The £120k Vauxhall: Rare 1990s British performance car predicted to sell for a stellar sum

Daily Mail​

5 days ago

A rare Vauxhall could sell for a world record price when it goes under the hammer later this month.
The motor - which is one of just 300 sold in the UK in the early 1990s - is one of the best surviving examples in Britain.
As such, experts have predicted a winning bid in the region of £100,000 to £120,000.
That's a hell of an outlay for a Vauxhall, you might think. But this is a particularly special motor.
The 1993 car is one of the last Carlton performance saloons to come off Lotus' Hethel production line in Norfolk, with the legendary sports car maker producing the souped-up variant of the Vauxhall Omega to challenge the Ford Sierra Cosworth.
Faster than its rival, the 377bhp Vauxhall was so rapid that the Daily Mail in the 1990s campaigned for it to be banned from Britain's roads of safety grounds.
In the last 32 years, this late example has covered only 29,000 miles and is said to be one of the most exciting cars to go under the hammer in 2025, boasting 'exceptional provenance and peerless originality'.
Finished in its factory Imperial Green pearlescent paint with grey leather interior, chassis #0841 has spent its life in dry storage across just two families, according to Iconic Auctioneers.
Still bearing its supplying dealer number plates and tax‑disc holder, it retains its original book pack, service history, press material and Lotus authenticity certificate.
The lightweight alloy wheels are its only refinished items, underscoring the car's status as a reference‑quality example.
The Lotus Carlton story is legendary.
Launched in 1990, the 3.6‑litre twin‑turbo straight‑six produced 377bhp, channelled through a Corvette‑sourced six‑speed gearbox – the only one that General Motors had available at the time that could cope with the engine's exceptional torque.
Stopping power was provided by AP Racing brakes derived from Group C endurance racing cars of the time, as well as specially developed Goodyear tyres.
Performance figures of 0‑to-60mph in 5 seconds and a top speed of 176mph dwarfed that of the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500. It was so fast, in fact, that the Daily Mail famously declared it 'too fast for British roads' in the early nineties and campaigned to have it banned, only cementing its cult status.
That said, the Lotus Carlton hasn't appreciated in value quite as significantly as its blue oval brand rival.
In the last 32 years, the car has covered only 29,000 miles and is said to be one of the most exciting cars to come to the hammer this year boasting ' exceptional provenance and peerless originality'
While Sierra Cosworths are typically changing hands for over £100,000 - with one sold at auction in February 2023 for a scarcely believable £596,250 - the price of Carltons hasn't quite matched up.
The most expensive one on record sold in February 2024 for £111,524 with only 17,823 miles on the clock.
Production of the blisteringly fast saloon ended during the mid-nineties recession.
Just 950 cars were built in total, with only 320 of these being right-hand drive models for the UK.
The 3.6‑litre twin‑turbo straight‑six produced 377bhp and is married to a Corvette‑sourced six‑speed gearbox
Despite being made by Lotus, the cars sold in Britain all featured Vauxhall badging.
During its heyday, non petrolheads would have been none the wiser to its breathtaking performance on looks alone, with many dismissing it as a conventional Vauxhall family car due to its 'sleeper' appearance.
As such, the Carlton won many places in the hearts of enthusiasts at the time.
However, around just 200 survive today, with many written off in crashes or as a result of being stolen in the 1990s.
It means this performance Vauxhall is 'rarer today than many contemporary supercars', the auction house says.
The car will head to the auction block on Saturday 24 August at the Iconic Auctioneers Collectors' Car Sale at the Silverstone Classic weekend hosted at the Grand Prix circuit
'Its blend of discreet styling and supercar‑scorching performance ensured instant icon status among enthusiasts, collectors and the motoring press alike,' Iconic claims.
Steve Keen, its car specialist who consigned the car in preparation for its sale, added: 'The Lotus Carlton rewrote the rule book for four‑door performance, and this particular example is widely regarded as one of the very best.
'Opportunities to own such an original, low‑mileage car are few and far between, so we expect significant interest from discerning collectors.
'Its presence at our Silverstone Sale underlines our commitment to offering only the most significant cars to market.'
The car will head to the auction block on Saturday 24 August at the Iconic Auctioneers Collectors' Car Sale at the Silverstone Classic weekend hosted at the Grand Prix circuit.