Lotus Carlton

[1.9er 1]

Don't think I've seen one of these killers on the road this century

I remember a mate of one of my old bosses had one back in 1993.

Arguably the quickest saloon car of the 90's.

[ORB 227 1 Cars]

My dad had one back when he worked for AP Racing. I remember it was very big, comfy and insanely quick.

[iPlod999 143 1 Cars]

One appeared recently on detailingworld.

 

Very very nice.

 

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=310496

[BlueBolt 156]

I thought I saw one of these once... Was talking to a mate about it and he sadly advised me that it was in fact a fake deeply disappointed!!

 

I have only seen one real one... And that was at the auction section at the AutoSport show at Birmingham...

 

Don't care how old they are, want want want want want want want!!!!!

[309jazzpanda 41]

Used to be 1 in the village where I live with 420bhp in the early 00,s he thrashed it everywhere

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Saw 3 at a recent PH meet.

Did you know not only was it the fastest 4 seater in the world but it also ended manufacturers being allowed to boast top speed in their ads.

[GilesW 41]

My mates car:

 

http://lc890g.co.uk/

 

http://www.vboa.org.uk/toplevel.php?p=g2&groupinc=27&imageinc=0&pos=72

 

Dave ended up by having 3 LC's (after a tragic fire destroyed most of his alrmost completely restored car - read his site).

 

 

To get the best of tehse and keep it on teh raod you have to be slightly anal (in a nice way) - and Dave is.

His previous car - a 400bhp mk1 astra was always winning shows (I remember him T-cutting teh rear light lenses to remove the manufacture stamps/codes).

 

 

We all went to Billing one year in it and met up with a big convoy of turbo'd astra, cav. etc etc. They all screamed off scrabbeling for grip, fighting the steering and Dave hung back.

Then after he let them get a good lead he just stuck his foot down and it was like a big airplane - it just kept accelerating hard but in a stead and progressive fashion and overtook the whole line of others at what *may* have been an indicated 165mph (this *may* have been on teh M25 at 6:30am on a Sunday morning).

 

Totally different sort of power delivery than even big supra's etc I've been in . Certianly a fast rep mobile.

 

Very interesting history of these cars though, both why and how they were built, teh press and governments reaction to them. Who supplied pparts etc etc.

 

Read Dave's site and also:

 

http://www.lotus-carlton.co.uk/

http://www.lotuscarlton.co.uk/

 

Awsome cars, and one that is firmly in the history books for heavily impacting what happened to cars then.

[Para 82 2 Cars]

I saw one in flesh during one of the car shows here in Ireland. Very very rare car and so 80's that it make our Peugeot look like a wheelbarrow.

 

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[HERMAN 33]

A good mate of mine is into his old Vauxhalls he likes his Opel Monza's. He recently broke up his Carlton GSI3000 and lot of the bits ended up and Lotus Carlton's I believe there are 3 in the Derby area,

Awesome cars.

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

My mates car: http://lc890g.co.uk/ http://www.vboa.org.uk/toplevel.php?p=g2&groupinc=27&imageinc=0&pos=72 Dave ended up by having 3 LC's (after a tragic fire destroyed most of his alrmost completely restored car - read his site). To get the best of tehse and keep it on teh raod you have to be slightly anal (in a nice way) - and Dave is. His previous car - a 400bhp mk1 astra was always winning shows (I remember him T-cutting teh rear light lenses to remove the manufacture stamps/codes). We all went to Billing one year in it and met up with a big convoy of turbo'd astra, cav. etc etc. They all screamed off scrabbeling for grip, fighting the steering and Dave hung back. Then after he let them get a good lead he just stuck his foot down and it was like a big airplane - it just kept accelerating hard but in a stead and progressive fashion and overtook the whole line of others at what *may* have been an indicated 165mph (this *may* have been on teh M25 at 6:30am on a Sunday morning). Totally different sort of power delivery than even big supra's etc I've been in . Certianly a fast rep mobile. Very interesting history of these cars though, both why and how they were built, teh press and governments reaction to them. Who supplied pparts etc etc. Read Dave's site and also: http://www.lotus-carlton.co.uk/ http://www.lotuscarlton.co.uk/ Awsome cars, and one that is firmly in the history books for heavily impacting what happened to cars then.

 

 

Spotted at the South East PH meet tonight in Westerham.

Beautifully prepared and detailed.

 

IMG_9452 by simes205, on Flickr

IMG_9472 by simes205, on Flickr

[309jazzpanda 41]

I saw one in flesh during one of the car shows here in Ireland. Very very rare car and so 80's that it make our Peugeot look like a wheelbarrow.

 

Wo wo these are from the 90's

 

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

Saw this one at Webbs of Wychbold show in 2012...I remember that Jasper Carrott used to own one, or something like that.

 

[GilesW 41]

Simes - was that at the Grasshopper?

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Simes - was that at the Grasshopper?

Yep!

Were you there?

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

A bodyshop near me allways has one in as he fully resprayed a lot from the owners club they are great bits of kit

[Rich_p 23]

I'm not a vauxhall fan at all but have alway liked these.

 

I remember when doing my apprenticeship at kwikfit back in 96 and one of these pulled in for tyres. We all had a good look round it and it was mint.

Got chatting to the guy and it was his ex company car that his company let him buy for £5k - They were still selling for over £20k at the time!

 

Lucky bugger!

[GilesW 41]

 

Yep!

Were you there?

Unfortunately not.

But used to meet there for my Vauxhall meets.

Might have to give Dave a shout and make sure I come to the next one and catch up with him, and say hello to you if you're going.

[1.9er 1]

My Very interesting history of these cars though, both why and how they were built, teh press and governments reaction to them. Who supplied pparts etc etc. Read Dave's site and also: http://www.lotus-carlton.co.uk/ http://www.lotuscarlton.co.uk/ Awsome cars, and one that is firmly in the history books for heavily impacting what happened to cars then.

 

 

 

Did not know Jasper Parrot had brought one after taking the piss out of it when it first came out.

Got broken into 3 times during his 10 months of ownership.

 

BTW....Great posts and links guys.

 

 

Edited June 26, 2013 by 1.9er