Fujimi Lotus Esprit S1 Street Version

[robiwon]

After hearing that Fujimi was releasing an all new tool of James Bond's Lotus Esprit sub from the movie "The Spy Who Loved Me" I jumped on the pre-order. That was last summer. The Sub kit was released in December and I spent a month or so working on it. Around the same time Fujimi then announced they would be doing a street version of the same car! That was great news as no current kit exists of the original first generation Esprit except for some older Japanese kits that fetch upwards of $100 on eBay. I again jumped on the pre-order list. The kit was released last week, middle of February. It arrived from HLJ just 4 days after leaving Japan.

 

Again, this is an all new tool of the Lotus Esprit S1, based on the original release of the James Bond version. It is NOT a re-pop of the old Nichimo or Entex kits. Like all others, it is a curbside kit with no engine. Unlike the others, it does have a nicely engraved chassis plate with separate front and rear suspension (steerable front wheels) and exhaust components(chromed). Like the Bond version, it is also right hand drive. However, do to the design of the dash board, converting to left hand drive would be a relatively simple affair I think.

 

The kit includes some window masks to help with painting the front windshield and small rear window in the cockpit. That was a nice touch. The satin chrome wheels are nice. The chrome around the very thin edges of the wheel lips had rubbed off in a few spots though. An easy fix. The tires are generic no names and are hollow rubber, instead of the typical solid rubber tires typically found in kits

 

All of the kit parts are otherwise very, very nice. Like the sub, all clear lenses have a chrome reflector behind them. This version does include tiny side maker lights for the front and rear finders. These do not have chrome reflectors though. The body is very crisp and no flash was found on the parts.

 

There are better pictures of the sprues online, but here is what I took. for you guys. I'll be starting the build soon.

 

Hopefully, Fujimi will entertain us with a Turbo Esprit edition in the future. If not, I have already put a bug in the ear of my favorite 3D printer artist on Shapeways...

 

Enjoy...

 

[Davewilly]

looks like it will build into a nice model for something a little different you do always see

[niteowl7710]

Mine is sitting at my Post Office waiting for me to come sign for it (and the rest of this HLJ dispatch). EMS took 41 hours and 9 minutes this trip from the time it left HLJ and entered the tracking system til it was scanned into my local P.O. I plan to inspect the the contents for scorch marks from the reentry into Earth's atmosphere. 

[robiwon]

I was quite surprised at the shipping time for this. The Bond car took a full month to arrive. But in fairness that was in December, so the holiday rush was on.

[gasman]

Looks good, wish it was LHD. I have one of the later Monogram Esprits, but I prefer the look of the earlier version

[blubaja]

Looks good, wish it was LHD. I have one of the later Monogram Esprits, but I prefer the look of the earlier version

This car and kit, has possibly, the MOST easy LHD/RHD conversion ever lol. 

[robiwon]

If you look at the 3rd picture, you will see the dash is the same on both sides. You would only need to fill a very small hole on the right and cut a matching on the left and relocate the parking brake. I may do this myself.

[louie]

This car and kit, has possibly, the MOST easy LHD/RHD conversion ever lol. 

wow! You are so right. I just looked at the dash in the picture above and doesn't look too hard to convert. Thank you and this is one of the reasons I love this forum.  Learn more everyday.       Jeff