Vauxhall Carlton
| Vauxhall Carlton | |
|---|---|
Pre-facelift Carlton Mk 1 saloon
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Vauxhall (General Motors) |
| Also called |
Opel Rekord E Opel Omega A |
| Production | 1978–1994 |
| Assembly |
Luton, United Kingdom Rüsselsheim, West Germany |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Executive car |
| Body style | 4-door saloon 4-door estate |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Related |
Opel Rekord |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Vauxhall Victor/VX series |
| Successor | Vauxhall Omega |
Opel Rekord
Holden VB Commodore
Holden VC Commodore
The Vauxhall Carlton is a series of large family car/executive car sold in two distinct generations by the Vauxhall division of GM Europe between 1978 and 1994. The Carlton was based on the Opel Rekord E (Mk.1) and Omega A (Mk.2).
With the exception of the pre-facelift Mk.1 cars, most Carltons were manufactured by Opel in Rüsselsheim, and differed only from their Opel Rekord/Omega sisters in badging and trim.
It was replaced by the Omega B in 1994, mirroring the standardisation of model names across both GM Europe brands.
Main Article: Opel Rekord E The first Vauxhall Carlton was introduced in September 1978 as a replacement for the ageing VX1800/VX2300 saloons. Based on the Opel Rekord, but with Vauxhall's typical "droop snoot" front end that featured no traditional grille. The other difference was the dashboard, which featured the hooded instrument binnacle going across the whole width of the car with wooden embellishment, compared to the plainer dash of the Rekord. It was a traditional large saloon or estate with rear-wheel drive and a spacious, comfortable interior and was available in "L" trim only. Power came from a 2.0–litre carburettor petrol engine which gave reasonable performance, refinement and economy. There were some impressive options available, including central door locking, alloy wheels and electric windows, which in the late 1970s were relatively plush equipment on mainstream cars.
It was designed to compete directly with the Ford Granada, which was consistently the most popular car of that size in Britain during the 1970s. It also competed with British Leyland's Princess and Rover SD1 model ranges, as well as foreign competitors including the Citroen CX and Renault 20/30. It was launched shortly before the Peugeot 505.
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