A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Anyone seen or heard of a Lotus Carlton in the US? I want one and am willing to sell my Elan for one. Please help!
Josh
A:
Originally Posted by jib2222
Anyone seen or heard of a Lotus Carlton in the US? I want one and am willing to sell my Elan for one. Please help!
Josh
Hi Josh -
Don't want to extinguish your fire, but the Carlton/Omega was never brought to the States -- not legal here, and I've never heard of any gray-market cars here in all the time since they were made.
What year/model Elan do you have? For the right car at the right price, I'd consider buying one outright. I want another early Elan, not an M100. Convertible or DHC, NOT a project car (had plenty of those -- I want a car to drive to accompany my Elise).
A:
Not sure if GM ever sold the Vauxhall Carlton/Opel Omega in the Lotus version in the USA. It was a purely GM-europe based product AFAIK.
Oh.. For the USA you probably want the LHD Lotus Omega and not the RHD Lotus Carlton..
Not sure what the rules are on importing older cars into the USA, but I think it's still too 'new' (built from 1990 to 1992) to qualify as some form of 'classic' car.
So I'd say your chances of getting one in the USA and use it on the road are about 0.00000000000
Bye, Arno
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What is so desirable about that car anyway?
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Originally Posted by keith86a
What is so good about that car anyway?
World's fastest sedan (saloon) -- still. And handles!
Maybe -- just maybe -- the new Audi A8 V-10 could outrun it on a drag, but the Carlton/Omega was never speed-governed like the German cars are. Did I say fast?
A:
Originally Posted by lotusport
What year/model Elan do you have? For the right car at the right price, I'd consider buying one outright. I want another early Elan, not an M100. Convertible or DHC, NOT a project car (had plenty of those -- I want a car to drive to accompany my Elise).
I'd consider selling you mine Elan photos
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As someone who was living it the UK at that time I can tell you it had about as much cool or desireability as a late model Chevy Impala here. It will be eaten alive and spat back out by your Elise at any track day too, so don't be fooled into thinking that it was that special just because it never made it over here. There are also much wilder EU only cars, like the Cosworth Sierra, which was insanely fast and very able.
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Don't know about importing cars to the US but there is one for sale in Australia Lotus Carlton
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The Lotus Carlton is an awesome piece of machinery. It wasn't until Vauxhall rebadged the Holden Monaro in 2005 (?) that there was a faster Vauxhall/Opel. It put out 377hp back when Cosworths were putting out 220. Top speed of around 180 for a four door saloon with room for you luggage still is fantastic.
Absolutely an Elise would lunch it round a track (unless the track was Le Mans or something else long and fast) but as a tool for cross continents it still is a fantastic proposition (unless you have the cash for an M5.....)
As a Lotus employee, it remains an iconic symbol of what Lotus does really well: take ordinary cooking models and make them go like stink (Lotus Sunbeam, Cortina etc....)
A:
The Lotus Carlton is an awesome piece of machinery. It wasn't until Vauxhall rebadged the Holden Monaro in 2005 (?) that there was a faster Vauxhall/Opel. It put out 377hp back when Cosworths were putting out 220. Top speed of around 180 for a four door saloon with room for you luggage still is fantastic.
Absolutely an Elise would lunch it round a track (unless the track was Le Mans or something else long and fast) but as a tool for cross continents it still is a fantastic proposition (unless you have the cash for an M5.....)
As a Lotus employee, for me it remains an iconic symbol of what Lotus does really well: take ordinary cooking models and make them go like stink (Lotus Sunbeam, Cortina etc....)
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Vernasca, I heard the plant is running only 3 days a week. Is that true?
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Originally Posted by jib2222
Anyone seen or heard of a Lotus Carlton in the US? I want one and am willing to sell my Elan for one. Please help!
Josh
No you don't want one. Not after you heard that it's not really mechanically flawless.
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Originally Posted by lotuscar
Vernasca, I heard the plant is running only 3 days a week. Is that true?
Currently we're running full time, same as always. Churning them out to keep up with US demand! We have Exige Ss everywhere and the Europa is starting too
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They are importable to Canada, considering their age although I doubt that you can get it anywhere closer than that though.
Another Lotus sedan alternative, although I wouldn't trust a Lada :scared::
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Josh:
A fellow Lotus Ltd. member and I have a proposal to the NHTSA to import the Lotus Omega (left hand drive version of Carlton) to the US under the "Show and DIsplay" provision. No luck yet but was asked to call the head of NHTSA this week.
Feff
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I guess I wont hold my breath. The one in Australia was over $60,000. What would you do through the NHTSA? How would they help?
What If I imported one as a "Show Car"....
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Josh:
The NHTSA has to approve the importation of the Omega/Carlton as a "Show and Display" car. They determine if it's a "significant car" eleigible for the Show and Display approval. Good news is the head of the that part of the NHTSA is a car buff owning two Bizzarinis.
We have articles from a ton of magazines as support for the proposal, a letter from Mike Kimberly (fomer managing director and now board member of Group Lotus) supporting our claims and a well thought out plan. The Swedish imported Omega's even have a dual cat system like most sedans in The US to meet our emissions requirements. Still no luck!
You can find an Omega/Carlton in Europe for $20,000-$40,000 (US dollars) but I hope you can turn a wrench because it will be very difficult to get it serviced.
Feff
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may be a repost but reminds me how lucky I was when the Lotus Omega was my daily driver ... every time a workout!
Expensive to run comparate to an Elan or an Elise(discs, pads, odd dimension tyres, gas... in France!!!) and fragile if pushed very hard (battery, gearbox and clutch were the Achille’s tendon)
Actually considering bringing one in Canada now that they are 15 years old and eligible for legal import....just afraid of the salt during winter. I keep you posted....
Tiff Needle testing the car:
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Thread resurrection...
However, the Cadillac Catera was essentially a rebadged Opel Omega - maybe this would help.
Cheers!
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The NHTSA approved my proposal to import a Lotus Omega, but only the left hand drive Omega under "Show & Display" rules. Go to the NHTSA web site, do a search for "Show and Display" then follow the rules.
You'll need a regsitered importer, approved by the NHTSA. I'd sugest JK Technologies in Maryland.
Mark Pfeffer