Design Analysis: Encor Series 1

When the late engineer Tony Rudd recalled his time at Lotus for a Channel 4 documentary, he summed up Colin Chapman's design approach with two simple words: “Elegant simplicity was the keynote... It's got to be elegant and it's got to be simple.” Many Lotus creations can be described in this way: the Seven, the original Elite, both Elans, and a host of successful Grand Prix cars. 

But for many enthusiasts, the Lotus that embodies these words more than any other would be the S1 Esprit. First presented at the 1975 Paris Motor Show, the S1 was a near-perfect marriage of Giugiaro's folded-paper aesthetic and Chapman's engineering philosophy. A crisp, clean fibreglass form mounted on a steel backbone chassis. 

Beautifully conceived, both in terms of form and function. Fifty years later, Encor Design has unveiled their “remastering” of the S1 – a celebration of an icon that seeks to enhance the original, while at the same time preserving its incomparable legacy.

It is a “rolling sketch” of the revered classic

“The S1 Esprit was forward-thinking, pure and utterly uncompromised,” says Daniel Durrant, Encor’s design director and former lead designer of the Lotus Emira. “To touch a shape like this is a huge responsibility. Every line we’ve refined, every decision we’ve made, is about honouring the original’s intent while letting the car perform, feel and function the way its silhouette always promised.” 

A quick scan of the Encor's exterior lines confirms Durrant's mission statement. This is 101-proof Esprit. As a designer might say, it is a “rolling sketch” of the revered classic. But where the original had to make do with the engineering realities of the 1970s, Encor employs modern technology to further realise the S1's vision. 

For example, eagle-eyed Lotus experts will immediately note the absence of a thin black moulding running along the middle of the body and just above the wheel arches. This was a necessity on early Esprits, as it hid the gap between two fibreglass panels. Encor dispenses with this ungainly feature, thanks to its state-of-the-art, uninterrupted carbon-fibre shell. 

The 70s version, like many exotics of the day, sourced lamps from other cars as a cost-saving measure. Not so with Encor; their rear fascia is adorned with four crisp LEDs side-to-side that reinforce the body's low and ultra-wide proportions. A clean face remains true to the original with a set of beautifully-executed pop-up headlamps. 

The Encor Series 1 is a delightful blend of modern accouterments and unbridled nostalgia

And while the Lotus marque has long been associated with visionary approaches to design and engineering, fit and finish has not always been a strong suit. Here again, Encor seeks to enhance the S1. Their media kit showcases excellent gaps all around, forecasting a level of quality which should rival that of any premium sports car being built today.

The most conspicuous area where the Encor Series 1 departs from the original is in its wheel size. This is hardly surprising; even the most faithful restomod must acknowledge advancements in road-holding and a modern day customer's expectations. Thankfully, the integration of these key elements is handled with the utmost care. 

Their inclusion, per Durrant's mission statement, is clearly intended to let the car perform, feel and function the way its appearance promises. The forged and billet-machined rims fill out the wheel arches and widen the track as much as possible. The “rolling sketch” effect is clearly strengthened by this enhancement.

Inside, the Encor Series 1 is a delightful blend of modern accouterments and unbridled nostalgia. Who could forget the early Esprit's red-on-green plaid trim? Love it or hate it, this was a colour and materials choice that made a bold, uncompromising statement, definitely in step with the exterior. Encor pays homage to this trim with an equally bold, but perhaps less polarising black-and-blue tartan. 

The seats themselves are the genuine article, re-foamed and re-trimmed, while preserving the original ergonomics. Carbon-fibre construction is present throughout the cabin, reminding us that this is a present-day super-car environment. Added to this are the digital center stack and floating cluster, which are surprisingly minimal in their execution. 

"This car is analogue at heart," says Encor co-founder Simon Lane. "We wanted to avoid the modern tendency toward gadgetry, therefore the technology exists to enhance the experience, not to dominate it.” The steering wheel is pure Esprit; the semi-rectangular hub echoing the shape of the cluster. A polished wood shift knob offers an organic contrast to the composites. Tasteful French seams on the bolsters, doors and instrument panel are the icing on the cake.

As you might expect, this remastered S1 will not be a cheap or high-volume commodity. Encor intends a limited run of fifty individually commissioned cars, numerically matching the original's 50th anniversary. Each car will be produced using the backbone of a Lotus Esprit V8, retained on purpose for continuity of identity and registration. 

After the chassis is stripped, blast-cleaned and refinished, it is mated to a reconstructed, updated powertrain – boasting, among other features, upgraded injectors, remanufactured turbochargers, and a new electronic throttle body with modern-day fuel and cooling systems. 

Pricing will start at £430,000. This does not account for taxes, options, or the donor Esprit V8. So, most enthusiasts will have to be content with appreciating this gem from afar. Even so, they will be heartened by the fact that a timeless classic is getting a much-deserved return to the limelight. To borrow a popular, if overused phrase, this is the S1 Esprit living its best life. Colin Chapman's elegant simplicity lives on, quite possibly in its purest incarnation.