Iconic Lotus Carlton tops all-time poll

The mighty Lotus Carlton has been named the most iconic performance Vauxhall ever.

Powered by a 3.6-litre turbocharged engine and capable of a top speed of 177mph, there were calls for the super saloon to be banned when it was launched in 1990.

The Lotus Carlton topped a poll carried out by The Performance Vauxhall Show ahead of this year’s event, which takes place on June 11 at Santa Pod.

It accounted for more than a third of the total votes, with the Calibra coupe in second place and the Astra VXR completing the top three.

This year’s Performance Vauxhall Show will also include a special 25th birthday display to celebrate the silver anniversary of the Cavalier Turbo.

Boasting a 204bhp turbocharged engine, four-wheel-drive and Chevrolet Corvette-derived six-speed gearbox, it’s now one of the rarest and most cherished of 1990s performance saloons.

At least 10 of the 49 known survivors examples will be on display at the show, from immaculately preserved standard variants to the wildly modified.

Early bird tickets are available for £18 (plus booking fee), as opposed to £23 on the gate. Visit www.performancevauxhallshow.co.uk for more details.