Lotus Esprit V8 - Black (AUTOart) 1/18 - New AUTOart 1/18 Releases

There have been many variations of the Lotus Esprit throughout its twenty-year-plus history. However, an Esprit can always be lumped into one of two major categories. The first of these is usually referred to as Giugiaro's Esprit in recognition of the original Italian designer of the car. Vehicles produced before the 1988 model year fall into this group and are distinguished by sharp angles and a wedge shape. In 1988 the car was re-styled when Peter Stevens, also responsible for designing the McLaren F1 supercar, softened the crisp edges of the original shape and created what later became the Esprit V8. Lotus introduced the Esprit V8 at the Geneva Auto Show in 1996, primarily because the 4-cylinder engine did not meet new US emissions standards and Lotus could not afford to lose sales. Each Esprit is a handcrafted work of art that requires 584 man-hours to complete. The V8 is the fastest of all Lotus cars to date and is capable of achieving 60 mph in less than 5 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph. Like all Lotus cars, the body shell is made of reinforced glass fiber, which keeps the total body weight under 1350 Kg. 17'' front and 18'' rear wheels are mounted on the car.

AUTOart Diecast Model No. 75312

LOTUS ESPRIT V8 - BLACK (AUTOART) 1/18 Diecast Model Car