Lotus Carlton. Who Remembers?..
Discussion
I remember mine just, been in the restorers for a year. Bought 18 months ago, I had great advice on here, and that was the last thread I've seen on the LC, never seen a thread were someone was regretting the purchase.
They are fantastic cars if you can drive, all my mates who race love it, regardless of age, the traction control age group hate it. It is significantly faster than friends 964s and 348s which were the supper cars of its day.
Mine needed a good going over and I decided on a bare metal respray as I intend it as a keeper, I have sourced every part I needed, including odd things like the Air Box, badges, and original front seats.
They are fantastic cars if you can drive, all my mates who race love it, regardless of age, the traction control age group hate it. It is significantly faster than friends 964s and 348s which were the supper cars of its day.
Mine needed a good going over and I decided on a bare metal respray as I intend it as a keeper, I have sourced every part I needed, including odd things like the Air Box, badges, and original front seats.
I had one from new back in the early 90's.
Amazing cars back then, performance was incredible. Huge torque, minimal lag, intergalactic gearing. With 44mph per 1000rpm in top, 120mph was under 3000pm. I remember driving back from a trip to the Monaco GP. It was the most quiet and effortless 120mph I've ever done. Surreal.
I loved the way it sounded, the colour, the look, the wheels, the seats, the ZR1 gearbox, the huge metal plate accelerator pedal.
But it was a big old beast, felt much heavier than the Esprit I part ex'd for it. It was incredibly effective around the track, Peter Gethin took me around Goodwood in it and did 1.40 on his first attempt (he'd never driven one before). That was a match for the Ferrari 355 at the time which was the next big thing 1996. That's amazing but the rear wheel steering made it crab around the corners. At high speed you could really feel it working but I always enjoyed cornering in the Esprit more.
It was fun when the rear tyres got past their best. Progressive, controllable oversteer on demand.
Great cars.
Amazing cars back then, performance was incredible. Huge torque, minimal lag, intergalactic gearing. With 44mph per 1000rpm in top, 120mph was under 3000pm. I remember driving back from a trip to the Monaco GP. It was the most quiet and effortless 120mph I've ever done. Surreal.
I loved the way it sounded, the colour, the look, the wheels, the seats, the ZR1 gearbox, the huge metal plate accelerator pedal.
But it was a big old beast, felt much heavier than the Esprit I part ex'd for it. It was incredibly effective around the track, Peter Gethin took me around Goodwood in it and did 1.40 on his first attempt (he'd never driven one before). That was a match for the Ferrari 355 at the time which was the next big thing 1996. That's amazing but the rear wheel steering made it crab around the corners. At high speed you could really feel it working but I always enjoyed cornering in the Esprit more.
It was fun when the rear tyres got past their best. Progressive, controllable oversteer on demand.
Great cars.
NotNormal said:
Like it.As a side, Heritage guys not to impressed after they saw those shots as Top Gear said they only wanted the car for "static shots"
Edited by NotNormal on Tuesday 18th November 09:48
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