Had Britain not produced two game-changing supercars during the 1990s in the form of the Jaguar XJ220 and McLaren F1, perhaps we would still be raving about this wedge-shaped wonder today, and yet it remains relatively unknown to most. This is the Lotus Etna concept, designed by none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign and revealed in 1984 to a stunned crowd at the British Motor Show. However, despite the rapturous reception, Lotus was in the midst of turmoil. 

Visionary founder Colin Chapman had passed a couple years prior, but not before tasking Chief Engineer Tony Rudd with building a new V8 engine for the upcoming concept. Codenamed the Type 909, the 4.0-litre V8 shared much with the slant-four found in many of their production cars at the time, albeit with an output of 335 horsepower that placed the Etna on the pinnacle of performance. Coupled with a five-speed manual, the Etna could theoretically rocket to 60 mph from a standstill in just 4.3 seconds and hit an impressive top speed of 180mph. 

Based on a elongated Esprit floorpan, the Etna would be the first Lotus to receive the bleeding-edge active suspension technology developed for the firm’s Formula One machines. Other technological marvels included traction control, anti-lock braking, and active noise-canceling technology. However, the Lotus never reached production, and just this sole concept was produced, destined to sit in storage for decades at Lotus’ Hethel HQ. 

Finally, the Etna was pulled out of stasis for a public sale in 1998, and by 2004 it entered Olav Glasius' esteemed Lotus collection. Everyone believed the concept to be a rolling shell with no mechanical underpinnings, but after Glasius recruited former Lotus engineer and current Lotus restoration expert Ken Myers, it was discovered the Etna did in fact house one of two Type 909 V8s ever made. Charged making the Etna drivable, Myers equipped the Etna with a new Perspex canopy and an Esprit suspension system, with the Etna roaring to life at the 2006 Lotus Festival at Donington Park for the first time. Now you could be the proud custodian of this incredible one-off concept car as it heads to Broad Arrow’s Monterey Jet Center sale on August 13th.

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