The Lotus Carlton (also called Vauxhall Lotus Carlton, Lotus Omega and Opel Lotus Omega) is a version of the Vauxhall Carlton/Opel Omega A saloon upgraded by Lotus in order to be a high performance sports saloon. Like all Lotus vehicles, it was given a type designation—Type 104 in this case.

Development

Engine bay|thumb|left

left|thumb|Rear view

left|thumb|Interior

Engine and drivetrain

Performance modifications started with an upgraded engine, which was enhanced by Lotus from the standard Opel 24-valve straight-six unit used in the GSi. The engine was enlarged to a capacity of . The single example of the Chronos, sans engine, was displayed at the 1991 Detroit Auto Show. In the following months, a gang of thieves used the car to conduct midnight ram raids, stealing around £20,000 worth of cigarettes and alcohol. A West Midlands Police officer said, "We simply haven't been able to get near the thing and it looks unlikely that we ever will", as their police cars were incapable of safely pursuing the stolen Lotus Carlton. The stolen car was later found dumped in a canal, having been damaged beyond repair by a large object, and was subsequently scrapped.

A campaign by the Daily Mail and the Association of Chief Police Officers was launched to have the Lotus Carlton banned in the UK. The car's advertising was also condemned in Parliament. Despite gaining traction, the campaign to ban the Lotus Carlton ultimately failed.

Other markets

While the base Omega A and the Lotus Omega were never federalized for sale in the US, the Omega was cleared for grey import under the DOT's "Show or Display" exemption in 2011. By the end of 2017, all model years of the Lotus Carlton were past the 25-year mark, making them exempt from NHTSA import restrictions.

References

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  • Audi RS6 v Jaguar S-Type R v BMW M5 (v Carlton) — evo magazine