RE: PH Heroes: Lotus Carlton
Discussion
Raging Demon said:
I think it was a grey cavalier, it only had the LC front bumper and some 17' momo arrows (gosh, that was so long ago, but seems like yesterday!) but word was it had more power than both the terminators in T2!
Yup, one and the same car then. Richard used to (in fact still does) work for a LC approved Vauxhall dealership and they had an LC in which required a new bumper. He then set about modifying the old damaged item to fit his grey Cavalier. It was after this he then decided to go the whole hog and create a LC type Cavalier replica, I have some magazine scans at home of when it was featured in Redline magazine back in the day.ASBO said:
Wonder how the Lotus Carlton would compare with the little known Alpina B10 Bi-turbo 
There was an article comparing the two in classic & sports car a few years back, you used to be able to read it here.http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=...
@NotNormal
your site & the work youve done on your car is incredible
must be amaizng to get it back to its proper shape
i saw a LHD one a few years back that had just 2000 miles on the clock. it was brand new, better condition than some showroom unregistered cars. even the underneath sort of smelt new. It was like going back in time and was a very very hard car to walk away from. The interior was untouched.
your site & the work youve done on your car is incredible
must be amaizng to get it back to its proper shape
i saw a LHD one a few years back that had just 2000 miles on the clock. it was brand new, better condition than some showroom unregistered cars. even the underneath sort of smelt new. It was like going back in time and was a very very hard car to walk away from. The interior was untouched.
Fave memory for me was whilst spectating at one of those freebie-type trackdays at Castle Coombe a few years back. Sat up on the banking about 100 yds up from the last corner, watching where there is a slalom then a couple of hundred metres straight before the last corner.
Subaru Impreza carlos-fandango thingy (which is the car I was watching as they were new and all the rage) closely followed by big lumbering saloon.
Once out of the slalom the big lumbering saloon pulled out round the impreza and proceeded to pass it and put a few cars lengths on it before the main pit straight. Once there it just disappeared away in it's jet of exhaust from those twin square pipes (remember them ?)
Quite a shocker to have your definition of "a well-fast car" redefined with a sledgehammer...
Subaru Impreza carlos-fandango thingy (which is the car I was watching as they were new and all the rage) closely followed by big lumbering saloon.
Once out of the slalom the big lumbering saloon pulled out round the impreza and proceeded to pass it and put a few cars lengths on it before the main pit straight. Once there it just disappeared away in it's jet of exhaust from those twin square pipes (remember them ?)
Quite a shocker to have your definition of "a well-fast car" redefined with a sledgehammer...
Yep - indeed, a true legend.
Have always wanted one, will always will one, and one day, will have one as part of my collection!
It certainly was more powerful, and alot quicker than, the E34 M5, the Mercedes W124 500E and the Audi V8 equivalents.
And as it quite clearly states in the article, it is very capable of annihilating anything else on the road.
Thank you Vauxhall / Lotus!
And thanks to PH for yet again, another quality article!!
Have always wanted one, will always will one, and one day, will have one as part of my collection!
It certainly was more powerful, and alot quicker than, the E34 M5, the Mercedes W124 500E and the Audi V8 equivalents.
And as it quite clearly states in the article, it is very capable of annihilating anything else on the road.
Thank you Vauxhall / Lotus!
And thanks to PH for yet again, another quality article!!
alock said:
Do I remember correctly that 6th gear is ridiculously high so as to be almost unusable but it was the only gear box that could cope with the power?
Same as the 6 speed M5, 6th is nothing but an overdrive. Both cars reach their top speeds in 5th rather than 6th. I can't remember what the Carlton is (i think it was 240-250mph??), but on mine it's around 215mphD_T_W said:
alock said:
Do I remember correctly that 6th gear is ridiculously high so as to be almost unusable but it was the only gear box that could cope with the power?
Same as the 6 speed M5, 6th is nothing but an overdrive. Both cars reach their top speeds in 5th rather than 6th. I can't remember what the Carlton is (i think it was 240-250mph??), but on mine it's around 215mphNever heard of a Lotus Carlton being quoted at anything other than 174-179 mph.
D_T_W said:
alock said:
Do I remember correctly that 6th gear is ridiculously high so as to be almost unusable but it was the only gear box that could cope with the power?
Same as the 6 speed M5, 6th is nothing but an overdrive. Both cars reach their top speeds in 5th rather than 6th. I can't remember what the Carlton is (i think it was 240-250mph??), but on mine it's around 215mph
Heres mine from last September at The Lotus 40th Aniversary bash at Hethel last September
pics taken of the LC when on the two parade lap(s) sessions
It was a bit of a "return to home" that it should end up getting a small bootfull on the Lotus test track
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4V2KZNyaw8
Not for nothing was it known variously as The Guvnor and The Big Bad. One of the reasons Ive never understood the ph wankfest over M5s is the existence of The Guvnor. It looks better (than every iteration of M5) has gone faster than pretty much all of them, is a damn sight comfier and has more style and presence without looking much different to a bog standard Carlton than any 5 series ever did. It invented the Uber-saloon and has done it better than every one of them since.
The 6,000mile example in my local performance car garage. Just bought my car but felt really inadequate when i went into the office and saw this monster.
The thing that struck me is the sheer size, inside and out everything is huuuge!
Crap pic i know, wifes old phone (plus my daughters perfect timing to cross the shot)
The thing that struck me is the sheer size, inside and out everything is huuuge!
Crap pic i know, wifes old phone (plus my daughters perfect timing to cross the shot)
Incredible car. Also remember seeing it the first time the immense, impressive width of the rear tyres.
Not to open a can of worms (and haven driven either of them), I am still wondering how it compares to a Lancia Thema 8.32 in the real world. Think that the original idea was the same, but did both result in awesome stealth sedans or not?
Rob
Not to open a can of worms (and haven driven either of them), I am still wondering how it compares to a Lancia Thema 8.32 in the real world. Think that the original idea was the same, but did both result in awesome stealth sedans or not?
Rob
I think I would sell an appendage in the thirld world if necessary if it meant i could own one of these 
the carlton is the car my old man taught me in. even in standard form they were great. totally underrated and in my opinion trounced the equivalent ford in most areas.
sheer automotive porn.
the carlton is the car my old man taught me in. even in standard form they were great. totally underrated and in my opinion trounced the equivalent ford in most areas.
sheer automotive porn.
hackett said:
The 6,000mile example in my local performance car garage. Just bought my car but felt really inadequate when i went into the office and saw this monster.
The thing that struck me is the sheer size, inside and out everything is huuuge!
Crap pic i know, wifes old phone (plus my daughters perfect timing to cross the shot)
6k miles and RHD as wellThe thing that struck me is the sheer size, inside and out everything is huuuge!
Crap pic i know, wifes old phone (plus my daughters perfect timing to cross the shot)
how much ?
He won't sell it, it was his dads (from new) and he inherited it. He was telling me he gets people from all over coming to offer him stupid fees but its just a show piece.
You could say its a waste but as a publicity statement it works wonders. Everyone knows the garage as "the one with the LC"
You could say its a waste but as a publicity statement it works wonders. Everyone knows the garage as "the one with the LC"
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