With its sharp geometric form and unmistakable “folded paper” styling, the Lotus Esprit emerged from the pen of prolific Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and quickly established itself as one of the most distinctive sports cars of its era. For 1988, however, Lotus entrusted its celebrated flagship to Peter Stevens—later responsible for the styling of the McLaren F1—who reworked Giugiaro’s razor-edged original into a smoother, more contemporary interpretation of the wedge profile while retaining the low-slung proportions and dramatic presence that had made the model an icon.

Constructed using the company’s patented Vacuum Assisted Resin Injection, or VARI process, the revised bodywork also reflected Lotus’s engineering priorities as it incorporated Kevlar reinforcement in the roof and sides for enhanced rollover protection and a claimed 22% increase in torsional rigidity.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Colin Chapman’s first Lotus design, the company produced a limited run of just 88 Esprit Turbo Commemorative Editions for the 1988 model year. Each was finished in Pearlescent White and appointed with an especially lavish tri-tone Connolly leather interior, complemented by blue carpeting and burl-wood trim. Beneath its distinctive commemorative details, the special edition retained the Esprit’s turbocharged 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transaxle, while exterior appointments included a rear wing, body-color Lotus Design wheels, tunnel-back rear treatment, and ducted side skirts.

Offered here is Commemorative Edition No. 68, an extraordinary survivor displaying just 181 miles at cataloguing and offering the truly unique opportunity to acquire a virtually delivery-mile Esprit. With its factory window sticker still affixed to the windshield, this example was originally delivered to Robert’s Lotus of Meriden, Connecticut, where it is said to have remained until 2022 before passing into the hands of a series of passionate enthusiasts.

With just 181 miles since new, a dealership-retained history, and its original window sticker still in place, this exceptional Esprit is a remarkable time capsule that embodies the technological creativity and visual theater of both Lotus and the era in which it was created.