The following is a detailed list of all the changes and modifications that have been made to the Esprit range since 1988 when the Stevens Esprit was introduced.
NOTES
1. Prior to '98 M.Y., different serial number sequences are used for the
following variants:
S4 prior to '95 M.Y.: 0001 to 0010, then 1011 onwards
S4 '95 M.Y.: 2000 onwards
S4S USA. 3000 onwards
S4S non-USA: 4000 onwards
Sport 300: 8001 onwards
Esprit V8: 5009 onwards
2. For change point identification in this manual, only VIN characters 10 (model year) and 14 to 17, (serial number) will be listed. e.g.:
R 1242 ('94 model year S4, serial 1242)
R 8030 ('94 model year Sport 300, serial 8030)
ESPRIT MODEL HISTORY - '88 to Present
(Note: All N.A. & carburetor turbo models are non-catalyst. All fuel
injection cars and all USA models are catalyst equipped.)
'88 Model Year Introduction October '87
Esprit (N.A.); U.K. & Export 85 D 3000, 85 A/E/G/H/S 1000
Esprit Turbo; U.K. & Export 82 D 3000, 82 A/E/G/H/S 1000
Esprit Turbo (H.C.P.I.); USA F - 2000
As prior '88 M.Y. cars except:
USA Esprit Turbo 'Limited Edition': March '88
As '88 M.Y. USA cars except:
'89 Model Year: October '88
Esprit (N.A.); U.K. & Export 85 D 3374, 85 A/E/G/H/S 1087
Esprit Turbo: U.K. & Export 85 D 3374, 85 A/E/c/H/S 1087
Esprit Turbo (M.P.F.I.); USA F - 2500
As '88 M.Y. cars except:
40th Anniversary Commemorative Esprit Turbo (Except USA):
November '88
As '89 M.Y. cars except:
Esprit Turbo 'S.E.' (Chargecooler): 82/F – 5000 May '89
As '89 M.Y. cars except:
Commonisation of 'Eagle Chassis': May '89
N.A. RHD 85 D 3582
Turbo RHD 82 D 3587
N.A. & Turbo LHD 85/82 D 1152
USA spec. RHD 82/F - 2728
USA spec. LHD 82/F - 2749
As '89 M.Y. cars except:
'91 Model Year Esprit, Esprit 'S' & Esprit 'S.F.': M 0001
October '90
U.K. only - Carburetor Turbo (Esprit)
U.K. only - M.P.F.I. Turbo (Esprit 'S')
Export - M.P.F.I. Turbo (Esprit)
Worldwide - Chargecooled M.P.F.I. Turbo (Esprit S.E./Esprit)
SE' designation dropped for chargecooler cars in non-USA LHD markets
to avoid trademark infringement.
(N.A. model discontinued)
As 'Eagle Chassis' or Esprit Turbo S.E. except:
'92 Model Year Esprit & Esprit 'S.E.' N 0001 October '91
U.K. only - Carburettor Turbo (Esprit)
Worldwide - Chargecooled M.P.F.I. Turbo (Esprit S.E./Esprit) 'SE'
designation dropped for chargecooler cars in non-USA LHD markets avoid
trademark infringement.
As '91 M.Y. cars except:
'93 Model Year Introduction: March '93
Esprit S4 (U.K. & Export, not USA): VIN: P 0001 to 0010, 1011 onwards
As '92 M.Y. Chargecooler specification with following changes:
Sport 300: June '93
U.K. & Export (not USA) VIN: P 8001
As Esprit S4 specification with following changes:
'94 Model Year Introduction: July '93
Esprit S4 (U.K. & Export inc. USA): VIN: R 1090
Sport 300 (U.K. & Export, not USA): VIN: R 8012
U.K. and Export S4 and Sport 300 unchanged.
USA S4 introduced with following changes from U.K./Export spec.:
Dual S.l.R. for USA and LHD Export: September '93
Esprit S4 (USA & LHD Export): VIN: R 1163
Introduced as legal requirement for USA cars, and as option in some
LHD markets.
S.I.R. equipment as driver only S.I.R. with following changes:
Revised Wiring Harness: December '93
Esprit S4 LHD: VIN: R 1242
Esprit S4 RHD; VIN: R 1250
Sport 300; VIN: R 8030
As previous with following changes:
Brembo Brakes: June '94
Esprit S4 Non-USA: VIN: R 1443 (+ R 1377) July '94
Esprit S4 USA: VIN: S1391 June'94
(Not applicable to Sport 300)
Introduction on USA cars coincides with intro. of otherwise unchanged
'95 M.Y. USA S4.
Changes include the following:
'95 M.Y. S4 & S4S: January '95
S4 (non-USA): VIN: S 2000 (+1496)
S4S (USA); VIN: S 3000
S4S (non-USA) VIN: S 4000
As previous with following principal changes:
Introduction of 'CFC Free' R134a Air Conditioning System: March
'95
S4. VIN: S 2031 (RHD) S 2017 (LHD)
S4S (non-USA): VIN: S 4035 (RHD) S 4006 (LHD)
S4S(USA): VIN: S 3012
Sport3OO: VIN: S 8059
Changes include the following:
Commonized Undertray: May '95
S4: VIN: S 2034
USA S4S: VIN: S 3095
Body lower molding commonized with non-USA S4S (enlarged wheelhousings)
'96 M.Y. S4 & non USA S4S: September '95
S4; VIN: T2044
non-USA S4S: VIN: T 4126 (+4096)
Sport3OO: VIN: T8064
Specification unchanged. Note that USA models starting with S 3000 are
considered 95-1/2MY. No official '96 M.Y. USA cars were built.
Esprit V8: May '96
Esprit V8: VIN: T 5009
As S4S with following principal changes:
Esprit GT3: October '96
Esprit GT3; VIN: T 2100 (not USA)
Based on S4 model with following changes:
'97 M.Y. Esprit V8 & GT3: May '96
USA V8: VIN: V 5075 (May '96)
Non USA V8: VIN: V 5215 (Oct.'96)
GT3: VIN: V2111 (Oct.'96)
Specification unchanged.
Introduction of V8 Twin Plate Clutch: February '97
EspritV8; VIN: V5280
Many cars also retrofitted.
'98 M.Y. Esprit V8 & GT3: October '97
Esprit V8: VIN: W 5408 plus 5374, 5382, 5385
GT3: VIN: W 2200 plus 2192
As previous with following principal changes:
Esprit V8-GT: January '98
Esprit V8-GT: VIN: W 5442
As with Esprit V8 with following principal changes:
Esprit Sport 350: October '98
Sport 350: VIN: W 5603
Limited edition of 50. As Esprit V8-GT with the following principal
changes:
(Esprit V8 adopts V8 SE moniker to aid identification.)
99M.Y. Esprit V8 SE, V8-GT, Sport 350 & GT3: November '98
V8 models; VIN: X 5657
GT3; VIN: X 2287
Non-USA models unchanged. USA model only:
00M.Y.
V8 models; VIN: Character 10, 2000 M.Y. = Y
USA Model only:
All markets:
01M.Y.
V8 models; VIN: Character 10, 2001 M.Y. = 1
02M.Y.
V8 models; VIN: Character 10, 2002 M.Y. = 2