Salon Privé will assemble six Lotus Essex Esprit Turbos at Blenheim Palace in September, in what organisers believe will be the largest gathering of the model yet held. The cars will be displayed on the South Lawn on Saturday September 5, 2026 as part of the Salon Privé Club Trophy presented by Lockton. The group is expected to represent at least six of the 26 Essex Esprits thought to survive.
Lotus produced the model during 1980 and 1981 following its Formula 1 sponsorship arrangement with the Essex Overseas Petroleum Corporation. Although an initial run of 100 cars was planned, only 34 were completed, comprising 23 right-hand-drive examples and 11 left-hand-drive cars. The Essex specification combined a 2.2-litre turbocharged engine producing a quoted 210bhp with blue paintwork, red detailing and chrome graphics derived from the Essex corporate identity.
Individual cars continue to appear at Lotus events and concours meetings, but multiple-car displays have remained uncommon. According to enthusiasts involved in the project, the largest previous gathering may have comprised three cars at a Lotus club event during the early 2000s. The Blenheim Palace display is being organised with Essex Esprit owners Barrie Cornes and Stephen Tryner, who have worked with Salon Privé to locate surviving cars and contact their owners.
Cornes said the limited survival rate had made opportunities to bring several examples together increasingly unusual. “The Essex Esprit represents a fascinating chapter in Lotus history and remains one of the most recognisable cars the company has produced,” he explained. “Because so few of the cars survive, opportunities to see multiple examples together are incredibly rare.”
The six Esprit Turbos will also be joined by the only Lotus Essex Elite produced. The Elite adopted a related colour scheme but did not form part of the limited Esprit production run.
The Lotus gathering will form part of Salon Privé’s five-day programme at Blenheim Palace, which begins on Wednesday September 2. The opening Salon Privé Concours by Aviva Private Clients will feature privately owned cars entered across 13 judged classes. Other scheduled elements include Ladies’ Day by Boodles, the Club Trophy presented by Lockton, Supercar Sunday and Lifestyle Club Day.
Further information on Salon Privé 2026 is available here.
