Carlton! Lotus' Only-ever Sedan was Insane! - Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & Derek of ISSIMI Ep 86
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- Опубликовано: 26 фев 2023
- This episode is all about the Lotus Carlton and Lotus Omega.
Lotus has only ever made one 4-door sedan, and this episode of the Carmudgeon show dovetails with Jason Cammisa's "Revelations" episode on the Lotus Carlton.
A dream car of both hosts, the Carlt-Omega was based on the Opel Omega A, badged Vauxhall Carlton in the U.K.'s right-hand-drive market.
It held the title of the fastest sedan in the world for a decade, achieving more than 177 mph, right as the German automakers agreed to limit their cars to 250 km/h (155 mph.) Wouldn't have mattered - the Lotus' twin-turbocharged, 3.6-liter straight-six made 377 hp and 419 lb-ft of torque, which, channeled to the rear wheels through the 6-speed manual transmission from the C4 Corvette ZR-1, was enough to leave both the E34 BMW M5 and the W124 Mercedes 500E (E300) for dead.
The backstory of the Lotus Type 104's development is a complex and fascinating one, pushed through by Bob Eaton, the boss of GM Europe. Opel, GM's German subsidiary, and the creator and builder of the Omega, seemingly didn't want to help Lotus at all, even though Lotus also belonged to General Motors at the time.
Lotus was barely deterred by Opel's roadblocks, and made a magnificent, well-rounded sport sedan that was praised universally - until the UK Parliament vilified the car for being too fast. Or at least, too fast for its price (it was half the price of other cars capable of the same speeds, like the Ferrari Testarossa.)
In the end, the government's concerns proved at least partially founded, when "40 RA," a stolen Carlton, was used to commit a string of ram-raid robberies and crimes across the UK - but was too fast for the police to catch.
All this discussion and more on the Carmudgeon Show, part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. 
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It's funny that the Carlton/Omega was vilified thanks to criminals. Because something similar happened even with the original Ford Transit, supposedly because criminals found the van perfect for robberies and such. Gotta love the british.
Imagine if they had turned a Transit over to Lotus to develop. Anarchy would have ensued.
V6 transit was unstoppable. You will (almost) never out run a radio.
Video games increased this car’s exposure more than you think. I’m sure I’m not the only millennial with fond childhood memories of the Lotus Carlton in the PS2 classic, Gran Turismo 4. It was one of the coolest cars at the used car dealer and you could pile horsepower on it with upgrades.
Cars with criminal notoriety would be a great topic! Ford V8, Traction Avant, Jag MK2, Benz 600, Peugeot 205, even Land Cruiser!
As someone who has lusted after the Lotus Carlton for ages, I thoroughly enjoyed this whole podcast! I hope this gets a lot of views, cause this is an awesome car, although on the other hand, even today the Carlton isn't that well known outside of the core group of enthusiasts, and certainly not that popular outside Europe. But that hasn't stopped the prices from rocketing past the stratosphere, so my wish to own one will probably remain just that.
I actually own one of these (OPEL LOTUS OMEGA). It is still in Germany, for now. Great car, by the way. Feels and drives so much more modern than my E34 M5 or 500E. I have actually had mine up to 175MPH on A8. It was very stable at that speed.
Will be interested to see what they have to say about Jason's revelations .... He certainly hammed it up big time in that video 🤪
Fun fact, there's a chap in Scotland who's created a Lotus Carlton Estate (Wagon)
How Lotus made something Opel based from that era (aka the origins of a certain kind of eastern European depression) so unbelievably lust-worthy, hat's off.
Looking forward to this!
Please please do a revelations on the Volvo 850R
+1
Crazy how the owner of the tested Lotus Carlson shipped it one-way, JC & DTS such trusted folks on the web.
The Lotus Carlton/Omega is one of my favorite cars for very much all the reasons described in this episode and in the latest revelations
14:48 your videos are never too long
Maybe it's my age (49), but I'd be embarrassed if I DIDN'T know what a Lotus Carlton was. That and the Cossie Sierras and Escorts were the best kind of forbidden fruit.
Lotus Cortinas for the older viewers
...
It's not your age, i'm 21 and have known about it since I was around 15 when I seriously got into cars. Maybe it's the fact that i'm European though
We had them still smelling of fresh paint. It was a good time.
Important to reference for the history records that the 3.0 liter CIH Opel engine wasn't the only six-cylinder that Lotus did rework for the Omega A. The model was assembled and sold in South America too as Chevrolet Omega initially with the 3.0 liter naturally aspirated engine imported from Germany that was replaced after its discontinuation in 1995 by the 4.1 liter 250 cubic inches GM Turbo-Thrift atmospheric straight six that was made in Brazil since the sixties and used in the Opel Rekord C (Chevrolet Opala) assembled locally. Lotus added electronic multipoint fuel injection, distributorless ignition system and redesigned cylinder heads with smaller intake ports. It delivered 168hp and 210lb-ft at very low RPMs which made the South American Omega A in its higher trim level CD to go up 135mph and to accelerate from 0-62mph in 9.5s.
Derek is clearly a well-concealed madman. What Jason call "psychotic," Derek calls "really stout." What would it take for him to call it psychotic???
A 1955 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R ? (either the monoposto or the streamliner).
Lancia Stratos
@38:30 You got it Jason. The indicator stalk situated in the same side of the drive should be more spoken. The side of the wipers work too.
Bore x Stroke is the Lotus 3.6 was 95mm x 85mm via Wikipedia. So it was quite oversquare. Surprising that it was still a rough engine.
An example on eBay UK for £100K. GO JASON ! Only 34k miles - not even broken in.
It would be interesting if you could compare this with the fast Australian Holden / Falcon vehicles
Should have been imported to compete with the Skyline at Bathurst
@@060racing8 Godzilla would destroy it. The guys being destroyed would be four up and have some sweet airconditioned tunes while hunting for some areo tow.
Please do at least part of an episode on the Lotus Etna someday. And another one on Derek’s library!
My dad had a Carlton in the early 90s, it was a monster! If anyone is interested a channel called Oliver's garage just interviewed the original owner of 40 RA, and cleared up a lot of the story of the car and the registration plate.
Recently bought the Omega on BaT. I'm curious where you learned about the "cheater" program. Thank you.
In 1991 in the NE of England, I exited a roundabout on a Honda VFR750, a pretty quick bike for the day, pinned it up to about 110, looked behind and a Lotus Carlton was sitting right on my tail, two guys grinning like idiots inside. Yeah, they were properly quick.
“She had an opel Kadett” OLIVER !!!! That’s the only thing I could think about after Jason brought it up lol
Excellent pairing of episodes, teaching us about the superb coolness in the Carlton/Omega. I suspect a whole bunch of people out there know of it incidentally through stories, media, and most of all Gran Turismo - Without really knowing the rest of the history and factoids that go along with it.
Very cool car I'd not heard of. Ultimate sleeper....
Love the m539 gear!
I have only ever seen a Lotus Carlton twice in my (many) years floating around the UK.
The last time was about 20 years ago. Passed it on the M62 motorway, funnily enough on my birthday.
It would have been, give or take, around 10 years old at that point.
What a dream car!
For what its worth.
In the early 90s. 40 Thousand pounds is what a semidetached, three bedroom house would have cost in the average town.
Semi attached is two houses connected by a single adjoining wall. 'Normal' attached houses were normally 4 houses joined together.
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@@PicksterTG That proves another point, which is the fact that housing prices have gone up astrononmically, since you could buy a house for the price of a "too cheap" 180mph car XD
I’ve only seen one in the early 2000s in County Durham
I loved this episode as well as the video on the Carlton. Learning about its history just makes it that much cooler!
Such a cool car! glad to hear you guys giving love to it
Great to see you two gentlemen sitting at the desk, good podcast once again
Great episode guys !!
I remember when it came out reading an article in Car Magazine by the late Russell Bulgin v maxing one on the autobahn. What a car! Have seen some and one recently here in the UK.
Keep up the great work guys!
Great one!!! Good job guys!!!
no productivity for the next hour!!! excited!
Great discussion !
When this car came out in the French car press, José Rosinski from Sport Auto,
wrote that even Porsche had lessons to learn from Lotus about braking performance, he almost forget to talk about acceleration
... coming up on the next episode the Ferrari 400 MILF :)
Even Gordon Murray said on a podcast with Top Gear that the S2 Elan had the best steering of ANY car, and he tried to replicate it for F1, only find that the front end geometry was mathematically flawed, but it still is the best for him. GORDON MURRAY!!
@@aakar1s
Chapman was the greater genius? History says that is likely.
@@jimiverson3085 Who knows? Probably!
I watched the revelation loved it and also keep up the awesome work you two :)
ALL of the Revelations are automotive film-art par excellence.
This episode was awesome
Cool episode! While I vaguely remember the name of the car and have seen something here or there at one time I definitely didn't really know anything about it. As someone that loves understated fast sports sedans this would be an awesome car and a shame there isn't more of them out there or made.
Just what I needed today!
The 40 RA plate is still with the original owner.
As an Opel Astra Gsi owner, Lotus Omega was always a dream car for me(alongside with Opel Calibra turbo). Good job on both videos
Made in the uk not Germany
Lotus (General Motors), Opel/Vauxhall (General Motors)
Also called Opel Lotus Omega, Vauxhall Lotus Carlton
Production 1990-1992, 950 produced
Assembly United Kingdom: Hethel, Norfolk (Group Lotus)
Class Sports saloon
Body style 4-door saloon
Layout Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Platform GM V-body
Related Opel Omega A, Holden Commodore VN, Holden Commodore VP
Engine 3.6 L Opel C36GET twin-turbocharged I6
Power output 382 PS
Transmission 6-speed ZF S6-40 manual
Great episode. I've always found the Lotus Carlton to be a really cool car.
You guys calling out my childhood zip code area was extremely trippy
There are currently 2 Lotus Omegas for sale at the same dealer in FL (they might also have a Daytona Violet E34 M5 Touring right now) and I want to say I have seen 1 Carlton for sale recently that isn't either of the 2 mentioned in the video. As for what cars might get larger view counts, honestly, look at cars in Forza or Gran Turismo, they may be partially responsible for some of the interest in cars like the RS2 in the US.
I loved the Carlton Video as well.
The Lotus Carltomega probably has the best story of all automobiles
Kadett in 1992 was Kadett E. 8V was ok but the 16V Cosworth head was super cool
Love the Omega 🚀
Great episode as always, but sadly everyone forgot about even rarer Opel Omega Evo 500. It was a DTM homologation special which looked kind of like Evo 1 w201 with huge arches. Only 321 pcs were produced. But it was much slower than Lotus as it had slightly tuned 3L na motor.
8:21 "...and it's french now?!?" Well... On 16 January 2021, Groupe PSA and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles merged to form Stellantis. (via wikipedia)
So Opel is no longer french for 2 years now!!! ;)
My dad had the same Omega - 8 valve 115hp with a stick in dark red.
I looked after watching video and there are 2 for sale in Jacksonville, FL.
Interesting 👍
Think the M5 is the wrong comparison due to engine concept. The Alpina B10 Biturbo is right there! Same concept but a way better engineered chassis.
I miss the Omega. I've driven an Omega B 3 liter "MV6" for some weeks, which was from my mother in law. That convinced me of "large" engine with automatic slushbox is fine and rear wheel drive is the way to go :-D Sadly I was too young to understand that my parents' friends used to have a Lotus Omega.
Turn signal and wiper mix up is called
WINDICATING!
@6:40...and the e34 Alpina B10 Bi-Turbo which is the closest of all!!! C'mon
Modified version of existing car, limited production, twin turbo inline six with ~365 hp
I remember years ago in Manchester! Police had a serria cosworth! That lotus carlton disappeared!❤
As someone driving a manual European Car in Australia I feel you Jason about not being able to downshift and indicate together
The more I watch this (and Jason's other Carlton/Omega video) the more I want one. :) Obviously so I can then go and rob banks with it like a proper villain.
It must have been an Kadett E Jason, since it was the first offered as a Convertible with the exception of the RWD Kadett C cut open by Baur
Opel/Vauxhall are owned by Stellantis (after FCA joined forces with PSA) and does not mean Opel/Vauxhall are French. Stellantis houses these brands and they’re now platform sharing in the same way the VAG group has done for years. The new Opel/Vauxhall Astra is built using the same platform as the new Peugeot 308 but I’d say it’s unfair to say it’s now a French brand.
Great podcast by the way 😉
Since Stellantis is Dutch, they are all Dutch brands anyway 😂
The alternative universe in NZ and Australia Holden was using Nissan RB or V8 as well as asthmatic 4 cylinder. We had the Nissan Mobil 500 which we raced in a support Porsche Race.
The Skid Factory give a similar story about the Holden HDT and healing crystals.
In Turkey, it is physically impossible for people to digest the name Vauxhall. There is only one true brand, and it's Opel.
Based Turkey
That's funny because I've seen a ton of Euro spec cars with Vauxhall griffins on them just because I'd think they think the badge looks cooler (and it does)
@@Petrospect Seriously, %90 of people I talk about this(Not car guys mind you) don't even know the existence of the Vauxhall name.
Opel looks better and sounds better too, Turks have big problems with multiple consonants being side by side anyway.
Random thought: Would love to see a drag race between a carlmega and a GNX
My friend wanted one of these when we were kids! Because we saw one of the videos of it escaping the cops. I wanted the E39 M5 at the time!
It is odd to me to see people paying so much for the Lotus Carlton/Omega book. The book (in the cardboard box) was in the remaindered books section at some Barnes & Noble locations in the Bay Area in the mid-90s for $10. I sold the copy that a friend picked up for me a decade ago (for maybe $40).
Love the Lotus Carlton and I want one. Just can't find one or afford that right now after my other purchases.
Edit: I only know what the car is cause of my time in Germany from 03-05 where I say it at a car show and on the Nordschleife
How long until somebody swaps the lotus powertrain into one of the wagons?
I'm quite surprised that Jason and Derek like this car so much. So much about it seems to be the antithesis of what they find appealing other than the fact that it's manual. *Especially* the turbo lag.
The Swedish Saab was a 2.0t (or 2.0T) Auto apparently so less than 180bhp
Opel's not the only 'expat'; Vauxhall is now a part of Stellantis.
Never knew how few there where of them, at a time in my life I saw one quite often, so I always put it in the "rare" drawer, now learned it's "ultra rare".
When the Omega Lotus was new I lived right next to "Lotec Motorsports" in Kolbermoor Germany and they had one lotus omega for many years. Don't know if owned or costumers car, but it was always a show, when it got started and left.
I love the looks, while I really don't like the standard Omega. But this was special from first sight, not even knowing the stats at first. Reading them later on was unbelievable. Couldn't be almost 400ps and the Crappy Omega as base.
On American Cars I feel the same way, when I look at a grand national. Maybe because they are all black most of times, but they give me the same "oh, better get out of his way" feeling. Love them both.
Great episode, as always. Don't know why the algorithm should matter in case of this videos. A carmudgeon will take every episode as it comes, period. 👍
Do a video on the commodore/g8/SS! GM made the best sport sedans!
Shame they didn't build a wagon version of Lotus Omega/Carlton.
It's like a GNX that steers and that is about as cool as it gets
opel has been an independent german brand before their GM stint. it's not like GM came up with it originally, which is why I would not make the Pontiac comparison.
They've been in pretty bad shape since the 2008 crisis, subsequently being sold off and eventually bought by PSA. They started making decent appliance like cars again recently
DTS - so... How about some dkw or early Audi videos for BTS, if we're on the topic of oddball
Afaik Opels are famous for long gearing. At least all i have owned had stupidly long gearing.
*Lotus's. Otherwise, good work as usual boys.
Oops. When you stroke an undersquare engine, it gets seriously undersquare, I believe.
I like the point that the Brits hate poor people as someone who grew up in a former British colony I can verify that that culture is very British.
Currently one for sale here. It's $90k... Would buy in a heartbeat if I had the money.
Jeder Popel fährt ein Opel!
4:13 made me chuckle. I'm a 14 year old I guess xD
I thought the clutch and brakes were pretty good even by today’s standards. Steering box does age the car the most for sure.
So, turn lights on. Hold 2000rpm. Got it. Gotta go! Bye.......................
This segment brought to you by the new sponsor, TxFx un-LTD!
Carlton is 5" longer than modern Civic. 3" shorter than E60
More UK weirdness - MG ZT-T V8 estate (wagon)
Or the Rover 75 equivalent.
Holden had the only LSD? Hasn’t GM definitely had Positraction rear ends in pickups and vans for generations?
Did you forget about the other fastest sedan straight six biturbo of 1991 from Buchloe ?
Wasn't the Omega the chassis GM used for the Saab 9000 after GM bought Saab? So, Jason's mom still ended up with a Saab (kinda) under the skin.
No, one is fwd and the other is rwd. Completely different platforms.
That’s the 164, Croma, Thema chassis that you’re talking about 😀
Only sedan? The Lotus Cortina doesn't count?
Hello. Lotus Cortina were 2 door. So probably consider that a coupe. Not a saloon/sedan. I had the same immediate reaction as you.
Does the Lada Lotus count as a sedan ?
@@Tony-jd8bz Cortina wasn’t ever a coupe. It was a 2 door saloon, like the BMW 3 series etc.
@@indiebekonn
Hello Michal.
@thecarmudgeonshow Jason. Derek. Are you going to weigh in on this friendly disagreement?
And when are you coming here to Hethel to have ago on their test track ?
I live in Norwich, not far.
Worked there for a week. Didn't wear my mask tight enough rubbing down Elise and VX bodies. Had multicoloured boogies every day.
Opel was always considered an old mans car choice, except for the few sporty models, so as their customer base died out they couldn't get the younger audience to buy it in the 2000s and onwards. Almost nobody bought Opels in the 2000s and 2010s. Though they still had some of the roomiest wagons there were.
The newest generation of Opel cars is the first one in ages that does look good, after we had 2 decades of boring, drab looking cars from Opel. Consider it like Mitsubishi, had nice cars in the distant past, but didn't do anything interesting for a long, long time.
''the title that I'd like to give to Revelations and I don't think I will''
Well well well 😁
So the video clocked 370k views in 4 days. I guess you guys routinely underestimate either the depth of knowledge or diversity of your audience. But most of all, the simple fact that you make straight up BEST automotive content on youtubes and I guess many people - myself included - will gladly dial in and listen to whatever story you have to tell. I had no idea what Fiero was prior to watching REVelations on it and I think that 250 Vignale from Derek's video looks like Lusso's retarded cousin but I enjoyed both of them as much as any other one about a car I really like.
//Just read a comment about Forza and Gran Turismo, that's also on point. When I browse through the cars my teenage cousins have in those games it's essentially the back catalog of my childhood's wet dreams. One of them was going through his BMWs to find e39 5 series so I could drive 'my' car in his game, the other guy picked R5 Turbo. I guess the people responsible for the selection of vehicles are my age. Regardless of the reason, video games keep these cars relevant and let kids interact with them, even if only virtually.
Unfortunately, people think money improves anything, including driving skills. As if you can afford a say E63 AMG you are a better driver because it's a fast Mercedes, therefore the car makes you a better driver... which is ass-backwards: it's the driver that makes the car, not the other way around.
Maybe Lotus never worked with Porsche? Or Mercedes?
But would you choose a STOCK Lotus Omega over the 500E?