I've only put about 1000 miles on it since I've had it, so I'm still getting adjusted to how it drives. However, it demands a much different driving style than the NSX.
First, the car has tons of torque with the V8, and when the boost kicks in the car builds up speed very quickly. The gearing is not as tall as the NSX and the redline is at 6500, so getting used to keeping it in the sweet spot is a little more challenging. I loved how I could drive around town in 2nd with the NSX and be able to hit 80mph when merging onto the highway. With the Esprit you're already in 3rd, but once again, the car has tons of torque so I don't have to downshift as much. The Esprit is obviously a little bigger in dimension to the NSX and weighs 3042lbs, but it's more nimble than it looks. The 2004's were the last year built and the only year that they put in a fully adjustable coilover suspension. The Esprit also came from the factory with AP Racing 4pot brakes in the front which feel much better than the NSX OEM brakes.
In the 17 years that I've lived here, I've never seen an Esprit on the road. I see the occasional NSX, but in Boca you see everything on a daily basis.
Yeah, you'll be looking for a very long time. They made so few in each color that when a good one comes up for sale it is usually gone very quickly if priced right. You gotta check eBay every day. Also, it's best to get one with a little more miles than a garage queen. They need to be driven. The service costs aren't much more than the NSX, but if you don't have a mechanic who knows these cars well then I advise you don't buy one. Luckily I have a Lotus factory trained mechanic who knows these cars very well.
