured turbochargers
- A modern electronic throttle body
- Updated fuel and cooling systems
- A new stainless-steel exhaust system
The goal is not to turn the Esprit into something else. The goal is to refine its character so it delivers the performance its proportions always suggested.
The expected performance figures reflect this balance:
- 400 bhp
- 350 lb ft of torque
- Kerb weight under 1,200 kg
- 0–62 mph in around four seconds
- Top speed close to 175 mph
It remains a focused, lightweight, mid-engine machine – only now with reliability, response and consistency that were harder to achieve in the 1990s.
Transmission and Dynamics
Working with Quaife, Encor then re-engineers the original five-speed manual gearbox. As a result, it benefits from a stronger input shaft, revised ratios, a helical limited-slip differential, and a bespoke twin-plate clutch. The result is a shift with far more precision than any factory-built Esprit ever enjoyed.
Other upgrades include:
- Sport 350 suspension specification
- AP Racing braking components
- Hydraulically assisted steering
The decision to keep hydraulic steering is crucial because it preserves the tactile feedback that defines the Esprit’s character. As a result, it also keeps the driving experience grounded in the analogue world.
Technical Director Mike Dickison sums it up well. The Series 1 drives with the purity expected of an analogue supercar, yet its upgraded platform delivers far deeper capability.
Inside: A Cabin That Respects Its Roots
Classic Shapes, Modern Craft
Step inside the Series 1 and you recognise the Esprit instantly. The sloped dash, the wraparound instrument binnacle and the tartan details remain part of the visual story. However, every element has been rebuilt, re-trimmed or reengineered.
The standout feature is the floating instrument cluster. Machined from a single block of aluminium and wrapped around a modern digital display, it blends craftsmanship with clarity. It feels solid, precise and contemporary while staying faithful to the Esprit’s cockpit-like theme.
Other interior enhancements include:
- A carbon-fibre dashboard “T” housing essential controls
- Rebuilt seats with updated foams and higher-quality trims
- Infotainment, climate and camera systems discreetly integrated
- A focus on tactile, driver-first ergonomics
Co-founder Simon Lane explains that the car remains analogue at heart. Moreover, technology is present only to support, not to distract. In fact, every modern addition sits quietly in the background.
The Team: A Collective of Proven Talent
Experience from Across the Industry
Encor Design is shaped by leaders who have worked on some of the industry’s most respected programmes. As a result, they bring decades of high-level experience in design, engineering, product development and automotive electronics.
Skyships’ contribution is particularly notable. The company evolved from experimental airships in the 1990s to supplying cockpit electronics to global sports-car manufacturers. Meanwhile, for co-founder William Ives, the Esprit has been part of their story for nearly thirty years. As a result, their long-term connection adds depth and authenticity to the project.
Commissioning: Exclusive, Personal and Global
Limited Production with High Levels of Customisation
The Encor Series 1 will be limited to 50 individually commissioned cars. To begin with, prices start at £430,000, excluding taxes, options and the donor Esprit V8. Ouch. Furthermore, commissioning can take place at Encor’s Chelmsford headquarters or alternatively through private international consultations.
Deliveries will run from Q2 2026 through 2027.
Clients can explore an online configurator at Encor’s website before engaging with the bespoke commissioning process.
A Tribute and a New Chapter
Honouring the Past While Looking Ahead
The Encor Series 1 serves as more than a revival. It signals the beginning of a broader mission to remaster iconic automotive shapes using modern engineering, digital craftsmanship and thoughtful design. Moreover, it stands as a celebration of the Esprit’s influence and a demonstration of how classic ideas can be brought forward without losing their heart.
Encor continues to offer high-resolution photography, CGI assets, design sketches and technical materials for clients, collectors and media who want to explore the project in detail.
About Encor
Encor blends heritage expertise, engineering knowledge and digital craft to reinterpret iconic designs for modern use. Its approach of respectful enhancement ensures that every project preserves the intention of the original creators while meeting the expectations of contemporary drivers.
Conclusion: What Do You Think?
The Encor Series 1 brings the past into the present with care, clarity and character. Few projects manage to balance nostalgia with modern execution so effectively.
Would you commission one?
Should more classics be remastered in this way?
Share your thoughts – the debate is half the fun.
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