Lotus Esprit

How much does a Lotus Esprit cost?

A 1978 Lotus Esprit cost $16,500 new. Across every sale we have on file, 5 have sold publicly at a median of $18,000. The Shifty Estimate for a well-kept example is $30,300. Cars have changed hands anywhere from $22,725 to $37,875, depending on mileage, color, and history.

What is a 1978 Lotus Esprit worth today?

The Shifty Estimate is $30,300. That sits above the $18,000 median of actual sales because the median counts every car that sold, including high-mileage examples, while the estimate describes a clean, low-mileage one bought today. We rate confidence low: 5 public sales in a year is not enough to be firm, and the honest range is wide. Treat it as a starting point, not a valuation.

Is a Lotus Esprit a good investment?

It has appreciated 84% against its $16,500 list price. Only 1,050 were built. The caution is spread, not direction: across the sales we have on file, prices ran from $10,000 to $43,000, and mileage explains most of that.

How many Lotus Esprit have sold?

Shifty has 5 public sales of the Lotus Esprit on file. The earliest was on May 31, 2018.

What is the most expensive Lotus Esprit sold?

The highest public sale on file is $43,000, on Sep 9, 2021, with 55,000 mi.

What has a Lotus Esprit sold for at auction?

The 3 most recent public sales we have on file:

• $30,250Sep 1, 2026Black with gold graphics (John Player Special-style livery) · 15,000 mi
• $18,000Aug 27, 2025Gray · 15,000 mi
• $43,000Sep 9, 2021Black · 55,000 mi