£49,166 (Est: £50,000 - £60,000)
1978 Lotus Esprit S2 World Championship Commemorative JPS Edition - Factory Car #001
Iconic Auctioneers • UK • 23 Aug 2025
Market Position:
Mid-Market
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£49,166 (Est: £50,000 - £60,000)
1978 Lotus Esprit S2 World Championship Commemorative JPS Edition - Factory Car #001
UK • 23 Aug 2025
Vehicle Details
AI Listing Summary
This 1978 Lotus Esprit S2 is the first JPS edition produced, confirmed by Lotus Cars Ltd. It was displayed at the 1978 Earls Court Motor Show and has been restored after long-term ownership, with only 1,840 miles on the odometer since restoration.
Condition
7
The car has been restored and used sparingly since. The odometer was zeroed after the restoration. There is no explicit mention of dents, scratches, or paint damage, but slight wear is expected for a car of this age and history. Minor reconditioning may be needed.
/ 10
1,840 miles
78100491G
RHD
United Kingdom
Manual
MDG 228V
1978
Auction
£49,166 (Est: £50,000 - £60,000)
1978 Lotus Esprit S2 World Championship Commemorative JPS Edition - Factory Car #001
Iconic Auctioneers • UK • 23 Aug 2025
Market Position:
Mid-Market
Track live values and receive listing alerts
Description
Launched at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1978 and officially called the 'World Championship Commemorative Model', but colloquially known as the John Player Special, later shortened to JPS, it was the first and arguably the most memorable limited edition Esprit from Lotus.
They were all finished in a distinctive black and gold livery which echoed the look of the John Player Special-sponsored, championship-winning Lotus 79s of Mario Andretti and Ronnie Petersen.
Lotus planned to build 200 examples, but it's believed that just 185 were produced; 100 for the UK, 55 for the US and 30 for Europe.
The specification included gold-coloured side-stripes complete with World Championship lettering, gold-coloured front and rear windscreen surrounds and colour-coded alloy wheels.
The 1,973cc 16-valve DOHC engine delivered a feisty 160bhp which was sufficient to sprint the 1,980lbs fibreglass-bodied two-seater to 60mph in 6.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 124mph.
The short production run las...
Price Analysis vs Other Esprit S2 JPSs
£25,168
Lowest Price (Since 2020)
£54,000
Median Price (Since 2020)
£65,812
Highest Price (Since 2020)
World Record
If this vehicle sells at the mid-point of its estimate it will set a new world record for the [enter model]
Mid-Market
Compared to previous sales, the sale price placed this vehicle in the mid-market for the Esprit S2 JPS.
Lowest Price
If this vehicle sells at the mid-point of its estimate it will be the lowest price we've seen for the [enter model]
Average Price
Compared to historical records, the sale price placed this vehicle squarely in the mid-market for the Esprit S2 JPS.
Rare Sale
This vehicle comes to market rarely. In auction records we've only seen 9 sold before
Icon
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Previous Esprit S2 JPS Sales
MOT Information
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Latest MOT mileage:
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MOT History
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MOT Mileage Trend
Gallery
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