✦ Shifty Estimate
$80,900
- 12 months median
- $62K
- Sales, 12 months
- 10
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1988 Lotus Esprit
1988 to 2004 · Coupe
Price history
Recent sales
23 sales
2001 · Calypso Red · 26,000 mi · manual2026-09-03 · 1600veloce$77,000
2004 · Black (A02) · 18,000 mi2026-08-19 · gtzr1$94,000
20012026-08-13$68,200
2002 · New Lotus Yellow (B36) · 27,000 mi · manual2026-08-04 · BobDisney$77,000- 1999 · RED · automatic2026-06-27$55,000
2001 · Calypso Red · 10,000 mi · manual2026-06-25 · wheated$85,000
1995 · Black · 18,350 mi · manual2026-04-27 · DennisMcCarthy_rv87$30,750
1994 · Black · 42,000 mi · manual2026-03-01 · Justin-in-athens$30,500
1994 · White · 43,000 mi2024-09-21 · R_Sport$47,750
1995 · Black · 34,000 mi · manual2024-06-11 · S4Esprit$41,750
1995 · Blue · 4,600 mi · manual2024-06-03 · SWVintage$69,000.jpg?t=168669581889)
1994 · Norfolk Mustard · 32,600 mi · manual2023-06-23 · bigdutchman$26,000
1994 · Red · 90,000 mi · manual2022-11-28 · thingsthatfun$30,000
1994 · Mustard · 74,000 mi · manual2022-11-12 · manwing$28,500
1994 · White · 57,000 mi · manual2022-05-23 · gslawter$25,252
1988 · Blue · 87,000 mi · manual2020-10-20 · Arendtsa$20,500
1995 · Red · 47,000 mi · manual2020-09-18 · Espada75$25,250
1991 · White · 15,000 mi2020-04-23 · ParkPlaceLTD$58,500
1995 · Green · 31,000 mi · manual2020-02-10 · Wob$31,250
1995 · Yellow · 55,000 mi · manual2020-01-24 · motivated$27,649
2003 · Black · 26,147 mi · manual2018-12-11 · chasevdr$56,000
1991 · Red · 54,400 mi · manual2018-11-19 · cordreamer$15,250
1995 · Green · 54,000 mi · manual2018-11-09 · 95S4$32,500
Specifications
- Engine
- Inline-4 Turbo, 2.2L
- Power
- 215 hp
- Torque
- 220 lb-ft
- 0 to 60
- 6.1s
- Top speed
- 150 mph
- Transmission
- Manual
- Drivetrain
- RWD
- Designer
- Giorgetto Giugiaro
Common questions
How much does a Lotus Esprit cost?
Over the past 12 months, 10 have sold publicly at a median of $61,600. The Shifty Estimate for a well-kept example is $80,900. Cars have changed hands anywhere from $30,700 to $93,035, depending on mileage, color, and history.
What is a 1988 Lotus Esprit worth today?
The Shifty Estimate is $80,900. That sits above the $61,600 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 medium: 10 public sales in a year is a thin market, and the spread between them is wide.
What has a Lotus Esprit sold for at auction?
The 3 most recent public sales we have on file:
- $77,000Sep 3, 2026Calypso Red · 26,000 mi
- $94,000Aug 19, 2026Black (A02) · 18,000 mi
- $68,200Aug 13, 2026
The Lotus Esprit remains one of the most distinctive supercars ever built, with Giugiaro's razor-sharp wedge design aging remarkably well across its 28-year production run. Starting with the naturally aspirated 2.2-liter four-cylinder in 1988, the Esprit evolved through turbocharged variants that delivered genuine supercar performance. The later V8 models from 1996 packed Lotus's own 3.5-liter twin-turbo V8, producing 350hp and transforming the car into a legitimate Ferrari rival. With just over 10,000 total examples built, the Esprit offers exclusivity that modern supercars can't match. Early turbo cars are particularly sought after for their raw character, while V8 models represent the pinnacle of the line. Bond film appearances cemented its pop culture status, but it's the pure driving experience—lightweight construction, precise handling, and that unmistakable silhouette—that makes the Esprit increasingly collectible as analog supercars appreciate.