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N279 KNG

1996 Lotus Esprit

Blue Petrol 3506cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Oct 2026
Tests24 (19 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate79.2%

Mileage

76,383 mi
Last recorded76,383 miles
Recorded on29 Sep 2025
Typical for 1996 Lotus Esprit48,465 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationN279 KNG
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1996
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,506cc

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

19 pass 5 fail
Pass 29 Sep 2025 76,383 miles
Pass 8 Oct 2024 75,903 miles
Pass 10 Oct 2023 75,330 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2022 75,112 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material caliper pipe (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 21 Sep 2022 75,112 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material caliper pipe (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 4 Oct 2021 74,842 miles

Nearside Brake cable damaged but not to excess outer casing (1.1.15 (a))

Offside Brake cable damaged but not to excess outer casing (1.1.15 (a))

Pass 5 Oct 2020 74,409 miles

Nearside Brake cable damaged but not to excess outer casing (1.1.15 (a))

Offside Brake cable damaged but not to excess outer casing (1.1.15 (a))

Pass 23 Sep 2019 73,846 miles

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

both front tyres slightly worn on inner edge

Pass 1 Oct 2018 72,867 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2017 69,609 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Fail 25 Sep 2017 69,609 miles

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 28 Sep 2016 66,090 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2015 62,978 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Fail 17 Sep 2015 62,978 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded between hoses (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 10 Sep 2014 59,769 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2013 56,656 miles

engine management light on

Pass 2 Oct 2012 52,995 miles

both front tyres wearing on inner edges

engine management light staying on

Pass 20 Sep 2011 48,034 miles

front brake pads wearing low [inners]

Pass 13 Sep 2010 43,092 miles
Pass 10 Oct 2009 37,916 miles

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fail 24 Aug 2009 37,714 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fail 23 Apr 2009 35,760 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Rear Wheel insecure (4.2.A.1c)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 20 Sep 2008 35,411 miles

Oil leak

Rear brake disc's poor. N/S rear shockabsorber damp.

Pass 10 Aug 2007 34,604 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

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N279 KNG is a 1996 Lotus Esprit in Blue with a 3,506cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 79.2%.

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 N279 KNG, 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 N279 KNG?

You can check the full history of N279 KNG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N279 KNG registered?

N279 KNG is a 1996 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 3 June 1996.

Is N279 KNG safe to buy?

The MOT history for N279 KNG shows 24 tests with a 79.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N279 KNG 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 N279 KNG. 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.