You forgot to demonstrate the submarine function.

Very few reviewers can convey the excitement and adrenalin rush of driving a true sports car. Harry is one of those few.

He's absolutely correct. I owned a 1985 Turbo Esprit several years ago and the car is so much more than what people realize. He didn't really even get on his in this video but when you get the Esprit out on the open road and take it up over 100mph that's where you really start to understand and appreciate the absolute brilliance that went into the engineering behind this car. There are things about owning and driving a Lotus Esprit that you simply don't get with any other car. Until you have actually driven one out on the open road at speed, you just can't appreciate all that this car really brought to the table. It was just way, WAY ahead of it's time in so many different ways. Lotus did so many things right - things that many other car makers to this day still don't even understand.

As a 70's child, I have always loved the look of the esprit... Spy who loved me Lotus chase on ITV4 as I type:)

Someone credible finally singing the Esprit's praises 👌🏼

Lovely car. Colin Chapman was very crafty in how he got the Esprit into the bond film. He parked one outside of EON's offices in London.

Jay for President...Harry for Prime Minister. The world will be better off. That's a beautiful car.

Owned an 87 HCi for two years. Beautiful car, but holy smokes, the care and feeding was unreal.

Stunning car, my favourite was the red one with the ski’s on the back!

Without a doubt the best car reviewer/car lover/car collector on the web. Harry, we love your reviews... please keep the vids coming!

My original 'dream' car. 1977 and all I wanted in life was a lightsaber or an Esprit that could turn into a submarine. As a 7yr old, I never thought it was asking that much. As you grow with this car and realise all its formations, I still come back to the HC model. I prefer the design and I like the heritage. The original Chapman concept. A genius engineer, a genius racing car designer, a genius accountant ;o) This car was always my first love...

Yearned after one of these since they appeared in 1980/81. Read all the road tests, had a go in one when I worked in London in the late 80's. They have always been just outside my financial limits. Came close once. Owned an Excel for a year, but never quite managed to get one. Had a few TVR's since 2004 but this is and will always be my dream car... Great vid Harry. Thank You. Will be watching & dreaming very regularly, alongside the Countach vids. Man after my own heart.........

Fabulous video and fabulous car - as a 13 year old lad in Norfolk in 1980 I remember cycling up to the Hethel test track with my pal (who's father worked at Lotus) and watching these being thrashed around during testing....I thought these cars were beautiful (and still do!) - thanks for sharing in your usual brilliant way.....

I have owned three Esprits during the years when you could buy them new, I loved every one of them. Thanks for bringing back the memory’s of those happy days Harry.

You cant call yourself a english carcollector if you dont have a esprit . Great video as always Harry . One of the best car Channels on youtube imo

Catching up with older videos and this one is fabulous. It represents why many of us love cars- the joy of driving they bring. Harry puts the car first, its history, the personalities, the likes and dislikes with all his experience, story telling, knowledge and passion, without trying to be a star or trying to impress that most other channels get caught up in. The feeling is Harry is telling you a story like you are good friends. This video reminds us of the genius of Colin Chapman, with lightness being the priority and great handling alongside it being the hallmarks of Lotus. It reminds us of the design genius of Guigiaro, that designs can be timeless. It reminds us cars are meant to be driven and other videos that long road trips are all about the journey. Cars are not museum exhibits, they are meant to be in motion. The cockpit, the driving position, how the steering feels, the sound of the engine. These all bring joy and for that I am very grateful.

What a wonderful video tribute to the model that was certainly the pinnacle of the Lotus Esprit model: the 1987 Lotus Esprit Turbo HCI. As the final year of the sharp-edged wedge design of Giugiaro, with the boldest of trim, such as the larger spoiler, deeper air-dam, and aggressive side skirts, this is the most beautiful model year produced. It also has the most impressive performance. I have always felt that the Lotus Esprit design, culminating in the 1987 model, was one of the two most stunningly elegant cars, the other being the Lamborghini Countach of approximately that same model year of 1987-1988. However, the Lotus Esprit's design is less wild and a bit more understated while still retaining that captivatingly sporty wedge shape, but with more subdued lines and trim. On a practical note, the 1987 Lotus is more obtainable as well, as a good example can be purchased currently for around $50K to $60K (curiously almost exactly its 1987-dollars sticker price) when one occasionally comes on the market... while a good 1987 to 1988 Countach is currently approaching a half-million dollars. Harry's discussion and praise of the Lotus Esprit is both informative and entertaining... probably the best Esprit test drive video I have seen. It's great to listen to someone who really understands the history behind Lotus, and appreciates the Esprit for all its eccentric and unique qualities. Nearly 35 years ago, when I was about 15, in the mid-1980's, one of my neighbors (though a stranger to me) saw me staring at his new Lotus Esprit he had recently purchased from "Larry Lotus & Buick" (what an odd combination for a dealer) of Fairfax County ,Virginia. To my delight, he took me for a brief ride in it... and I have wanted one ever since. Thank you for this inspiring video!

I own a 1983 Delorean and have always wanted her sister as well. It is amazing how closely they resemble each other. It makes sense however, being that they were developed and designed at the exact same time by the exact same people. Just wish the DMC got a better engine. Shame that DMC went under just before the turbo could be released in 1984. 0-60 under 5 seconds as opposed to the usual 9 seconds.

I was 24 when this was made, it was my dream car and still is!

This is the best technical/ #petrolhead reviewer of all time.... Thank you Harry !!! #harrysgarage

That bike was moving.

In terms of look, i definitely prefer this than the 90s and early 2000 Esprit.. may be because it carries the Bond flair along with it

Had to watch this episode one more time! Just so wonderful seeing Harry rolling along and so amazingy describing it all😊👌 Now I want to take my own Esprit Turbo SE for a similar trip! Thank you Harry🤝

That is such a beautiful car, congratulations Mr. Bond!!! Cheers again from México.

Not normally a fan of white cars, but that color combo fits that Esprit perfectly!

Essence of Chapman is precisely why it handles so brilliantly. Everything he touched had that light weight and brilliantly sorted suspension. It will break down. Great video.

These 1980s esprit turbos for me are the most beautiful sports cars ever designed. They look like a sports care should and far more aggressive than the later 90s models. If ever I am rich enough this is without a doubt the car I would buy. Superb looking machine. Very masculine looks. Far better looking esprit than the later more curvy models. Love this car.

Thanks for making these videos Harry. I'm thrilled that you are still a very active member of the autojourno community. It would be far too easy for you drive around without a camera but you choose to bring us along for the ride

Beautiful car Harry I've always loved the look of this car, never ever thought I'd see one in the flesh so to speak as I live on a council estate but one day it happened and it was like a miracle to me,lol ,Colin Chapman certainly new what he was doing 🇬🇧👍

I test drove the Essex Turbo version back in 84/85. That was so fast down a country road. Thanks for the throwback memories Harry.

Colin Chapman is an automotive legend. Sorely missed.

Lucky man! What a lovely car! Lotus Esprit is, along with Aston Martin, my favourite car! And what a nice Bond movie prop it is(1977, 1981)!!!

I can here the joy in your voice when you describe and test your cars. That's why i don't miss any of your video's. And again, you don't need +500hp cars to enjoy the ride. That's why i love the new Alpine A110 so much. It's a bit similar to the Esprit's spirit/concept.

Thank you from Canada! Love your work!

Thanks for showcasing one of my favorite cars. Congratulations on your new ride! Look forward to the next one. Cheers, Harry.

Thank you, Harry! I'm living vicariously through you as an auto enthusiast!

19:54 that motor bike flying past😂 great vid Harry thanks 👍🏻

Happy to see a new video pop up today...thanks, Harry. The Esprit is still so exotic, sounds and looks great. Love these '80's sports cars that are light, have manual steering, etc. Same as the 911's at that time. It is so refreshing to see a car review without half of it being about the electronic systems, infotainment,non-essential luxuries, etc.

Awesome channel for guys who never stopped appreciating the classics! Good work Harry! Wooohoooo!

Love every video Mr. Harry. Hope you keep sharing with us for many years to come!

The best 27 mins 16s of 2018 thank you Harry :-). I'm like you being a very lucky owner of an Esprit HC Turbo.

Amazing and beautiful car, from the best auto youtuber, thank you Harry. ps love the drone shots

Awesome review Harry, I love your passion for the cars that you add to your collection and get just as much enjoyment out of old and new.

So glad you're back, Harry!! Sweet car, too! Love the sound of that engine.

This is my favourite body shape for the Espirit, timeless, sheer beauty, would love to see it back in production with modern mechanicals. Would love to see a full battery version with a turbine running on vegetable oil to top up battery, no range anxiety.

Guess who got a drone for Christmas!? Love it!

I aways wondered what happened to the 1980's yuppies, great to see this one is still living the dream.

Great video Harry. Really lovely to see you enjoying and uncovering this cars magic. Again such a well delivered piece of informative film. Really got a sense of the car too. Thank you for taking the time to share this rare beast.

That is the perfect spec. Another great buy Harry

Great video Harry, you do pick some great cars and I have to say feel exactly the same on why you picked this. Keep up the videos please, there great.

I absolutely love these videos..the history, the drive, the details, I can almost smell the fuel..fantastic video thank you Harry

Cool car Harry love the colour combination, hearing that turbo & waste gate bought a smile to my face. I've really started to like some of these old Lotus's especially the Elite, so very 70's.

@Harry: if I'm not mistaken you've got a bit of sunroof panel rattle there! Easily remedied by dipping the sunroof tongues in wax, filling the slots in the roof with Sikaflex or similar, and then replacing the roof and letting the sikaflex cure. Result will be a dead silent glass roof! Promise! /'91 Turbo SE owner.

Truly interesting car & great video!

After all these years, Esprit is still my most favorite car. Thank you for bringing this video to us. Really enjoy it a lot.

A new Harry's Garage video always makes my day!

Love the review of a car I've loved since I first saw it in For Your Eyes Only!

Great buy what a beautiful car

Just discovered Harry's Garage--and Harry's Farm too! You are a man of amazingly broad interest--and broad knowledge. Thank you, Harry, for sharing your knowledge in such an interesting manner. Great work!

Wow. Thanks Harry for bringing back some of my childhood dreams. I loved this car more than anything at the time. Enjoy the hell out of that.

Harry, why do you do this to me? I really should be studying now...

As the owner of a Ferrari 328 and a White over Red Turbo Esprit I agree with every word including the comments about how vastly superior the Esprit chassis is. Although I personally love the outrageous ruched red leather of my early Turbo over the flat leather :)

God I love the Esprit. Things like this stick with you from childhood. I had a poster of a silver one on my wall when I was in elementary school, got it from a book fair I think. Even though I knew nothing about the car I loved the way it looked and ever since then it's been one of my dream cars. I've slowly come to the realization that I'd never be able to afford to own one (forget the purchase price, the maintenance costs would be way beyond my means), but in a perfect world I'd have a silver 1990-1992 turbo 4 model sitting in my driveway right now. Like the one Richard Gere drove in Pretty Woman.

Excellent presentation and driving experience Harry. You continue to motivate my inspiration/aspiration with sportscars!

Fantastic Video Harry! I nearly bought one about 20 years ago but got a TVR 350i instead. Always like the look of the Lotus but it didn't have the noise of the V8 in TVR. Now though hearing the chatter of the wastegate on the Lotus, I may have made a mistake!

Love your collection, soo many special things in it. I feel like you need a classic bmw!

I always stop what I’m doing and watch when I see you’ve uploaded a vid. It’s such a refreshing break from the ‘exhaust mod & ecu remap’ world we live in nowadays.(As into it as I am) 😊You’re collection is class and so are your vids. Good work sir. 👍🏻

This and the Countach are my dream cars...amazing to see one running in this condition. Great video!

Brilliant!!

Lol at the motorcycle @19:53

One of my all time favourite cars... I too fell in love with it after seeing it in For Your Eyes Only, and still have some of the magazines (Fast Lane etc) with the original reviews. Great to see it's aged so well. Great video, cheers Harry

To me this one sexy car of all time ! Have many great memory with the Esprit in my youth days, never have any problem with it, the best handling for sure. Every young man should own and experience a Lotus one in his life time! Great video thanks for upload this

meech, i drove one of those, i had Amiga 500 :)

A couple of things...... ‘ruffled leather’....... and of course Roger Moore! 👍🤠😍🚗

Its been too long Harry.Your vids are so informative and a pleasure to watch

Outstanding as always, this coverage really gives me a new found respect for the earlier cars.

Last time Lotus cared about looks. Still best Bond car (!)

Thumbs down as you didn't drive into the sea :)

Great job Harry. Loving the new production style. Thanks.

One of the best vids you've done so far I think. What a car. Even sounds great too.

Does it turn into a submarine? :D

12:40 You said it was wastegate chatter but that's actually compressor surge/turbo flutter caused by having no bypass valve between the turbo and intake manifold.

You are so consistent Harry, but fear not for we will not become complacent about your efforts and I for one am thankful for creators like you. Please continue :)

What an absolutely superb review and road test, carried out by a knowledgeable, capable and enthusiastic driver/presenter. Few cars look good in white, whereas the Esprit looks outstanding! Thank you for producing this truly excellent video.

What a wonderful timeless shape. And that engine cover removal. Why couldn't Porsche do that with my Cayman S? I have 5 torque heads to undo....or is it 6? lol

I thought it wasn't gonna start wen I heard that crank

Three cheers for the great Colin Chapman and for Harry’s Garage!

One of Harry’s best videos, his passion for the Esprit comes through all the way and he looks like he’s part of the car.

Are you sure about Colin being a smoker? I had been told that despite his association with John Player, he detested the habit?

Lol, that interior just screams love-shack.

What a treat it is to come home to a new 'harry's garage vid! As interesting and enjoyable as always..stll hoping for that 512bb review,but hey,its something to look forward to! Absolutely love your work Harry,and have done since evo/octane days! Keep it up!

I really enjoyed this review. But if I'm being honest, I've thoroughly enjoyed every single one of your reviews that I've watched so far, and I've watched a lot of them Your genuine enthusiasm for cars is quite evident and it just makes me want to keep checking back in to see what you'll be sharing with us all next. It's not hard to imagine someone having such a great time driving supercars. However, I think it's when you review those cars that are a bit more common that you really manage to suck me into the experience. Regardless of what car you happen to be sharing with us, I love the wealth of details that you present in the process. Thank You!

Love your work Harry but not the esprit, sorry. Had one and I wouldn’t leave my garage without a box of tools and a fire extinguisher and never at night. It’s a beautiful wedge though.

Always loved the Espirit. Very unique and I'm in love with those 80,s boxy interiors. Something special about a tuned and boosted 4 cylinder sound as well.

Loved this, and your other viedos, Harry. Great job! Keep 'em coming...

“The leather looked knackered the day it was delivered” I absolutely cracked up when you said that. More humour please. Caught me off guard. Great review.

Got to love how much Harry enjoys his cars, such a pleasure to see 😊

The Esprit was and is my dream car so I loved watching the video. I had to smile when you stopped to take the roof off, I thought the passer by would stop to see if you had broken down and required assistance 😂😂 Keep them coming Harry, I can't afford these cars so I get lots of pleasure from your videos 👍

Great video as always, appreciate that video length and the load of information. A great car!

Use to have one of these back in 87. Loads of Lotus characteristic foibles, (park it facing downhill in a heavy rainstorm and watch the ran be funnelled in to the engine bay !!), but loved it to bits. Only sold it to buy first house. Stunning car. Thanks for another great review Harry. Brought back loads of happy memories !