Cormac McCarthy’s 1995 Lotus Esprit S4s is Up for Auction Right Now
Hitting the road like Cormac McCarthy is probably a lot more comfortable than you were imagining.
A 1995 Lotus Esprit S4 Sport (S4s) once owned by the author of revered novels such as Blood Meridian and The Road is currently up for bid on Hagerty Marketplace. But literary pedigree isn’t all the vehicle has going for it, though, as it’s also a prime example of the final evolution of one of the British marque’s most beloved creations.
McCarthy may have penned 12 novels, five screenplays, four short stories, and two plays before his death at 89 in 2023, but he had plenty of time for things off the page. The writer showed a great curiosity for the world around him from an early age, which extended to cars, according to Hagerty. McCarthy may not have achieved success until decades into his career—his sixth book, 1992’s All the Pretty Horses, was his first best seller—but that didn’t stop him from amassing an impressive array of vehicles during his lifetime, including Ferraris, Porsches, and a Ford GT40.
Cormac McCarthy’s 1995 Lotus Esprit S4 Sport
Hagerty Marketplace
“He liked to take cars and play with them,” Dennis McCarthy, the writer’s younger brother, told the website.
The No Country for Old Men author acquired the 2010 Esprit S4 Sport, which is being sold by Dennis, in 2010. The car’s gorgeous wedge-shaped composite exterior is finished in gloss black, while the interior is covered in gray leather. The variant is powered by a 2.2-liter turbocharged inline-four that is rated for 301 hp and 290 ft lbs of torque. That was enough to push the car from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and to a top speed of 168 mph when brand new, but McCarthy’s Esprit, which was never registered or titled, doesn’t run and is being sold as a project car.
Inside the Esprit S4 Sport
Hagerty Marketplace
“I want to sell it to somebody who says, ‘Oh, I’ve wanted to have one of these things all my life, I’d love to play with this thing. I’m willing to do whatever it takes,’” the younger McCarthy told Hagerty.
McCarthy’s Esprit S4s is up for auction through Monday, April 27. As of press time, bidding had only reached $15,100, but that number seems sure to climb in the days ahead, even if it doesn’t reach the $108,355 McCarthy’s Ferrari F355 GTS sold for last year.
Click here for more photos of Cormac McCarthy’s 1995 Lotus Esprit S4s.
