Lotus Esprit Turbo James Bond 007 Museum Sweden

Lotus Esprit S3 Turbo Coupe James Bond Lotus Esprit S3 Turbo Coupe

For Your Eyes Only 1981 - Roger Moore Ur Dödlig Synvinkel 1981

1984 LOTUS ESPRIT TURBO COUPÉ 214 HP
REGISTRATION NO. TDL613 007 JB
CHASSIS NO. SCC082910EHD11864
ENGINE NO.
Protokollid. NIAU1304271121

Among the longest running of post-war sportscars, the Esprit first surfaced as a Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed Ital Design project car at the 1972 Turin Motor Show, the silver prototype having come about following a chance encounter between Giugiaro and Lotus boss Colin Chapman. The car was well received, and following a protracted development programme finally entered production in 1976. The Esprit retained Lotus’s trademark backbone chassis but deviated from previous designs by employing front and rear sub-frames to support the all-independent suspension and engine/gearbox unit. Lotus’s own 2-litre, 16-valve, four-cylinder engine provided the power while the five-speed transaxle was sourced from Citroën. Disc brakes were fitted to all four wheels, the rears being mounted inboard.

Lotus Esprit Turbo 1984 S3 214 hk Right hand drive.
This is a Colin Chapman Giugiaro designed - collectors item – used in Bond movies. The design is a little bit more edgy than
it used to be –during that time. Exterior in Calypso Red and interior in Champagne only 6 made.

This is also an example where Colin Chapman (founder of Lotus) used the knowledge from building and competing in – Formula One.
Every driver loves the car and its agility.
It was Chapman who developed the concept to build light-weight cars.

There is just a few of them left in a good condition – that´s why the price goes up -
continuously - in the UK. (In the US – even more.)

Harry Metcalfe, sports cars specialist and collector says his Esprit (-85) is one of his best cars (actually, number three). Harry`s GARAGE has a new interesting Esprit-video:- details above.

1. The car is in a very good condition.
2. Matching numbers. Original spare parts.
3. We can make a presentation of the owners, the service book stamps, receipts etc.
4. The car has been refurbished by professionals – specialized on Lotus cars (Bennets AB).
We have only used original spare parts, bought from Paul Matty's Sports Cars (Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, UK).

Big projects that has been done:

- New paint work (with the original color number, paint work preservation by Mr. Cap)
- Advanced engine reparation (shifting liner, piston, decock set turbo hc, timing belt etc.)
The engine runs perfectly well and has a nice sound.
- Gearbox overhaul (cleaning/checking, shifting syncro-rings)
- Drive line (new crown-wheel and pinion etc.)
- New steering rack set
- Repairing and refurbishing the interior (leather and textiles)
- The clutch (driven plate, release bearing, pressure plate) and things belonging to the clutch (as slave cylinder) has been shifted.
5. - New solinoid and alternator
6. - Newly refurbished turbo (2018)
7. - New tyres
8. - Water-reservoir refurbished
9. - New blinkers/indikators
10. Last ordinary service (oil, filter etc.) was done in april 2016.
11. The car has passed the ”Swedish MOT” (Bilprovningen) without any problems – at all. Next test time is in April 2021-07-31.
12. Milage since refurbishment: 3000 km (totally: 105 000 kilometers).
13. Certificate of Vehicle Provenance is included.
This car was the 135th out of 137 cars 1984. The car was the last out of 36 cars in Calypso Red.
The last car out of 6 cars in Calypso Red and Champagne (half leather

At the beginning of the film, a white Lotus Turbo Esprit was used, while Roger Moore investigated Gonzale's House. 2 bad guys attempted to break into the car, however, the security system activated and blew up the car! Not very clever security device if you ask me. The second car was a copper coloured Turbo Esprit, shown here, featuring a ski rack on the rear louvers. There were two identical copper cars used in the filming. The second being purchased directly from Lotus Cars in 1998. The car below was actually Lotus's 1980 Turbo Esprit prototype and was originally white, but the car was painted copper, so it would show up against the snowy backgrounds in the film. Both cars helped give the Esprit Turbo some much need promotion and increased the profile of the car to the general public.

After the popularity of the white Lotus Esprit S1, in the 1977 James Bond Film, The Spy Who Loved Me, the new Turbo Esprit was featured in the 1981 film, For Your Eyes Only. Where as the Esprit in the Spy Who Loved me was "an all sing, all dance" submarine, the Turbo Esprit's took on less ambitious roles in the film.

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Högerstyrd, Soltak i glas, Matching numbers, Certifikat ifrån Lotus-fabriken finns, Kvitton och servicestämplar finns, Bilen har gått ca 400 mil sedan renovering, Totalrenoverad Turbo 2018, Nya däck runt om, Nybesiktigad utan anmärkning, Mr Cap-behandlad, TIllverkad i England, Bilen har genomgått ett flertal reparationer och förbättringar (gjorda utav proffs), Endast 6 st bilar tillverkade i Calypso red med Champagne inredning 1984

The White Lotus Turbo Esprit, featured in the Spy Who Loved Me

Lotus_Turbo_Esprit_James_Bond_007.jpg (250663 bytes)

After the popularity of the white Lotus Esprit S1, in the 1977 James Bond Film, The Spy Who Loved Me, the new Turbo Esprit S3 was featured in the 1981 film, For Your Eyes Only. Where as the Esprit in the Spy Who Loved me was "an all sing, all dance" submarine, the Turbo Esprit's took on less ambitious roles in the film.

Body and chassis
Production	1981–1987
Related	DMC DeLorean
Powertrain
Engine	2,174 cc (132.7 cu in; 2.2 L) Type 912 I4 2,174 cc (132.7 cu in; 2.2 L) type 910/910S Turbocharged I4
Transmission	Citroën 5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,440 mm (96.1 in)
Length	4,225–4,290 mm (166.3–168.9 in)
Width	1,860 mm (73.2 in)
Height	1,110–1,120 mm (43.7–44.1 in)
Kerb weight	1,067 kg (2,352 lb)

In film and on television

1977 S1 in "submarine" mode, as seen in The Spy Who Loved Me

An S1 Esprit was featured in the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, where a car famously converted into a submarine after a road chase. The car used in the underwater scenes, nick-named "Wet Nellie", was bought by businessman Elon Musk in September 2013.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) - Roger Moore Älskade Spion 1977

Two Essex-spec Turbo Esprits were featured in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. A white one destroyed early in the film and a copper-red model appearing later.

An X180 Esprit appeared in the film Pretty Woman after Ferrari and Porsche declined the product placement opportunity because the manufacturers did not want to be associated with soliciting prostitutes. Lotus saw the placement value with such a major feature film and supplied a Silver 1989.5 Esprit SE.

The car was also seen in Basic Instinct, The Rookie, Taking Care of Business, If Looks Could Kill / Teen Agent and Parts: The Clonus Horror, as well as the short-lived TV series The Highwayman.

1976 Lotus Esprit [Type 79] in The Spy Who Loved Me, Movie, 1977

1976 Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me, Movie, 1977. Sold 9/9 £550 000 James Bond's Lotus submarine up for auction

1976 Lotus Esprit [Type 79] in The Spy Who Loved Me, Movie, 1977

RM Auctions is putting the Esprit Series 1, which starred in the 1977 Bond flick “The Spy Who Loved Me,” on the block in London, September 8-9.

rmauctions.com

A submarine car used in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me has been sold for £550,000.

The Lotus Esprit sold for less than the guide price despite a bidding war between a woman in the auction room and a telephone bidder who took the prized collector's piece.

The car, said to be fully operational, was used in the underwater scene of the 1977 film starring Roger Moore as 007.

After filming it toured various car shows before being stored in New York.

It was sold at RM Auctions in Battersea, south-west London, for less than the estimated price of between £650,000 and £950,000.

In had previously been auctioned as a blind lot in 1989.

Peter Haynes, from the auction house, said: "Bearing in mind it is not a car that can be driven on the road, the price just goes to prove the draw that all Bond-related memorabilia has."

1976 Lotus Esprit [Type 79] in The Spy Who Loved Me, Movie, 1977

Used in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me
The one and only fully functional Submarine Car
One of the most famous movie cars of all time
Amazing story of lost and found
Never before offered for sale

WET NELLIE SURFACES

In conjunction with the 1977 release of The Spy Who Loved Me, U.S. Lotus (Lotus East) executive distributor Fred Stevenson procured Wet Nellie for display at auto shows, according to correspondence between Stevenson and the location manager for Eon in the Bahamas. Stevenson remembers the Lotus was full of sand and seaweed upon delivery in New York and there was no time to clean it prior to its first public debut at the New York Auto Show! This was followed by appearances at shows in Cleveland, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles, by which time its custodianship was taken over by Lotus West. Stevenson relates having great fun with the Lotus, discussing its unique features with dignitaries and celebrities who enjoyed having their photographs taken with Wet Nellie.

Eventually, Wet Nellie was shipped to Long Island, New York, where it was kept in an unassuming storage unit in Holbrook, New York. The lease was reportedly for a 10-year rental, paid in advance. Fate later intervened when, in 1989, the rent delinquent unit was put up “blind” at public auction. A modest winning bid from an area couple brought surprise and wonder when the blankets were removed to reveal the iconic 007 Submarine Car. The roof had been damaged, but it was otherwise wholly intact. It’s new (and current) owners recount that, whilst towing it home, the CB radios of highway truckers were all abuzz about the sighting of the famed Lotus. After positive authentication, Wet Nellie was cosmetically restored and fitted to a custom-designed display trailer and exhibited occasionally, including a stint at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, but it was mostly kept closely under wraps…until now.

NOBODY DOES IT BETTER

“Of all the Bonds I made”, remembers Roger Moore, “The Spy Who Loved Me is the one I like best. The locations were right; the costumes were right; everything on that movie went together”.

Sadly, Ian Fleming, the creator of the James Bond character and originator of the first 007 gadget car on paper, is no longer with us. However, Raymond Benson, author of seven “official” posthumous Bond books, had this to say: “I never used an underwater car in any of my Bond novels, but the Lotus in the film is one of my favourite vehicles in the 007 universe!”

Today, Wet Nellie is presented with its restored, museum display quality exterior, whilst inside, the full operational equipment appears to be complete and original. This first-time-ever public offering of the Lotus is accompanied by copies of numerous period photos, rare movie stills, correspondence between Lotus East and the film production team, auto show memorabilia, and authentication documents.

The 007 Lotus Esprit Submarine Car is one of the most inspired creations in the history of filmmaking. As such, we wouldn’t want it to fall into enemy hands, so we invite those who can enthusiastically appreciate its technology, ingenious deployment, and legendary screen appearance to attentively consider this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire Wet Nellie, one of the most fascinating and entertaining movie vehicles of all time.

BEHIND THE SCENES: EVOLUTION OF A GREAT SPY CAR

It is believed that Lotus provided two production “road cars”, plus seven Esprit fibreglass body shells, to the filmmakers. One of those shells was reported to have been split in half to film Roger Moore and Barbara Bach in their separate seats. The remaining six body shells, delivered bare, were used to initiate and consummate filming the underwater scenes. Each of these shells was modified to perform specific functions in the movie. Here is the evolution of Wet Nellie on the screen:

1. Used for the tyre retraction sequence.
2. Used to portray the side fins protruding from the wheel arches whilst the periscope extends.
3. Featured in the below-surface-to-air missile sequence from the rear hatch.
4. Tethered to a powerful air cannon and jettisoned off the pier and into the water below.
5. The spare unit for the above.
6. The one and only fully enclosed shell used to film the functional Submarine Car.

Once filming was complete, the tyre shell (1) and the missile shell (3) were left behind in the Bahamas and given as souvenirs to Roberts Scrap Metal Company, who assisted with the heavy equipment for the shoot. The tyre shell exists today in poor condition in a Florida museum. The fin shell (2) has seemingly disappeared (with its whereabouts unknown), whilst the missile shell (3) is owned by the Ian Fleming Foundation and is proudly on display as part of the on-going 50th Anniversary of James Bond Exhibit at the Beaulieu National Motor Museum. The first of the pier shells (4) was damaged by the air cannon during filming in Sardinia, and it is presumed to have been discarded. The other pier shell (5) may have been unused or used more lightly; in any event, it was later unofficially retrofitted with mock up gadgets and sold in the late 1980s.

Which leaves the one and only functional Submarine Car (6), which is being offered to the public for the first time ever.

-Doug Redenius
Co-Founder, The Ian Fleming Foundation

The 007 Lotus Esprit Submarine Car from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) commonly tops the polls when multiple generations of movie fans are asked to pick their favourite film cars of all time. Like all the best Bond cars, the Lotus was a veritable war chest of weaponry and gadgetry that was designed to fox and foil the enemy whilst also helping Bond to another hard-won victory for Queen and country.

DOSSIER

Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign unveiled a concept car at the Turin Motor Show in 1972 that was based upon a stretched Lotus Europa chassis. It was amongst the first of designer Giugiaro’s polygonal “folded paper", or wedge-shaped, conceptions, and it caused a sensation in the automotive press. Lotus ultimately developed its Lotus Esprit using this design, and remarkably, little changed from the show car. The Esprit was launched in October 1975 at the Paris Auto Show, and it went into production in June 1976, replacing the Europa in the Lotus model line-up. With its lightweight chassis, mid-engine configuration, and fibreglass body shell, it furthered the reputation for class-beating handling long enjoyed by Lotus. At the time of its introduction, it was indisputably Britain’s most advanced sports car.

The Lotus not only impressed the automotive world, but it also impressed film producer Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli, who one day found a pre-production model parked directly in front of his office at Pinewood Studios outside London. The car had been conspicuously positioned there, without identifying badges, by Lotus PR Manager Don McLauchlan. McLauchlan had learned that preparations had begun for a fresh 007 adventure, and he wanted to make their extraordinary new car available for the picture. Experience with the vehicles from other films, particularly Aston Martins in prior Bond movies, had proven that the publicity and sales impact could be enormous. So a deal was struck, and Lotus delivered two production vehicles; each of these were equipped with an additional piece of sheet metal beneath the radiator to protect the cars from the rough streets of the Costa Smeralda, in Sardinia, where the surface sequences of the famous chase was to be filmed. Additionally, seven more body shells were supplied, with one of which being sealed all around for underwater scenes and converted into a submarine.

“PAY ATTENTION, 007!”

No Bond car has ever done anything as outrageous on screen as transform itself into a submarine; none except for this Lotus in the epic The Spy Who Loved Me. Breaking with tradition, Q is never given the opportunity to explain the car’s features to 007. So, when the Lotus is fired (literally! – see sidebar) off a jetty into the sea, the audience was stunned, and captivated.

The specially prepared body shell was shipped to Perry Oceanographics, a marine engineering and construction firm based in Riviera Beach, Florida. Perry was known for their ingenuity in building all manner of submersible vehicles (including the Reef Ranger, also seen in the underwater battle), and they are world-renowned for their unique capabilities.

With guidance from Special Visual Effects Supervisor Derek Meddings, Perry re-envisioned the Lotus as a “wet” submarine (connoting that it is full of water as it travels beneath the surface). It moves forward via a bank of four propellers, with their electric motors being driven by batteries housed in a water-tight compartment. The articulated fins are adjusted with mechanical levers that are operated by its driver. Underwater, the Lotus has a turning circle of around 20 feet. Its dive and climb performance is regulated by ballast tanks, and it has been described as “crisply argonautic”. Contrary to what movie magic suggests, there is no semblance of a road car interior in this Lotus; instead, inside one will find its underwater motors, batteries, levers, and other control apparatus, with only a platform seat for its driver. It was said to have cost over $100,000 to construct (nearly half a million dollars today).

Its driver was Don Griffin, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL who was employed as a technician and test pilot for Perry. As such, he was the obvious candidate to operate the Lotus on location, with the underwater sequences being filmed nearby in the Bahamas.

And Don Griffin was indeed the driver (in full scuba gear with auxiliary oxygen), and in so doing, he assumed one of the greatest anonymous roles in movie history. As the one and only fully functioning Submarine Car especially designed and built for the spectacular underwater sequences, the Lotus appears in the film for the lion’s share of the screen time beneath the surface.

Dubbed “Wet Nellie” on the set, the Lotus was used to incredible effect in the film. It was fitted with mechanically operated enclosures that reveal the missile launchers in the front, a smoke screen exhaust in the rear, and a mine hatch on the bottom. When Griffin voiced the need for rearward vision, a prismatic mirror was mounted on the roof, which was sourced from Army surplus and came off of a tank. The stream of air bubbles following the vehicle was actually generated by utilising a giant cache of Alka-Seltzer tablets!

ENDURING ICON

The Spy Who Loved Me was the 10th film in the Bond franchise, and the third to star Roger Moore. At a pivotal moment in the celebrated progression of 007 films, Eon Productions needed a hit after the disappointing box office performance of The Man With The Golden Gun (1974). So, this time they pulled out all the stops by doubling the budget, bringing back Lewis Gilbert (You Only Live Twice) to direct, and giving Production Designer Ken (later Sir Ken) Adam appropriate latitude to create the phantasmagorical and futuristic sets for which he was famous. And then there was the Submarine Car, which was conceived by Adam, a Lotus owner and an admirer of the Esprit’s streamlined shape. So, the fuse was lit and the fires of 14-year-old imaginations around the world were re-ignited: the secret agent as super hero (with a little technological assistance)! As a result of this renewed commitment, The Spy Who Loved Me became the highest-grossing Bond film to date, firmly re-establishing the 007 character as a contemporary action hero.

Along with supervision on location by Meddings, underwater cameraman Lamar Boren, himself a veteran of the underwater crew from Thunderball and You Only Live Twice, was also re-enlisted for the filming of Wet Nellie in the Bahamas. So, yet again in a James Bond film, the car was the star, and moviegoers couldn’t stop talking about the Lotus.

LOT 16

Just over 32,000 miles from new
1983 LOTUS TURBO ESPRIT

Sold for US$ 46,200 (DKK 314,494) inc. premium

The Scottsdale Auction

28 Jan 2016, 12:00 MST

Scottsdale, The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa

1983 LOTUS TURBO ESPRIT
DESIGN BY GIORGETTO GIUGIARO

VIN. SCCFC20A8DHF60363
ENGINE NO. LD910830720905

2,174cc DOHC 16-Valve Turbocharged 4-Cylinder Engine
2 Dellorto Carburetors
210bhp at 6,500rpm
5-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes - Inboard at the Rear

*Highly original, low-mileage example of a 007 favorite
*Just over 32,000 miles from new and believed factory original paint and interior
*The sole example produced in Silver Metallic over Red Leather
*Recently serviced with new tires
*Offered with Lotus Certificate of Vehicle Provenance, CARFAX and history file

THE LOTUS ESPRIT

The Lotus Esprit became an instant star when James Bond and 'Q' chose it for the 007 film 'The Spy Who Loved Me', and the ultimate product placement came with its ability to transform into a submarine; looking even more svelte in the water. The Esprit design was unmistakably from the pen of Giorgetto Giugiaro, having come about following a chance encounter between Giugiaro and Lotus boss Colin Chapman. The Esprit featured all-independent suspension and Lotus's own 16-valve, four-cylinder engine placed transversely mid-ship, and mated to a five-speed transaxle. Disc brakes were fitted to all four wheels, the rears being mounted inboard.

The Esprit metamorphosed through several series, its first revision being when it gained a 2.2-litre engine and then turbo-charged induction. Introduced in 1980, the Garrett-blown Turbo Esprit produced 210bhp and was good for a top speed of 148mph, with 60mph attainable in just 6.1 seconds. A Bond-car just like the first series Esprit, the Turbo Esprit starred in 'For Your Eyes Only' as 007's four-wheeled weapon for both chasing criminals in Spain, or with skis strapped to the back for a skiing trip to Italy's posh Cortina ski resort. Hand built in limited numbers; the Esprit remains one of the most iconic and popular thoroughbred sports cars ever produced.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

Offered here is an incredibly well preserved, low mileage example of the desirable Turbocharged Esprit. Completed at Lotus Cars Ltd in August of 1983, this superb example was finished just as it appears today, in silver metallic with red decals over a red full-leather interior, optioned with air conditioning and equipped for the US market. According to the Lotus-issued Certificate of Vehicle Provenance, this Turbo Esprit was the 82nd of the 150 cars produced, of which 7 were finished in silver metallic, but is in-fact the sole example completed with red interior.

The new Esprit arrived in the US later that year, where it was soon after registered with the first owner. The CARFAX report states the Esprit residing in Washington State in the mid-1990s, before migrating to California in 2001, where it has remained until now. With just over 19,000 original miles recorded in 2001, the silver Turbo Esprit found a long-term owner in the San Diego area with a Mr. Anthony Gilmore. Service records indicate that Lotus service center Symbolic Motor Cars replaced the timing belt and serviced the car in June of 2002 with just over 20,000 miles on the odometer. Multiple logs on the CARFAX reports the Esprit's low mileage up through he 2000s, and service records from San Diego based Viking Motorsports can be found in the history file. Mr. Glimore would keep the car until 2013, where it passed through another San Diegan enthusiast, before being purchased by the consignor in 2014. The low-mile Lotus has since been used on weekend trips between San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as on Sunday drives through Napa Valley, and was recently serviced with four new tires.

It is evident upon close inspection that this Turbo Esprit has been cared for since new. With an odometer reading of just over 32,000 miles, and a cosmetic condition to match it, few 30-plus year old cars present as well as this one. The silver paint is believed to be the original applied by Lotus from new, and the same goes for the interior. The cars original spare wheel is still present, and factory applied decals and tags are present throughout. Furthermore, the Lotus-issued Certificate of Vehicle Provenance confirms that the car retains its original, matching numbers engine. A very good example of a Roger Moore favorite, this highly original Esprit is ready for the next caretaker.

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In film and on television

Saleroom notices