The following is the letter signed by Oliver Winterbottom in the X180R Supplement provided with each of the twenty Esprit X180R produced.
The road legal Federal Esprit Race Replica has been built to celebrate the highly successful season of racing in the SCCA Escort World Challenge in the USA.
Lotus Engineering started to build the first of two cars on 14th March 1990 which raced only 8 weeks later at Sears Point, California. Drivers, Doc Bundy and Scott Lagasse started from Sth on grid and after 3 hours of racing against works’ supported Corvettes, Mazdas, Nissans and Porsches, the Lotus won.
The second car was shipped to the USA on 15th May giving us two entries with which to combat up to nine Chevrolet Corvettes for the Manufacturers title. The series of 8 races were run on a diverse variety of tracks and included the challenging 24-hour race at Mosport Park near Toronto. This event was the only other one in which only one Lotus ran - in order to allow our support crews a chance of survival. Mosport showed again the reliability of the Esprit by completing 2028 miles of racing - including 3 off course incidents - in 6th place and fit for another 24 hours. Although the sheer weight of numbers of the Chevrolet Corvette teams allowed them first place in the Manufacturers’ Championship, the Lotus Esprit was placed second, ahead of Porsche, Mazda and Nissan. Lotus also achieved second place with Doc Bundy in the Drivers’ Championship, second for the Team prize and received the Jim Cook memorial Award for “Sportsmanship and contribution to the success of the series”.
In 8 races, Lotus achieved 4 victories, including 2 first and seconds, 6 pole positions, 6 fastest laps and 7 race lead positions. The total race mileage of 2,900 miles was covered with 100% reliability.
The Replica has had to be compromised to meet road legality where racing requirements would be unacceptable, Pi. but nevertheless, it sets completely new standards of driver reward for roadholding, handling and balance, braking and sheer performance - all in a practical, comfortable motor car.
Oliver C Winterbottom Chief Engineer