Beater or Sleeper? GT6 Car of the Week Thread

Have no fear, Suzuka is here with your weekly Mid-Field shakedown test!

First, let's see what specs we're dealing with here...

3.6L
375 hp / 5,000 rpm
411 ft-lb / 4,000 rpm
1,655 kg (3,649 lbs)
472 pp

104 horsepower per liter, and 9.7 lbs per horsepower. Okay, okay, enough with the numbers, geek. Show us the lap time!

Very well, then...



Cars within +/- half a second:

1:24.682 - 488 - Audi RS 6 '02
1:24.784 - 460 - Chevrolet Camaro SS '00
1:24.817 - 429 - Honda S2000 '03
1:24.831 - 426 - Mugen S2000 '00
1:24.875 - 453 - Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32) '89
1:24.962 - 429 - Mazda RX-8 Type S '07
1:24.963 - 425 - Lotus Esprit Turbo HC '87
1:24.975 - 435 - Ford Focus RS '02
1:24.980 - 435 - Nissan Silvia 240RS (S110) '83
1:24.994 - 423 - Opel Speedster Turbo '00
1:25.028 - 433 - Pontiac Solstice Coupe Concept '02
1:25.108 - 427 - Renault Sport Clio V6 24V '00
1:25.126 - 450 - Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX STi Version III '96
1:25.171 - 472 - Lotus Carlton '90
1:25.258 - 448 - TVR V8S '91

1:25.413 - 413 - Ferrari Dino 246 GT '71
1:25.420 - 435 - Volkswagen Scirocco R '10
1:25.448 - 465 - Audi S4 '03
1:25.600 - 434 - Mazda Éfini RX-7 Type R (FD) '91
1:25.611 - 456 - Chrysler 300C '05
1:25.654 - 433 - Acura NSX '91

1:25.662 - 441 - Nismo 270R '94

So you see, the Lotus has some interesting competition indeed! It's faster than a TVR and NSX of nearly the same year, as well as the Chrysler 300C. It's as fast as Lotus' own Esprit Turbo, and Godzilla himself, the Nissan GT-R '89!

If I had to pick a direct rival for the Carlton '90, I'd have to go with the GT-R '89. Sure it's 4WD and not FR, but it meets the qualifications otherwise. It's got backseats (I think.)

One thing is for sure, the GT-R is a hell of a lot easier to drive, but the Lotus is bonkers in a straight line. In fact, it can do 140 mph on the front straight, while the GT-R only managed 135 mph. Both cars don't really scream "fast" when you look at them. No air scoops or any of that nonsense. Only true car enthusiasts know the truth. These two are the definition of the word "sleeper."

I'll attempt to crack into the 1:24's tomorrow.
 
Last edited:
So looking at that list, while it's quite a fast car, in comparison to the other vehicles of simiar lap times the Carlton is awful for it's PP rating.

Not really the car's fault though but rather that of PD's since they calculated the rating system afterall. Heavy cars with lots of torque always seem to get punished in the PP system.
 
And light cars with no torque get rewarded :crazy:

Indeed, which is why we see the GSX/R-4 is always rearing it's ugly head in seasonal TTs. :indiff:

Beaten by it's relatives (by marriage? lol), the Speedster Turbo and Esprit HC which are almost 50PP lower. It's why I take cars like the Honda Civic to tracks that are all about power to weight ratio in the 500P room I regularly race in. They always get a comment from someone who's in what is usually percieved to be fast car - with a p/w just under 300hp/ton - getting left in the dust by a Civic which has a p/w ratio of 410hp/ton, and hitting in excess of 25mph faster at the end of a straight, because it's a torqueless wonder that weighs 900kg, the absolute sweetspot in the PP system.
 
Have no fear, Suzuka is here with your weekly Mid-Field shakedown test!

First, let's see what specs we're dealing with here...

3.6L
375 hp / 5,000 rpm
411 ft-lb / 4,000 rpm
1,655 kg (3,649 lbs)
472 pp

104 horsepower per liter, and 9.7 lbs per horsepower. Okay, okay, enough with the numbers, geek. Show us the lap time!

Very well, then...



Cars within +/- half a second:

1:24.682 - 488 - Audi RS 6 '02
1:24.784 - 460 - Chevrolet Camaro SS '00
1:24.817 - 429 - Honda S2000 '03
1:24.831 - 426 - Mugen S2000 '00
1:24.875 - 453 - Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32) '89
1:24.962 - 429 - Mazda RX-8 Type S '07
1:24.963 - 425 - Lotus Esprit Turbo HC '87
1:24.975 - 435 - Ford Focus RS '02
1:24.980 - 435 - Nissan Silvia 240RS (S110) '83
1:24.994 - 423 - Opel Speedster Turbo '00
1:25.028 - 433 - Pontiac Solstice Coupe Concept '02
1:25.108 - 427 - Renault Sport Clio V6 24V '00
1:25.126 - 450 - Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX STi Version III '96
1:25.171 - 472 - Lotus Carlton '90
1:25.258 - 448 - TVR V8S '91

1:25.413 - 413 - Ferrari Dino 246 GT '71
1:25.420 - 435 - Volkswagen Scirocco R '10
1:25.448 - 465 - Audi S4 '03
1:25.600 - 434 - Mazda Éfini RX-7 Type R (FD) '91
1:25.611 - 456 - Chrysler 300C '05
1:25.654 - 433 - Acura NSX '91

1:25.662 - 441 - Nismo 270R '94

So you see, the Lotus has some interesting competition indeed! It's faster than a TVR and NSX of nearly the same year, as well as the Chrysler 300C. It's as fast as Lotus' own Esprit Turbo, and Godzilla himself, the Nissan GT-R '89!

If I had to pick a direct rival for the Carlton '90, I'd have to go with the GT-R '89. Sure it's 4WD and not FR, but it meets the qualifications otherwise. It's got backseats (I think.)

One thing is for sure, the GT-R is a hell of a lot easier to drive, but the Lotus is bonkers in a straight line. In fact, it can do 140 mph on the front straight, while the GT-R only managed 135 mph. Both cars don't really scream "fast" when you look at them. No air scoops or any of that nonsense. Only true car enthusiasts know the truth. These two are the definition of the word "sleeper."

I'll attempt to crack into the 1:24's tomorrow.


Yay, Suzuka came! And I didn't even need a magical seashell, eat it Spongebob. :mischievous: :lol:

Nevertheless, a fine job as usual, and the ultimate proof of the Carlton's sports car killing prowless. When you're a 4-door sedan that is faster than the god damm R32, you know you have the right to be called a "sleeper". And it can also embarass a TVR, now that's impressive.
 
Ha, the Carlton... a car which has among the lowest cornering speeds in GT6. It is currently at -48 PP on my Trial Mountain board - which means it would sit at 424 PP without oil change. Some cars sporting 400 PP or even less could lap fster on technical tracks. Of course, it will get back a couple of seconds on tracks with a 800m or more main straight.

TL;DR : chassis is worse than the power is huge.
 
Oh, Vicky Butler-Hendersen... If only all women drivers had your talent with a steering wheel, then the world would be a happier place.

You need to stop seeing the wrong women. Fast women are everywhere.

Unless there's anybody about on Thursday night...

I shall do my best.
 
The Fresh Prince of Carlton

Trial Mountain Circuit.jpg


You're probably wondering why my Lotus Carlton is in the process of a rollover, But first let me give you the story leading up to my life getting flip-turned upside down. :lol:

The 1990 Lotus Carlton was latest choice/victim for the COTW regulars and this car is what most people think of when you say 'Sleeper or Q Car.

Based on the Vauxhall Carlton (or the Opel Omega), the Lotus Carlton had its engine taken from the Vauxhall and was enlarged from 3 liters to 3.6 and then given 2 Garrett Turbos, a 6 speed manual gearbox from a ZR1 Corvette and a Limited Slip Differential from a V8 Holden Commodore.

Only 950 cars were built, 320 were Carltons and the rest were Omegas and were capable of knocking on the door of 180 mph with a top speed of 177 mph.

Of course its quite bulky at 1.6 tons and 59 percent of that weight is at the front so under steer was expected as well as over steer at low speeds.

The nights racing had the @McClarenDesign patented 'Any Given Sunday' rule in effect so the winner had to drop a tyre compound for the next race.

Despite me somehow winning a second race on the comfort softs which then put me on comfort mediums, the Carlton was surprisingly good fun to drive.

Our bonus race of the night took a cops and robbers showdown and turned it into Marked Man.

Guess who was the Marked Man? :D

In the Past, the Carlton and Omega had a habit of outrunning police when its driver committed crimes like Ram Raiding shops, so we decided to find out that if its as good at escaping cops in the virtual world.

Special Stage Route 5.jpg


It was great fun, but in the end the Carlton repeated history and escaped the cops. ;)


Special Stage Route 5_1.jpg


Not even a roadblock slowed the car down, straight through the gap.:sly:

After the racing was over, I decided to upgrade the car thoroughly and have some fun ( as well as making a photo for @Niku Driver HC to judge).

So I went to Matterhorn and decided to get a photo of the Carlton going sideways.

But then I thought, Why not add a spin on that drift? :cool:

And here's the result. :)

Matterhorn Riffelsee.jpg
:eek::eek:

Afterwards I decided to test the upgraded handling at the Trial Mountain Circuit.

And you all now know how that ended up.:P

All things considered, back then it was a wolf in sheeps clothing, a rebel without a limiter, a middle finger to Gentleman's Agreements, Police and Politics.

Today it stands as a Sleeper and because its now 25 years old, even the guys stateside can enjoy it too. :cheers:

Verdict, Sleeper ;)👍
 
Mr. Vic, a flying drift? Quite impressive, old chap, you have clearly gone for the D1GP photographic approach. A very fine attempt indeed, and one that will take some doing to be defeated. You deserve the finest British pints for that photo, well done. :cheers:

And I guess even in GT6 the Carlton can flip off cops and run away with stolen goods, it hasn't lost a step in that department.

Also, don't forget to show me those moves pictures. Lest you want to give Vic even more of an advantage come next week.... ;)
 
Last edited:
But then I thought, Why not add a spin on that drift? :cool: And here's the result. :)

View attachment 369951 :eek::eek:

Congratulations Vic Reign93!

Dodge RAM?

No.

Are we going back to the Spirra next week?

No.

or the BTR...

No. Vic, tell everyone what's on tap.

I'm deciding between being sadistic with my choice or to go the route of machismo with my choice...

100_2116.jpg

It's the 1987 RUF CTR "Yellow Bird"!

Brass Balls are a requirement, not an option.

To be fair, you were warned.


Just a spoonful of opposite lock helps the medicine go down.
 
Back