There are quite a lot of things that make a car cool, but if there was anything to grant instant stardom to an automobile, it is being driven by 007 himself. Such is the case with the Lotus Esprit S1, which was prominently featured in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me. First brought to production in 1976, the Esprit S1 was yet another beautiful creation drafted by the master of wedge-shaped automobiles, Giorgetto Giugiaro. Although shortlived, the S1 (1976-1979) is regarded by purists for having the best handling characteristics of all the renditions of the Esprit. A low-slung, mid-mounted 2.0-liter inline-four motor; an extremely low curb weight; and coil over suspension gave the driver superb confidence, and the steering response was direct and informative. Our upcoming example is still mostly finished in its original color, Carnival Red and has an excellent seventies interior of green cloth with tartan centered seats. Eighteen thousand miles are currently recorded on the odometer, which is still functional and accurate since this S1 has spent most of its recent life in long-term storage. As such, the majority of the S1 still retains original parts. However, a carburetor adjustment with new gaskets, a fuel pump rebuild, and fresh fluids were some of the recent repairs the current owner has had performed. Going on sale next week, our S1 represents a nearly pure sample of Lotus in the 1970s and is one of only 92 Esprit sold in Carnival Red in the United States, and James Bond drove one!
