1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350
Taking the V8 GT futher, the Sport 350 was one of the most exclusive Esprits made. It featured the standard-spec V8 with blue-painted intake manifolds. What set the 350 Sport apart from the VT GT was a number brake, suspension and chassis improvements.
Externally, a large carbon-fibre rear wing was attached. This wing was highly similar to the wing used on the X190R racecar. Indeed the Sport 350 had one of the most prominent wings to adorn a road car.
Lowering the kerb weight was a primary design focus for Sport 350. For this goal, special magnesium wheels were employed. At the time of manufacture, these were the lightest wheels availble on the market. Also reducing the weight, was a lightweight bodyshell. In total, the engineers managed to shed 80 kgs off the standard V8 GT.
Apart from the weight reduction, the other major change to Sport 350 was its braking system. Exclusive to the car are 320mm discs with blue-painted AP Racing Calipers. When Lotus engineers designed this car, they wanted it to be the fastest stopping Esprit. And it was. The car could go from 60 to 0 mph in just 3.2 seconds.
While exclusivity was offered with the Sport 350, it is ashame Lotus never tuned the engine beyond its standard specification. This is strange given the fact that every other aspect of the car was up-rated for track use. It was one of the closest cars to emulate the track experience on the road.
In total, only 50 Sport 350s were made, all having a huge 350 decal along the side of the car.
In Detail
submitted by | Richard Owen |
price $ | $£64 950 |
engine | V8 |
position | Mid Longitudinal |
aspiration | Twin Garrett T25 Turbochargers |
valvetrain | DOHC, 4 Valves per Cyl |
displacement | 3500 cc / 213.6 in³ |
bore | 81 mm / 3.19 in |
stroke | 83 mm / 3.27 in |
compression | 8.0:1 |
power | 260.3 kw / 349 bhp @ 6500 rpm |
specific output | 99.71 bhp per litre |
bhp/weight | 280.32 bhp per tonne |
torque | 399.97 nm / 295.0 ft lbs @ 4250 rpm |
driven wheels | RWD |
front tires | 235/40 ZR 17 |
rear tires | 295/35 ZR 18 |
front brakes | Vented Discs |
f brake size | x 320 mm / x 12.6 in |
rear brakes | Brembro Double Wishbones w/Coil over Dampers, Anti-Roll Bar |
r brake size | x 320 mm / x 12.6 in |
front wheels | F Brembro Double Wishbones w/Coil over Dampers, Anti-Roll Bar x 21.6 cm / 17 x 8.5 in |
rear wheels | R 45.7 x 21.6 cm / 18.0 x 8.5 in |
steering | Rack & Pinion |
f suspension | Double Wishbones w/Eibach Coil over Dampers, Anti-Roll Bar |
r suspension | Double Wishbones w/Eibach Coil over Dampers, Anti-Roll Bar |
curb weight | 1245 kg / 2745 lbs |
wheelbase | 2420 mm / 95.3 in |
front track | 1520 mm / 59.8 in |
rear track | 1520 mm / 59.8 in |
length | 4417 mm / 173.9 in |
width | 1981 mm / 78.0 in |
height | 1150 mm / 45.3 in |
transmission | Renault 5-Speed Manual |
gear ratios | 3.36:1, 2.05:1, 1.38:1, 1.09:1, 0.76:1, :1 |
final drive | 3.89:1 |
top speed | ~281.6 kph / 175.0 mph |
0 – 60 mph | ~4.7 seconds |