Lotus · Esprit · Bar

Recommended bar for a Lotus Esprit

Drivetrain: rear-wheel drive
Body: passenger car
PSI F / R: 32-35 / 32-35
Bar F / R: 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4

bar

2.31 / 2.31

32-35 / 32-35 psi · 231 / 231 kPa

32-35 psi F · 32-35 psi R · 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar · 231/231 kPa

A rear-wheel drive Lotus Esprit still wants even corners. 2.2-2.4 vs 2.2-2.4 is an axle split, not a left-right split. A 10 °C overnight drop takes roughly 1 psi (0.07 bar) off a closed Lotus tyre.

Bar, PSI and kPa

Bar-led conversions around the Lotus Esprit. 2.2-2.4 bar is not “32-35 divided by ten”.

Bar	PSI	kPa
2.07	30	207
2.21	32	221
2.28	33	228
2.31	33.5	231
2.41	35	241
2.48	36	248
2.62	38	262
2.76	40	276
3.03	44	303
3.45	50	345
4.14	60	414

Lotus Esprit placard versus sidewall

If the Lotus sticker is painted over, the handbook is next. This website is a map, not a replacement VIN label.

Estimated pressure by tyre size (225/45R17 and others)

Planning cold pressures for sizes often seen on a passenger car. This Esprit sample opens with 225/45R17, then 225/40R18 and 215/55R16.

Tyre size	Front PSI	Rear PSI	Front bar	Rear bar	Front kPa	Rear kPa	Note
225/45R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Sport 17-inch
225/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Low-profile 18-inch
215/55R16	34	35	2.34	2.41	234	241	Slightly wider 16-inch
215/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Plus-size 17-inch
185/65R15	33	33	2.28	2.28	228	228	Small / older car
205/60R16	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Taller 16-inch
225/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Touring 17-inch
195/65R15	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Very common compact

Load notes

Load moves the rear of a passenger car first. If the factory placard already has a “laden” column, use that instead of these sketches.

Condition	Front (est.)	Rear (est.)
Driver only	34 psi / 2.34 bar	34 psi / 2.34 bar
Full occupancy	35 psi / 2.41 bar	36 psi / 2.48 bar
Motorway + luggage	36 psi / 2.48 bar	38 psi / 2.62 bar

How to set the Esprit

Park the Lotus Esprit for at least three hours (cold tyres).
Use a calibrated gauge, not the only meter on a forecourt hose.
Set the placard for that axle — about 32-35 psi / 2.2-2.4 bar front and 32-35 psi / 2.2-2.4 bar rear on this catalogue row.
Recheck all four. A 2 psi miss on a rear-wheel drive Esprit is enough to feel a pull.
Refit valve caps and reset TPMS if the handbook asks for a relearn.

Temperature drift

Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 34 psi as a 20 °C baseline for this Esprit.

Ambient	Gauge (front mid)	Bar	kPa	Note
−5 °C (hard frost)	31 psi	2.14 bar	214 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
0 °C	32 psi	2.21 bar	221 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
8 °C (UK winter morning)	33 psi	2.28 bar	228 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
20 °C (set cold here)	34 psi	2.34 bar	234 kPa	Baseline
30 °C	36 psi	2.48 bar	248 kPa	Do not bleed a hot tyre
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)	37 psi	2.55 bar	255 kPa	Do not bleed a hot tyre

Lotus notes

No special Lotus exception: the Esprit uses the door-pillar placard. Size estimates on this page only help if you have left the original load index behind.

Spare and inflator kit

A matching full-size spare on the Lotus Esprit usually follows the higher axle (often the rear, near 32-35 psi). A space-saver is commonly 60 psi / 4.1 bar — read that tyre’s own sidewall. An inflator kit is not a spare; check the sealant date.

Keep the Lotus Esprit on the printed band; use 225/45R17 and 215/55R16 only as a map for non-OEM wheels.

Other Lotus models

Emeya Super Seven 340 R Elise 3-Eleven 2-Eleven Exige Evija

Questions about this Esprit

Is the sidewall number correct on a Lotus Esprit?

No. Sidewall PSI is a maximum. The Esprit placard is the operating target, near 32-35/32-35 psi.

Front versus rear on the Lotus Esprit?

This row is 32-35 F / 32-35 R. Even when they match, a laden rear can justify a higher number if the sticker prints one.

When does TPMS warn on a Lotus Esprit?

Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below placard — near 25 psi on this row. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.

Should I bleed pressure after a motorway run?

No. Heat raises the gauge. Set cold only. Bleeding a hot tyre leaves it low the next morning.

How often should I check a Esprit?

Monthly, before a long trip, and after a 10 °C weather swing. Include a full-size spare.

Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · front vs rear · cold inflation