Forgive me for mentioning the dismal Vauxhall Adam on PistonHeads (it won't happen again, I promise), but the arrival of the
turbocharged versions
got me thinking. The talk is of cleanliness and 60mpg-plus - but what I want from a Vauxhall turbo is yobbish performance and wet-road white knuckles. Twenty-five years ago, this was reality - they bolted a pair of blowers onto a car wearing a griffin, and blessed the world with the sinister 377hp Lotus Carlton, not a lukewarm hatch with rubbish steering.
This particular car has some PH previous...
The Lotus Carlton is a legend. It was one the moment it was launched, scaring small children at 40 paces, and having a claimed maximum so obscene it made tabloid news. Back then it was okay to lust after a fast Vauxhall. How long ago it all seems now.
It was the end of 1989, we'd just endured the second summer of love, and little did we know at the time, but cars would increasingly be tethered by safety systems and styled by legislators. The 1990s were coming, and the Lotus Carlton seemed like one last fling with excess by GM management before throwing in the towel and giving us the Corsa and Vectra. And thank goodness they did.
You love the Lotus Carlton, and it's understandable, given the sheer ludicrousness of an executive saloon transformed by Lotus into a M5-destroyer with a 176mph maximum speed and 0-100mph time of 10.6 seconds. It could happily blow away all but the very fastest supercars, and looked pretty cool in the process. It's already been declared a PH Hero and who am I to argue?
If the outside didn't date it...
Strangely, I've mixed memories of the Lotus Carlton - my opening experience was driving Vauxhall Heritage's example through Kensington in a supercar parade. I was almost brought to tears in the west end by the concrete clutch, and monster gearchange, and wondered why I wasn't getting a second look from the thousands cheering us on. Perhaps it was the XJ220 in front and the EB110 behind. With the formality of the London grind behind, and a lengthy few days' foray up north to follow, it changed when I let loose the Lotus Carlton on proper roads. Then I fell in love.
The combination of low speed docility, interstellar gearing on the motorway, killer A-road punch (in the first four of the six gears), and surprising agility made this great every day supercar. I loved the knowing nods I'd get from the few people who recognised it; I loved the whoosh from the twin Garrett T25s; and most of all, I loved the fact I could share the experience with three mates. The idea of taking one to Germany still bewitches me, and as time moves on, I really should do something about it.
Engine still mighty two decades later
There are usually a few for sale in the
PH classifieds
- right now, there are three spanning £14,995-30,000. They range from well-used to cherished low-mileage, and the wide spread tells you all you need to know about the difference between an average and good Lotus Carlton. Get one that needs work, and it's a world of financial pain.
H&H Auctions has one at the lower end of the scale in its upcoming sale on 26 February, too. But look closely and you'll see it's one of the trio in the PH classifieds, originally advertised for £17,000. The auction house has placed a £14,000-16,000 estimate on it - and with inconsistent demand for these cars, it's difficult to predict where it's going to land when the hammer falls. If it's near the lower end of that estimate, this Lotus Carlton could be a legend at a realistic price.
This one has a £14-16K estimate. Fancy it?
H&H describes this Lotus Carlton as being in excellent condition, with the kitsch ruched leather seats and slab like dashboard as being 'very good for the age and mileage'. With 114K miles on the clock, it could be a gamble, especially as the previous owner commuted into London in it (was he mad?), but it's described as having a full service history, so you've plenty of reading matter on those long wet days you're too scared to drive it.
It's an ageing legend, for sure - but still capable of bloodying a few noses. And isn't that what owning a car like this is all about? If you go for it, let me know if it brings you more happiness than a Vauxhall Adam turbo. I'm pretty sure I already know the answer.