Beyond the Porsche 911: Encor Series 1 Reimagines the Lotus Esprit for the Discerning Collector
For a certain echelon of automotive enthusiasts, the notion of a perfectly restored or restomodded Porsche 911, while undeniably compelling, has become… well, a touch commonplace. The sheer volume of these meticulously crafted machines has, for some, dulled their exquisite shine. If your automotive desires lean towards the avant-garde, the distinctly individual, and a pedigree steeped in a different, yet equally revered, British lineage, then allow me to introduce you to a creation that promises to reignite your passion: the Encor Series 1. This is not merely a restomod; it’s a profound reimagining of the legendary Lotus Esprit, a car that consistently pushed boundaries. For those seeking an alternative to the ubiquitous 911 restomod, this stunning interpretation, built upon the robust bones of the Lotus Esprit V8, offers a potent blend of iconic design, blistering performance, and bespoke craftsmanship that firmly positions it as a coveted automotive masterpiece for 2025 and beyond.
With a price tag that signals exclusivity – nudging the half-million-dollar mark – the Encor Series 1 arrives as a direct answer to the ennui that can sometimes accompany the well-trodden path of classic car modification. This isn’t about superficial tweaks; it’s about a complete rebirth. Consider this: the Encor Series 1 tips the scales at a mere 300 pounds more than a contemporary Mazda Miata, a testament to its lightweight construction. Yet, beneath its elegantly sculpted exterior lies a heart of pure automotive fury: a mid-mounted, twin-turbocharged, quad-cam, flat-plane-crank V-8 engine. This powerhouse unleashes a formidable 400 horsepower, channelled through a precise five-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels. The result is a driving experience that is both visceral and exhilarating, a palpable connection to the machine that echoes the very ethos of Lotus founder Colin Chapman. In essence, the Encor Series 1 is the Esprit that Chapman, with his relentless pursuit of “simplify, then add lightness,” might have only dared to dream into existence.
At its core, the Encor Series 1 masterfully fuses the potent hardware derived from the post-1998 Lotus Esprit V8 with the unmistakable design DNA of the original four-cylinder 1976 Esprit, a masterpiece penned by the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro. It is the spirit of Colin Chapman’s innovative engineering that makes this ambitious undertaking a tangible reality. The Encor process begins with a donor Esprit V8. Its original glass-reinforced plastic body is carefully detached from the car’s foundational steel backbone chassis. This chassis then undergoes a meticulous restoration, stripped back to bare metal, and critically, galvanized. This crucial step renders rust a non-issue, a welcome departure from the typical concerns associated with many classic British automobiles. Following this structural fortification, the chassis is adorned with a breathtakingly rendered, bespoke carbon-fiber body, a direct and reverent homage to Giugiaro’s iconic styling. The suspension system is then upgraded to mirror the performance-oriented specification of the Sport 350 – the ultimate iteration of the Esprit V8 – and reassembled with fresh bushings throughout. While the majority of components are authentic Lotus parts, including the highly regarded hydraulic power steering system, Encor has ingeniously engineered stronger rear hub carriers. This crucial enhancement addresses a well-documented Achilles’ heel of the original Esprit V8, a chronic cracking issue that has long vexed owners.
Rebuilt, Reinforced, and Unleashed: A V-8 Reborn for Modern Demands
The potent 3.5-liter Lotus V-8 engine, internally designated as the Type 918, is subjected to a complete and uncompromising strip-down and rebuild. Every component is scrutinized, and many are upgraded to meet and exceed original specifications. Forged pistons are installed to handle increased stress, the fuel injectors are uprated, and the turbocharger internals are meticulously refurbished or replaced. A new electronic throttle body ensures precise response, while the fuel and cooling systems are brought into the 21st century. A new, custom-fabricated stainless-steel exhaust system not only enhances performance but also provides a symphonic soundtrack worthy of this reborn V-8.
The five-speed transaxle, originally a collaboration between Lotus and Renault, has been subjected to an equally thorough overhaul, this time in partnership with the renowned transmission specialists at Quaife. The objective? To engineer a drivetrain capable of reliably handling the engine’s enhanced output. Key upgrades include a stronger input shaft, addressing a long-standing weak point that historically necessitated a detuning of the Type 918’s original 500 hp output to a more conservative 350 hp at the Esprit V8’s launch. Revised gear ratios have been implemented to optimize acceleration and high-speed cruising, and a helical limited-slip differential ensures optimal power delivery to the rear wheels under all conditions. Complementing these enhancements is a new twin-plate clutch, which not only improves durability but also significantly lightens the clutch pedal feel, making spirited driving a far more accessible and enjoyable affair.
Honoring a Legacy, Not Bound By It: Giugiaro’s Vision, Encor’s Execution
While the Encor Series 1 proudly wears its stylistic lineage, it is far from being a slavish replica. The original Esprit’s bodywork underwent significant revisions during its production life. Peter Stevens, the visionary behind the McLaren F1, first sculpted a more refined form, followed by Julian Thomson, whose work graced the Lotus Elise before he moved to Jaguar Land Rover, contributing to iconic vehicles like the first-generation Range Rover Evoque and the Jaguar F-Type. The Encor Series 1 body, however, is the brainchild of Encor’s Design Director, Dan Durrant, a former Lotus designer himself. His creation represents a masterful distillation of Giugiaro’s original sharp-edged, wedge-shaped concept, first showcased at the 1972 Turin Motor Show. Durrant articulates this philosophy perfectly: “We’re not handcuffed by the original,” he explains, “but we’re completely inspired by it.”
The utilization of carbon fiber has empowered Durrant to refine and simplify the car’s overall aesthetic, bringing it closer to the purity of Giugiaro’s 1972 vision in both form and detail. The prominent black line that encircled the original Esprit’s midsection, for instance, was a functional necessity, designed to conceal the external flanges used to join the upper and lower sections of the two-piece glass-reinforced plastic body. The Encor’s one-piece carbon-fiber construction eliminates this need, allowing for dramatically cleaner bodysides and a less cluttered approach to the front and rear fascias.
Durrant’s design choices resonate with the original Esprit’s defining characteristics: the distinctive flat roofline and the trapezoidal windshield, a deliberate nod to the Giugiaro original, eschewing the slight crown introduced in the Peter Stevens redesign. The subtle Kamm tail at the rear and the discrete front spoiler element beneath the tapered nose are also faithfully reimagined. The front and rear fascias have been sculpted with a newfound simplicity and elegance compared to their production counterparts. Modern LED running lights are seamlessly integrated at the front, while similarly contemporary taillights grace the rear. In a striking departure from the Esprit V8, where the engine was concealed beneath a utilitarian cover, the Encor Series 1 proudly displays its V-8 heart beneath a transparent glass backlight, mirroring the visual drama of the four-cylinder engine in the 1976 model.
The wheels are another area where meticulous attention to detail has been paid. Forged billet, five-spoke units, measuring 17 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear, are shod with generously sidewalled Bridgestone Potenza tires. This tire and wheel combination mirrors that found on the final iterations of the Esprit V8, striking a harmonious balance. Durrant elaborates on this crucial element: “Wheels were a real topic of discussion,” he admits. “Inflate the wheel size too much, and you can completely unbalance the visuals of the car. It starts to look like a toy.” Behind these perfectly proportioned wheels, housed within apertures that are essentially scaled-up versions of the original Esprit’s five-slot Wolfrace alloys, reside AP Racing brakes, ensuring formidable stopping power to match the car’s explosive acceleration.
Two subtle yet instantly recognizable design cues serve to forge an immediate connection for Lotus aficionados between the Encor Series 1 and its progenitor: the cluster of six small vents nestled at the base of the windshield and the distinctive, inset fuel filler cap situated on the left C-pillar. “The silhouette and the key shapes on the car are very, very close to the Giugiaro original, but refined and honed in every way,” Durrant emphasizes. “We’ve made just small adjustments here and there to add elements that wouldn’t have been possible when the car was originally produced. And because carbon fiber is such a robust and dimensionally accurate material, it means that we can do the things that customers want, like nice tight shut gaps and flush-mounted glass.”
Beyond the aesthetic refinements, the adoption of a one-piece carbon-fiber body ushers in significant advancements in structural rigidity and passive safety. It’s worth noting that the original Esprit V8, remarkably, featured a plywood firewall between the engine bay and the passenger compartment right up until its production ceased in 2004. The Encor Series 1 dramatically elevates safety with a double-layer carbon-fiber firewall. This structure is integrated with the cant rails of the roof, which themselves contain tubular carbon-fiber elements. These elements extend down either side of the windshield to the supporting structure for the dashboard and doors, and crucially, are interconnected across the top of the windshield, forming a robust and sophisticated passenger safety cell. This represents a leap forward in occupant protection, a critical consideration for any modern, high-performance vehicle.
A Nostalgic Interior Infused with Cutting-Edge Technology
The interior of the Encor Series 1, much like its exterior, pays a heartfelt homage to the original Esprit. The two-spoke steering wheel and the architectural layout of the center console are particularly evocative of the classic design. However, this retro charm is seamlessly interwoven with a modern sensibility, manifested in the use of premium materials and the integration of contemporary technology. The instrument panel serves as a prime example of this duality. The free-standing, wraparound pod that defined the original Esprit’s dashboard is reinterpreted as a sleek, lightweight metal structure. At its heart lies a state-of-the-art digital display, flanked by smaller touchscreens positioned on angled wings that sweep towards the driver, ensuring intuitive access to vital information and controls. The center console features a prominent, portrait-format touchscreen, serving as the nerve center for infotainment and climate control.
From the driver’s perspective, a crucial element of the Encor Series 1 experience is its unwavering commitment to authenticity in the tactile interactions. The relationship between the steering wheel, the gear shifter, and the pedals is meticulously calibrated to be identical to that of the original Esprit. This ensures that the fundamental driving sensation remains true to its heritage. However, potential buyers should be aware that the Esprit’s inherent compact dimensions are preserved. While the Encor Series 1 boasts a wheelbase 6.6 inches longer than a contemporary Porsche 911, the original Esprit was a full 8 inches lower. This means that headroom can be a premium consideration for individuals exceeding six feet in height. One of the deliberate choices made by Encor was to retain the original Lotus seat frames, not only for their inherent lightness but also because most modern performance seats are simply too tall to fit within the Esprit’s cabin architecture.
Despite these compact dimensions, Encor Managing Director William Ives assures that the Encor Series 1 is designed for an accessible ownership experience. Beyond the inclusion of air conditioning, each vehicle will be equipped with a comprehensive infotainment system. This system, including a high-end audio setup, is the product of Ives’ primary business, Skyships Automotive, a company renowned for supplying sophisticated electronic solutions to elite, low-volume manufacturers such as Aston Martin, McLaren, and Pagani. Furthermore, the specter of the infamous Lucas “Prince of Darkness” electrical systems is banished. The entire electrical architecture of the Encor Series 1, right down to the new electronic throttle body, has been meticulously designed by Skyships, representing the pinnacle of modern automotive electrical engineering.
The vehicle presented in this initial feature serves as the first prototype, poised to embark on an intensive testing regimen. This phase is critical for fine-tuning the suspension, a process that will involve calibrating spring and shock rates to complement the car’s reduced weight compared to a production-spec Esprit V8. Comprehensive system checks and final calibrations will also be undertaken. For context, a production Esprit V8 was capable of a blistering 0–60 mph sprint in just 4.1 seconds and a 0–100 mph time of 10.2 seconds, completing the quarter-mile in 12.7 seconds at 112 mph. Given that the Encor Series 1 is projected to weigh approximately 400 pounds less than its production predecessor and benefits from an additional 50 horsepower, it is expected to significantly eclipse these figures en route to its claimed top speed of 175 mph.
Encor has set an ambitious yet exclusive production target of just 50 vehicles over a two-year period, with manufacturing slated to commence in 2026. Crucially for North American enthusiasts, the Encor Series 1 will be available in a left-hand-drive configuration. Of the roughly 1,400 Esprit V8s ever produced, nearly half were exported to the United States, ensuring a healthy and accessible pool of donor cars for American buyers. The base price, at current exchange rates, stands at approximately $570,000, exclusive of shipping, taxes, and the cost of the donor Esprit V8 itself. It is undeniable that this is a significant investment. However, when viewed against the backdrop of a highly engineered and meticulously crafted 911 restomod of comparable quality and exclusivity, the value proposition of the Encor Series 1 becomes clear. It represents an opportunity to acquire a truly unique piece of automotive art, a car that transcends mere restoration and enters the realm of considered, inspired creation.
If the allure of the extraordinary and a departure from the ordinary beckons, the Encor Series 1 awaits. We invite you to explore this remarkable machine further and discover how you can secure your place in the exclusive lineage of this reawakened icon.
