CarVerify

Free Car Check

ESP 121T

1996 Lotus Esprit

Red Petrol 2174cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires23 Jun 2026
Tests19 (14 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate73.7%

Mileage

67,491 mi
Last recorded67,491 miles
Recorded on24 Jun 2025
Typical for 1996 Lotus Esprit48,465 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationESP 121T
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1996
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,174cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

14 pass 5 fail
Pass 24 Jun 2025 67,491 miles
Fail 24 Jun 2025 67,491 miles

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 19 May 2022 67,291 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge inner edge wear (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge inner edge wear (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 27 Jun 2020 67,142 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 9 Apr 2018 66,395 miles
Fail 23 Mar 2018 66,374 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose leaking (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

Pass 31 Mar 2016 65,758 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Front wiper blade is smeary

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Tyre wearing thin on inner edge

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Tyre worn badly on inner edge

Fail 29 Mar 2016 65,758 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases Catalyst to rear section joining area (7.1.2)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

rear parking (secondary) brakes imbalanced (3.7.B.6b)

registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced Front and rear between letter P and number 1 (6.3.4a)

registration plate has a feature which changes the appearance or legibility of the characters Incorrectly spaced front and rear plates (6.3.4c)

Front wiper blade is smeary

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Tyre wearing thin on inner edge

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Tyre worn badly on inner edge

front brake fluctuating, but not excessively Both front (3.7.B.3)

Pass 20 Apr 2015 65,126 miles
Fail 17 Apr 2014 64,281 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Front registration plate character(s) likely to be misread (6.3.4b)

Rear registration plate character(s) likely to be misread (6.3.4b)

Pass 17 Apr 2014 64,281 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Pass 27 Feb 2013 64,253 miles
Pass 15 Mar 2012 63,264 miles
Fail 13 Feb 2012 63,262 miles

Front registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Rear registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Pass 4 May 2010 62,110 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2009 53,551 miles
Pass 28 Aug 2008 53,085 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 4 Sep 2007 51,404 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 29 Aug 2006 48,078 miles

How Reliable is the Lotus Esprit?

Based on 25,410 MOT tests across 2,324 vehicles.

80.6%
Pass Rate
515
Miles/Year
50
Year Lifespan
2,324
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 624
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 464
brake binding 455
parking brake recording little or no effort 332
Headlamp aim too low 326
Full Lotus Esprit reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

ESP 121T is a 1996 Lotus Esprit in Red with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.7%.

Across all 1996 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 81.8% with a typical mileage of 48,465 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Lotus Esprit fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 624 recorded failures. If you're considering buying ESP 121T, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Lotus Esprit typically stays on UK roads for around 50 years. At 30 years old, this Lotus Esprit is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of ESP 121T?

You can check the full history of ESP 121T by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was ESP 121T registered?

ESP 121T is a 1996 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 13 March 1996.

Is ESP 121T safe to buy?

The MOT history for ESP 121T shows 19 tests with a 73.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does ESP 121T have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on ESP 121T. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.