Lotus Esprit S1

The Esprit S1 was Giugiaro's folded-paper wedge made real. It was lower and wider than the Europa, with pop-up headlights, a glass rear hatch and a cabin set well forward. The slant-four engine was mounted amidships, and the chassis was tuned to make the most of the car's low centre of gravity. It became a film star, but the shape was already a design landmark before the cameras arrived.