Krb’s Wild Lotus Esprit Rebuild

Across much of the world, the long winter is creeping closer and closer. Days are getting are shorter and colder, and many have retreated to their garages and workshops to prepare vehicles for next season. Nowhere is this truer than in Northern Europe. One exciting build that we’ve recently caught wind of is from KRB Trading in Norway. Kai Bakken and KRB are most known for their Group B style Audi Quattro that terrorizes Gatebil events, but this build is shaping up to be equally amazing.

In a way this isn’t really a new build, but a resurrection. The car is a 1984 Lotus Esprit body mounted over a tube frame chassis that uses parts from an 1982 Tiga Group C car. As we’ve heard, this is car that brings back a lot of memories to Norwegian car enthusiasts.

The veteran chassis as already fitted with a number of high end race goodies, 380mm Brembo brakes, double A-arms, Ohlins coilovers, a Hewland transaxle, and more.

The transaxle will be mated to a destroked steel-lined Audi V8 with a pair of Comp Turbo CT4 turbochargers and a direct fire setup.  Kai tells us the setup should be good for 800 horsepower and 800nm of torque when it’s done.

The centerlocking race wheels on the Esprit measure 18×11 in the front and 18×13 in the rear, with Michelin race tires all around.

Kai says the car still has a long way to go, but he’s hoping to have it all cleaned up and ready to go come next spring.

We’ll certainly keep an eye on the progress and are anxiously awaiting its first appearance at Gatebil in 2013!

-Mike

KRB Trading

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1

Lotus Esprits seem to be overlooked too often. I'm looking forward to see how this turns out!

2

Lotus Esprits seem to be overlooked too often. I'm looking forward to see how this turns out!

3

I was hoping it would be a real esprit they were engineering, the creativity needed to adapt a real chassis in comparison to a developed tube frame is far greater and offers a nicer end product in my opinion... Still could be an awesome build though!

4

I was hoping it would be a real esprit they were engineering, the creativity needed to adapt a real chassis in comparison to a developed tube frame is far greater and offers a nicer end product in my opinion... Still could be an awesome build though!

5

I was hoping it would be a real esprit they were engineering, the creativity needed to adapt a real chassis in comparison to a developed tube frame is far greater and offers a nicer end product in my opinion... Still could be an awesome build though!

6

I was hoping it would be a real esprit they were engineering, the creativity needed to adapt a real chassis in comparison to a developed tube frame is far greater and offers a nicer end product in my opinion... Still could be an awesome build though!

7

Holy God...  Soooo much better than that air bagged Esprit...
 
and I agree with Alwyns.

8

Holy God...  Soooo much better than that air bagged Esprit...
 
and I agree with Alwyns.

9

reminds me of the pikes peak nsx from love fab

10

Reminds me a little of late model dirt racers, with the wheels in all.... and body shape..

11

That thing is a beast. Love it!

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