Uncommon 1990s British Performance Vauxhall Expected to Garner High Sale Price of £120k
The upcoming Iconic Auctioneers Collectors' Car Sale at the Silverstone Classic weekend will see the auction of a rare and highly valued British performance saloon - the 1993 Lotus Carlton. This car, chassis #0841, is one of the last performance saloons produced at Lotus' Hethel factory and is considered one of the best surviving examples in Britain.
Developed in the late 1980s, the Lotus Carlton was born from the re-engineering of the Vauxhall Carlton 3.0 GSi. Lotus significantly boosted the car's power and performance, transforming it into a genuine supercar while maintaining its practical 4-door configuration. The car features a 3.6-litre 24-valve twin-turbocharged straight-six engine producing around 377 brake horsepower[1][3][5].
The Lotus Carlton's performance dwarfed that of the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 in the 1990s. The Daily Mail famously declared it 'too fast for British roads' and campaigned to have it banned[6]. Despite this, only 320 right-hand drive Lotus Carltons were built for the UK market[7].
This particular Lotus Carlton has spent its life in dry storage across just two families and has covered only 29,000 miles in the last 32 years[2]. The only refinished items on the car are its lightweight alloy wheels. The car, finished in factory Imperial Green pearlescent paint with a grey leather interior, retains its original book pack, service history, press material, and Lotus authenticity certificate[4].
Steve Keen, a car specialist, considers this particular Lotus Carlton as one of the very best[8]. In 2025, the Vauxhall Carlton is one of the most exciting cars to go under the hammer, boasting 'exceptional provenance and peerless originality'[9]. The auction of the Lotus Carlton is seen as a commitment to offering significant cars to market.
The 1993 Lotus Carlton is predicted to sell for £100,000 to £120,000 in the upcoming auction[2][4]. The most expensive Lotus Carlton on record was sold in February 2024 for £111,524[10]. The car's performance figures include 0-to-60mph in 5 seconds and a top speed of 176mph[11]. Its 'sleeper' appearance, making its breathtaking performance less apparent to non-enthusiasts, adds to its allure.
References: 1. https://www.motor.co.uk/car-news/motoring-history/the-lotus-carlton-a-super-saloon-for-the-80s-90s-114674 2. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/news/lotus-carlton-to-be-sold-at-silverstone-auction 3. https://www.classicdriver.com/en/car-news/lotus-carlton-1993 4. https://www.hagerty.com/values/1993-lotus-carlton 5. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/news/lotus-carlton-a-super-saloon-for-the-80s-90s-114674 6. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/news/lotus-carlton-a-super-saloon-for-the-80s-90s-114674 7. https://www.classicdriver.com/en/car-news/lotus-carlton-1993 8. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/news/lotus-carlton-to-be-sold-at-silverstone-auction 9. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/news/lotus-carlton-to-be-sold-at-silverstone-auction 10. https://www.hagerty.com/values/1993-lotus-carlton 11. https://www.classicdriver.com/en/car-news/lotus-carlton-1993
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