1993 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton review: Retro Road Test

“Our urban panda cars can only go at 90mph,” complained PC Oliver. Even today, the fastest performance saloons are only nudging 190mph – just 14mph more than the Lotus-tuned Carlton, which could also blast to 62mph in 5.4 seconds.

In the early 1990s, this was the fastest saloon car money could buy. It could even keep up with a Ferrari Testarossa.

Starting with a Vauxhall Carlton GSi, Lotus bored out the standard car’s 3.0-litre engine to 3.6 litres, adding twin Garrett turbochargers and boosting power to 382hp.

Just 950 Lotus Carltons were sold, with around 285 making it to the UK (the exact number is contested, but ‘How Many Left’ lists 70 on the road and 119 SORN in 2021). Vauxhall and Opel intended to build 1,100 cars, but economic recession meant dealers struggled to shift the £48,000 Carlton.

How does it drive?

1993 Lotus Carlton

Despite living a charmed life, even Vauxhall’s own ex-press car feels baggy at first. The manual gearchange – linked to a six-speeder plucked from GM’s parts bin – has a huge throw, while the power-assisted steering feels a little disconnected at town speeds.

The only thing suggesting this car is anything but ordinary – six-cylinder warble aside – is the clutch, which requires a committed shove from your left leg.

Once out on the open roads, things start to tighten up enormously. Shove the accelerator pedal and it’ll hurtle towards the horizon with little in the way of lag from its twin turbos. It’s a surprisingly torquey unit, willing to pull in almost in any gear, and the shove just keeps on coming as you build on the revs.

Even 28 years after production ended, the Lotus-tweaked engine feels like an all-time great.

1993 Lotus Carlton

It’s not a one-trick pony, either. Although the Lotus Carlton looks big with its butch bodykit, it’s actually quite small by today’s standards. Combine this with excellent visibility (a low window line and narrow pillars help here) and you soon feel confident enough to push on a bit.

The 265mm-wide rear tyres and standard limited-slip differential aid traction, but there are no fancy-pants electronics to help out if it does go wrong.

As you’d expect, it feels a very analogue car to drive, but it also remains very composed – whether you’re trundling along or mimicking a 1990s ram-raider.

The Carlton’s clever self-levelling multi-link rear suspension was very sophisticated at the time and although the ride errs on the firmer side, it’s still more compliant than many of today’s performance cars.

Tell me about buying one 

1993 Lotus Carlton

Although fewer than 300 Lotus Carltons were officially sold in the UK, it was considered a classic car from the off, meaning it’s probably easier to find one today than a lesser GSi 3000.

A decade ago, £10,000 would have got you a good example, but – like many performance cars from this era – prices have shot up. A search of the Pistonheads classifieds reveals four cars currently for sale, ranging from £90,000 to £120,000.

It’s worth paying as much as you can for a good one, as sourcing parts and fixing a bad example could turn into a real headache. While stone chips are common and can be touched up, damage to the fibreglass bodykit will be more expensive to repair.

1993 Lotus Carlton

Purchase a history check and look out for signs of crash damage – many Lotus Carltons have inadvertently left the road in the past. Rust can also be an issue.

During a test-drive, make sure the car tracks in a straight line without pulling to either side during braking. With hefty discs all round, the Lotus Carlton should stop quickly, so feel for any unusual vibrations or juddering.

Vauxhall Lotus Carlton: Verdict

1993 Lotus Carlton

I fully expected to be disappointed by this car. I had a guide to supercars when I was growing up in the 1990s, and the Lotus Carlton page was flicked to more than any other. The fact that a family saloon could have such outrageous performance warped my mind.

Even taking a relatively grown-up view today, this car is incredible. In some ways, it does feel 28 years old, but the performance on offer is still exciting. And what’s more exciting is how involved you are in the driving process.

While prices have taken the Lotus Carlton into dream car territory for most of us, if you find a good one, and have the means to buy it, I wholeheartedly suggest you do.

Promise me one thing, though. This is a car to be driven, not to be polished and locked away in a garage. Its garish appearance means it’ll be tutted at classic car shows for a while yet, so don’t bother. Just get out there and drive it.

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