1978 Lotus Esprit S1 Market Value & Price History
The 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 has a market value of $31,700, based on 5 verified auction sales tracked by DriveIndex, with all 4 verified USD sales between $23,000 and $33,000. No sale since Dec 4, 2023, so this value may not reflect today's market.
Data: DriveIndex. 5 verified auction sales for the 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 (4 in USD, the basis for every dollar figure here), latest sale Dec 4, 2023. Methodology
What members see for the 1978 Lotus Esprit S1
The value above is the headline. Members get the full picture behind it.
- All 5 sold prices, and where each one sold
- The live Value Signal, and how confident it is
- A 1–5 year value projection
- A Buy / Hold / Sell call
- An alert the moment one lists or sells
- The best and worst months to buy and sell
- An estimated market-bottom date
- Whether a for-sale ask is fair, the moment one lists
- Deal Radar: underpriced listings across the market
Not ready? A free account shows the current value and recent sale dates.
Pro unlocks this car's live Value Signal (appreciating, stable, bottomed, approaching bottom or depreciating) and its 1–5 year projection. Collector adds the best months to buy and sell.
See the Esprit S1's Value Signal with Pro →Recent 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 Auction Results
| Sold | Price | Mileage | Gearbox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 4, 2023 | $31,500 | 38,000 mi | Manual |
| Dec 14, 2021 | $33,000 | 69,000 mi | Manual |
| Jul 25, 2020 | 30,375 GBP | — | — |
| Sep 11, 2017 | $26,250 | 14,807 mi | Manual |
| Jan 12, 2017 | $23,000 | 23,531 mi | Manual |
Verified results from the world's leading collector-car auction houses and marketplaces.
All Lotus Esprit S1 auction results →See the full picture on the 1978 Lotus Esprit S1
Browsing is free. Upgrade to unlock the Value Signal™, projections, and the tools collectors use to buy and sell at the right time.
- Full Value Signal™ + confidence: appreciating, stable, or depreciating
- 1–5 year price projections
- Buy / Hold / Sell call per car
- Complete sales & listings feed + up to 10 yrs of history
- Analyst notes & compare up to 4 cars
- Price & custom alerts (make, color, options)
- Portfolio tracker (garage) + analytics
- Everything in Pro, plus:
- Portfolio Outlook (a hold/sell call for every car you own)
- Watchlist Intelligence (act-now calls on the cars you follow)
- Head-to-Head Verdict (compare cars, the data crowns the buy)
- Market Deal Radar (every live ask under market value, catalog-wide)
- Best & worst months to buy and sell
- What each option adds to the price + separate manual vs automatic values
- Listing analyzer with fair-value deal scores
- Rad’s Market Update (his picks & price targets)
Lotus Esprit S1 by Year
1978 Lotus Esprit S1: Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 worth?
A 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 is worth approximately $31,700, based on 5 verified auction sales tracked by DriveIndex. No sale since Dec 4, 2023, so this value may not reflect today's market. All 4 verified USD sales fall between $23,000 and $33,000. Condition, mileage and options move an individual car within that band.
How much did a 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 cost new?
The 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 carried an original MSRP of $16,395. Its DriveIndex market value is $31,700. No sale since Dec 4, 2023, so this value may not reflect today's market.
How much has the 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 depreciated?
It hasn't depreciated. The 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 is worth about 93% more than its original MSRP of $16,395, with a DriveIndex market value of $31,700. That compares the DriveIndex value with the sticker price, not adjusted for inflation. No sale since Dec 4, 2023, so this value may not reflect today's market.
How many 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 sell per year?
DriveIndex has tracked 5 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 sales at auction.
Are 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 sale prices higher or lower than a year ago?
There aren't yet enough recent sales to compute a reliable 12-month price direction for the 1978 Lotus Esprit S1. The full Value Signal classification (appreciating, stable, bottomed, or depreciating) and its 1–5 year projection are part of DriveIndex Pro.
Where can I buy a 1978 Lotus Esprit S1?
DriveIndex tracks for-sale listings and auction results for the 1978 Lotus Esprit S1 from the world's leading collector-car auction houses and marketplaces.
More Lotus Models
All Lotus models →Pro unlocks its live Value Signal, every sold price, a 1–5 year projection and an alert the moment one lists or sells. Collector adds the best months to buy and sell and where the market bottoms.
Get Pro →