1989 Vauxhall Carlton GSI 3000 Review, Even More Rare Than a Lotus Carlton!!!

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🚗 Vauxhall Carlton GSI 12V – Autobahn Cruiser with Forgotten Legend Status 🇩🇪🦾

How’s it going everyone! Today we’re behind the wheel of a 1989 Vauxhall Carlton GSI 12-valve, and let us tell you — this is an underrated slice of classic performance. Powered by a 3.0L straight-six mated to an automatic gearbox with overdrive, this autobahn bruiser was built for smooth, high-speed cruising and comfort. While not as famous as its Lotus-tuned sibling, the GSI 12V is far rarer, with only a handful left unmodified in the UK. 😯💨

📊 Specs & Features:
This classic cruiser features a 3.0L fuel-injected 12-valve straight-six, pushing around 177 horsepower to the rear wheels through a 4-speed auto with a unique overdrive function. It boasts Bilstein suspension, limited-slip diff, and luxurious Recaro sport seats in a half-leather trim. Add to that a quirky digital dash, electric mirrors, sunroof, headlight wipers, and more ashtrays than you’ll ever need — because the '80s were built different. 🔧🛋️🕹️

🧠 Final Thoughts:
It might not have the price tag or fame of the Lotus Carlton, but this GSI offers true autobahn DNA, surprising cornering capability, and a level of comfort you'd never expect from an '80s performance saloon. With a subtle exhaust note and authentic retro charm, it’s a modern classic in hiding — and the owner says it’s his favourite of the nine cars he owns. That says everything. 🏁❤️

⭐ Final Rating:

Future Classic: 7/10
Daily: 7/10
Wallet Hurt: 4/10
Fun: 5/10

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[fossilfish]

Great condition. Lovely owner. Great fan of the GSI2000

[andrewp]

I owned one of these in the late 80's. A manual 12V on an 'E' plate, in the dark graphite colour. I didn't do much motorway driving, other than a daily 60 mile each way commute on the M3/M25. I mainly enjoyed driving it on fast country A roads. I've always loved big straight sixes, and this car was excellent. As mentioned here, I'd gained the impression that these had mostly all rusted away. Well, that's Vauxhalls.
Interestingly my next car after the Carlton was a BMW 535i Sport. I never really 'bonded' with that car. Highly efficient, lots of go, but I never really felt super comfortable in the seats, nor did I feel so great with how it drove on my favourite country roads. Firm suspension, but lacking in some subtlety. Basically, I enjoyed driving the Carlton more, and I didn't keep the BMW long. At the time, too much money, insufficient brains perhaps. On these Carltons, you could have a choice of a digital or a traditonal analogue dash. Mine was analogue.

[pellepp]

Nice channel, keep up the good work, great to see something else than"number 27"😊

[mitchhigginson]

I had a white 24v version as well. I bought it when was coming to the end of its product life, Vauxhall were clearing them, so they were offered at a huge discount, J reg if I recall. I wanted a grey one, but they’d sold out so white it was. I had to have air-conditioning retro fitted as it was a stock car and it wasn’t fitted as standard. Oil change between services helped it go to 150, 000 miles before a friend bought it off me and ran it for another 30K before selling it with no major issues.
A great car and super performance for the time. Easy to knock Vauxhall but I have very fond memories of it.
Wear a light blue shirt and dark tie and watch the motorway clear, it was used as an unmarked police car locally to me at the time – great fun.

[RogueVigilante]

57.5% seems like an extremely low rating I would say realistically 30-35 the car for its price and what it is really is a gem those cars do not handle like other saloon cars from that era literally destroyed everything on the road stock at least in Lotus Carlton/Opel Omega form but even the 3000gsi in 12v is amazing the 24v being spectacular and the actual Carlton being Phenomenal in another league anyways you can upgrade the 24v to be as powerful as the Carlton easily and I just feel the look and performance of this car is timeless I Adore them and feel it deserves a Much higher rating I am disappointed in your score 😂 lolz no for real I am curious why you have it that?

[EvoraGT]

Nice car, but let's face it the Lotus is quite a bit more

[David--]

So.... It's not the Lotus version 🙄

[Thenosferatu]

he's pregnant with 20 children....