The Real Story of 40RA. The Lotus Carlton that Outran the Police and became an Urban Legend.
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- čas přidán 23. 12. 2023
- Cars, rather than their number plates, are normally the basis for automotive legends. But in the case of the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton (Opel Lotus Omega in Europe) registration 40 RA, the number plate definitely takes the lead.
The car was stolen in November 1993, and immediately was taken on a 6 week rampage of the West Midlands as a getaway vehicle for robberies from newsagents and shops. In January 1994 the robberies stopped, and the legend of 40RA began.
The advent of the internet turbo charged the rumour mill on this car, with more fake stories than true ones. Has it ever been found, was it scrapped, was it cloned?
This time we dig deep into the media archives to find out what really happened to the car, and also find out what car the 40 RA number plate is now attached to. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
when i saw a post on fb that Mr Richard now owns another Carlton with 40 RA reg i said to myself, what a wonderful time to be alive! If anyone wants to see one, theres a vauxhall display in gaydon transport museum and they have absolutely stunning carlton there.
I lived in the area when this was happening (grew up in West Mids) and worked in central Birmingham at the time for a financial institution. Not unsurprising that it was found in Knowle - the rumors were from the police they came from Chelmsley Wood as they were seen driving it at high speed multiple times along the collector road near the Airport. One of my friends was a WM Traffic Officer at the time. It was the reason why WMP got themselves a Porsche!
Lol Porsche no use 180mph lotus
I saw it regularly down Bartley Green, Woodgate Valley way.
Brilliant insight. I remember this. The lotus carlton to this day is my dream car. Wow in 1993 the car cost 48k a wopping 130k today. That's crazy. Some money back in the day 48k to walk into showroom purchase that motor. Feel sorry for the owner. What a car the lotus carlton was. Never knew the reg was 40 RA. how the mighty have fallen haha. 40 RA on a hyundai in 2014. From a lotus carlton super car to a hyundai electric vehicle wow. Thanks great insight to the true story the infamous lotus carlton 40 RA. Im belfast few people im sure would be interested in that plate. But great insight. If you were driving that carlton today by god youd be out some doe on fuel what. I loved sri Cavaliers 95 model etc. But a lotus carlton if i win the loto il buy the best example in the world and enjoy it. 177mph in 1993 crazy just crazy.
I used to work at clay pigeon shoot when the Lotus Carlton came out. One of the regulars had one. That car car got more looks than any car in the carpark, and that carpark had loads of fancy cars.
I saw it the other day being driven by Lord Lucan, towing a horsebox with Shergar inside it.
Was Lady Godiva in the passenger seat?
My brother owned a Lotus Carlton back in 1992 registered new at the time, unfortunately didn’t get to keep it for long as it was stolen 6 weeks later, because of its exclusivity it couldn’t be replaced. The Vauxhall dealer sold him a v6 cavalier, the lotus Carlton never was recovered.
V6 Cavalier a good car, but not a Lotus Carlton... I wonder how many LCs are left?
@@oscarsgarage44762 on the road and 119 sorn’d
@@oscarsgarage447 62 left registered on the road and 119 sorn
@@oscarsgarage447 more like how many original ones are left, if its anything like the sierra cosworths and escorts rs
Ouch. What a downgrade, and I feel sorry for your bro
What a great story, thanks for telling this and great to hear the plate was back on another Lotus Carlton.
Our pleasure!
Love your Detective work on finding these cars great job once again. Happy Christmas to you and your subscribers Oscar look forward to seeing what you find in the new year buddy
Thanks, you too!
Hope you enjoy this one - its been one I really wanted to find out the real story of
Very factual thank you very much for that, have a merry Christmas and a happy new year can’t wait for more interesting stories from you
Thanks! Have a good one!
Oscar, as someone who's watched you since your first video you are KILLING IT! Keep it up!
Thanks, love your videos as well!
Well I never knew RA was Richard Austin, later a very successful businessman with his own Race team. Not sure the Carlton had much on his Lola built S99 Sintura with 4.0L Judd V10 engine in it. If you get hold of him that car is worth it’s own video alone as very little on the net about it. Also didn’t know it met it’s end in Solihull.
Really enjoyed that .Put a lot of Rumours to bed .Have a happy Christmas .....
Thanks, you too!
A true motoring icon.
My Cavalier GSi suffered a similar fate, ending up in a canal. The roof also got caved in whilst hauling it out & yes it was a dreadful smelly mess.
Great video Trev and team . A legend laid to rest
Thanks!
It was General Motors who decided that both Vauxhall and Opel should have a high performance car hence the birth of the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton and the Opel Lotus Omega all built by Opel
The Lotus Carlton back in the day was a very very special car, it was a rocket and very very fast. The police, especially the traffic police at the time were scared of the car because it was so fast and uncatchable.. even though it was a very expensive vehicle to purchase back in the 1990’s, if you have one now there priceless especially if it’s totally standard and original. This was the era when Vauxhall made fantastic cars, like this and Astra GTE, Cavalier SRI, Manta GTE, even Nova super sport 16v.. it was the light fingered car thieves that ruined most Vauxhall’s of all types at this time, stealing them, joy riding in them, then burning the vehicle out so it was no use to anyone after they had finished with the vehicle. Then they’d just go out and steal another Vauxhall and do the same. If only Vauxhall had spent a bit more on vehicle security and immobiliser systems some of these old Vauxhall’s would still be around today.
Doubt it they all rusted away only got look at the mk1 astra GTE lucky if there's 10 registered on the road.
Great video, impressed with your research. I remember these cars coming out and all the hype that went around it, but I’m yet to actually see one in the flesh!
Thanks! 👍
I dropped onto this by accident and enjoyed the story,cheers
Thanks!
Brilliant video mate that has now put to bed finally the rumours about what happened to this car. Merry Christmas mate have a brilliant time 🎉🍺
Same to you!
I saw 40 RA carlton at the nurburgring, parked outside pistenklause in may 2023...just watching your video I thought....hang on I'm sure I saw that! and found it as I'd taken a photo! great video!
Very cool!
Only ever saw 2 of these on the road back in the nineties in my area Stourbridge West Mids.
Possibly 40RA was the one I saw on the road.
At the time I worked in an Austin Rover garage and when they came out a Vauxhall salesman brought one in to show the A-R salesmen. Boy were they envious they were driving Montego’s and Rover 800s lol 😃
Probably my favourite car ever made, i remember seeing one a few years ago on the road. It was far more special than your lambos and ferraris!
The one story at the time was the police asked Newcastle police if they could use one of their cosworth escorts to catch the lotus as Newcastle was the hot bed for car crime and they had a number of escort cosworths! The was also one story of the thieves sat outside the local police station taunting the police to chase them
Really interesting account of 40 RA. Don’t suppose they ever caught the scumbags that destroyed a soon to be piece of historic motoring.
Allegedly, they nicked a Ferrari F40 in about 2007 ish. A really shakey old video shows it doing donuts on a Birmingham estate
Its believed the police knew who it was but couldn't pin it on them...
@@aaronhussain3873was at the traffic lights near the old macakadown pub.
Richard Austin would now be about 71 assuming he's still alive, but would be good if he responded!
He is alive, and it would be an epic interview to do!
Not sure but i think he still owns the number plate and now once again owns a lotus carlton,think there was an article on it somewhere.great upload that,i heard it had ended up in the cut but didnt no for sure.the only vauxhall i ever liked,would still have a 3 door cosworth in moonstone blue like me dad had from near new tho.
@@ivanfernyhough3851I had a 3dr in moonstone on a Q plate, found out after buying it that it was previously black so sold it the next day and bought a white one that was a D Reg 😂
He lives on my road, I’ll try let him know about this video 👍
DVLA tax check says it’s a 1992 3.6l green Vauxhall. Tax just expired. MOT still valid.
Great video always wondered what happened to that Carlton
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video mate
Thanks!
I have read the story about it, and read a few posts about it, that the plate was the only thing to survive. Saying that a work mate told me a story about his cousin who owned a escort cosworth. He was driving back from work, and he noticed 3 lads in a car following him, He knew the car was going to missing, so he drove into some random dealer ship, and said Mate, give me one of you most expensive cars, and cash my way for my Escort cosworth. The dealer said why mate? the owner replied its not going be on the drive away mate, when i get in the house. The dealer took the car off him there and then, gave him some other car, and the owner returned with the docs etc. Also i was told by another cosworth owner. That you couldn't leave a car like that in certain streets at all or even areas. Same story i can see with the Lotus Carltons sadly.
Great video, very interesting. I remember being really impressed with these cars when they came out in 1990 not long after I passed my driving test.
You and me both!
Thank you so much mate! The Lotus Carlton has always been my dream car so the ram raid story about 40 RA was well known to me. I actually fell for all the online bollocks about it never being discovered and therefore most likely hidden away in a garage or warehouse somewhere. Thank you for putting our minds at rest.
Great video about a legendary car, I've only ever seen one and that was near my uncles old house. Naturally I went to admire it
Glad you enjoyed it
Me encantó tu investigación. Excelente.
Fantastic video, these were an awesome car back in the day and still are. I remember one overtake us when we were in a Citroën Bx16v then it was gone 😎
Glad you enjoyed it
Police in Luton/Dunstable had one, I watched a police driver trying to boot it out of a roundabout and get seriously untidy, nearly losing the back end completely.
In the glorious days before electronic interference!
I remember this car as well, saw it at Jansel house roundabout but only once. Shame it's become a bit of an urban myth because it definitely existed.
That was a really good account of the story ...
P.s. also a great video on the new museum opened up in Taunton.
You never know....an LC just might make an appearance there at some point 😉
That's intriguing! Keep us posted!
A shame Taunton closed down Martian records
Just came across you channel, lovely content. Have you ever looked into Story regarding the Lamborghini Engine'd Audi RS5 that was stolen from Stourport on Severn and was used for similar criminal activities ?
Thanks for the compliment. Hadn't heard of that one. Done a bit of initial digging, might be something to work with. If only to lay to rest the appalling video's of it out there!
Apparently it was a 1of2 lambo powered Audi's in the UK
Fastest Helicopter chase at 180mph 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
wouldn’t bother looking into that one. Its BS. Debunked years ago and exaggerated ever since. It was just a regular RS5.
The last time I saw a Lotus Carlton I was in a Ford Cosworth, Circa 2007. It passed me on a dual carriageway near Oxford at ridiculous speed, shortly followed by several police vehicles. Given that there were four men in the Carlton, I suspect it was being put to use as a getaway vehicle. I don't know if they caught it.
Really interesting video . As I live in the west Midlands and like walking the canals I know exactly where the original 40 RA met its end 😢
Thanks. I was hoping to find a picture of it in the water... but that was optimistic!
Weird that I ride my mountain bike on that canal path & never knew that , wot a car ❤
I’ve got to be honest I never new these cars existed until I saw your video 👍wow..
Brilliant video 😊
Thank you! 😀
Hi watched both of your 40 RA videos. The wrong way round! Nonetheless brilliant. Thank you.
Awesome, thank you!
Really enjoyable video. Just thought I'd put this info out in case it helps someone, and it pertains to personal registrations. I have a personal registration which I bought in 1982 and is quite valuable. It is on a 1998 BMW E31 840Ci which I have been trying to restore for over 6 years. In late 2021 I got very ill and it occurred to me that I may never finish the project and the car would never be back on the road. The car had been SORN since 2016. I thought it would be best to put the registration number onto retention so that I could pass it on to my son. I then found out that there is a DVLA law which states that if a car has been SORN for over 5 years, in order to transfer the registration or put it on retention, the donor vehicle has to be taxed and tested. I wrote a nice letter to DVLA explaining my circumstances, and tried to argue the point that I was only slightly over the 5 year limit and if I had known that I could have transferred it before the 5 years was up, I would have, but how is one supposed to learn of the legislation? I got a nice letter back which more or less said "tough". I am now attempting to finish the project enough to get the car through a test so as not to lose the plate, and or course its' value.
Interesting info. I knew you couldn't do transfers on line if the vehicle had been sorn'd in the recent past, but didn't know about the 5 year limit. I will look into putting together a video on it.
I've heard this my dad had a old Jag with a plate worth loads but the car was a mess ended up selling the car to someone who wanted the plate not sure if they ever got the car done to exchange the plate.
Great vid, wonder who scrap,d the original car, what scrapyard?
Funny thing about the Lotus Carlton, is that it was fitted with the Vauxhall locks and alarm, I won't go into detail, but if you had a certain tool, you could unlock the car and turn off the immobilizer and alarm and get the car started in minutes..
This happens also to my dads Opel kadett GSI 1.8 from 1985.
May have a notorious reputation but it sure is a beautiful car with some insane engineering, definitely on my list of dream vehicles. I don't plan on raiding shops for any "gentleman's magazines" though😆
Good life choice! :-)
Great video, atleast now this long debated question can be put to rest.
Thanks!
Always wondered what happened to the car and plate nice to see it back where it belongs 👍
My thoughts exactly
I watched the car being crushed the insurance company insisted that it was crushed intact didn’t remove a single part from it. I remember photos or a video being taken for proof for insurance company at the time sadly can’t remember what happened to the photos / video
Great info! I may be wrong but wasn't it your scrapyard?
The yard was owned by my dad & his brother. I seem to remember we collected it from a recovery agent at Spon lane West Bromwich after they recovered it out of the canal and we stored it for a while till the claim etc was sorted. Great info in your film didn’t know the full story of it regarding the owner giving pursuit etc!! Thanks
The plate was on a yellow nissan Micra Evesham area as well
I’m sure that Richard Austin is related to Rob Austin the BTTC Driver. Because he’s from Pershore.
I saw another video debunking the canal car and after many years what was thought to be 40RA has been sat in a compound and recently found after all this time
I saw that. Didn't seem to rely on anything factual...
One of my friends had one I think he may still have it, He had it on special insurance and I asked him just hoe special it was je said on a private track he had the thickness of the needle under 190mph. later on another friend has one but I think it may have been a replica as there was primer and other stuff going on and he was unable to open the bonnet the few times I saw the owner.
I'm positive I watched a video and the original one was rebuilt to showroom condition by a garage and they had the car on camera with the exact damage done to it . I'm not 100 💯 percent sure if it was the original. But I also a video on a Vauxhall which was the carlton Estate and the fella has fully turned it into a Lotus carlton . He has given it the bodywork and everything to with it even the engine is lotus version its a full stunning 1 only version ever . Was even in a Vauxhall magazine . You tube has the video on the estate car it's actually stunning .
Much as I would have loved to own one I would still prefer a Cossie with the whale tail and a mildly tuned engine, unrated brakes and suspension.
Always been a Ford fan since a friends dad had a mk1 Capri RS3.1.
As of 17 June 2024 it’s still on a green Vauxhall Lotus Carlton last log book change was 24 April 2024.
There was a Jaguar Saloon that was faster it had a V12 with quad turbos, it was a protype for the XJ220 and was tuned by TWR, it was reported as flying down a German Autobahn at 170mph still accelerating and was not at full revs, but it was going a bit light on the frontend, the engine never made it into the XJ220 because the engine was too long so the V6 from the Metro 6R4 was used, pity as if the V12 had have fitted the XJ220 should have been able to do 220mph
i remember talking to the geezer who was the driver or passenger in this when they outran the helicopter on the M1 i recall!
Thank you for good story Oscars Garage.
Glad you enjoyed it
Awesome fella loved this! - to think now the owner must be like 70 something! - excellent story 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it
Great story, I remember the story all over the papers at the time
Thanks!
I got a funny feeling that lotus Carlton was stolen in a village in Evesham where I grew up I never forget it as I never had seen one before when I was young
Cool video bro. Good information apart from when you said the car was so famous that it was featured on grand theft auto. Its never been on any grand theft auto ever they use made up cars and brands no real cars. The picture you showed was a mod for gta that someone made themselves. you can get pretty much any car for any game via mods. The car was featured legitimately/ licensed on the forza series. And it was probably the most fun car on forza to drive as a stock standard car
Thanks for the info. I'm at a age where most of that gaming stuff is alien to me. Apart from Tetris...
I remember this time when the UK police we're looking for a new police car unfortunately they chose the Vauxhall senator quotes about bigger only to find out a short time later that's the Lotus Carlton had become out and would have been the perfect police car
It is possible for a car to OutRun a helicopter but only in a straight line
Using a car for a RAM raid can be a terrible idea as there is huge risk to the radiator, and with that no fast escape thank you fascinating story
The canal barge owner should have been charged with numerous offences and jailed for doing that damage
Do you know the original number plate for 40 RA? there is some scrap checks online
Probably only the owner will know that, as you can only search by the current reg number.
I had a chance of buying a lotus omega out the automart (auto trader) in around 03 or 05 , bought a 2 year old evo 8 in 05 so must of been 02 or 03 anyway it was 8 grand and the fella had someone coming so I had cash to spend so bought a escort cosworth but nearly had a lotus which would of been around 6 grand less than a rhd
Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Bloody hell I live in belbroughton never knew the car was used here
i believe it was late summer 1989 I was touring Germany in my series 111 V12 Jaguar Sovereign . I was in the overtaking lane when a Vauxhall Carlton flashed his lights for me to move out the way _ bad manners in Germany you indicate left,. I thought cheeky b*gger so moved over and floored it. He sailed past me at 140mph and dissappeared into the distance. A few weeks later when back home I read a story about a Lotus Carlton being tested in Germany .I think I met it !!!
Great story
Have you ever done a video about the Essex boys Range Rover classic?
Not yet, not sure about that one...
@@oscarsgarage447 seems to be some fakes around.
Even the Sierra Cosworth and the Granada Cosworth what the motorway police had at the time had ZERO chance of keeping up with it.
Very interesting! Now can you find out what happened to the rettendon range rover?
Thanks James. I have started to look into that one... its complicated!
@@oscarsgarage447 yeah it is! Did the insurance company scrap it? Or change all the interior and flog it on?
@@JamesTowardI'm pretty sure that motor was sold on, assuming you're talking about the F424 NPE triple murders?
It was crushed, I remember when rise of the footsoldier came out on dvd, the first set of dvd had 2 dvds one mentioned about the range rover. the police couldn't sell it back on.
@@2strokemxclassics no it wasn't, terry stone said they used it for filming
£48k back in the very early '90s would have bought you a house in many towns and cities.
That's how expensive it was.
Good point - bought my first house for 36k in 1990!
Interestingly the reg 40 RA was only put on the car a month before it was stolen.
Its been a long time this story..
What i remember people talking about...
the chassis number of 40 RA and the one in the canal didnt match..
But if that was the case (and lets be realistic the oiks that stole it probably removed the number plates) the insurance company would have checked that before paying out.
@oscarsgarage447 seems realistic..👍
It was a long Time ago...
Btw there is video in internet where police is trying to catch Lotus Carlton/Omega. This was prolly filmed somewhere in Nordic countries in nineteens. Judging by the nature a round the road. The police Mondeo is running flat out behind the Carlton/Omega. You can see that car disappearing in to the horizon after passing some cars.
There are a few videos that use non applicable footage. Each to their own, but we prefer to stick with the facts...
The one pic snapped on the trailer of it in 2014 going down the motorway had no damage to the roof, and only had front and rear damage it was sat in a Police yard in Basildon and is now on the road.....according to "CuriousandSpiritual" on YT......2 years ago🤣🤣
The one on the trailer also had no number plate... :-)
@@oscarsgarage447 So it could have been the real one then?.... I have first hand "info" about the story of the pre production one that "someone" launched off the road, into a tree one night .It was pulled out of the ditch at midnight and sent straight to the crusher there and then so no one saw it....hence the pre production. Bodykit is still hanging up in the rafters🤣
Have you actually watched the video?
As Einstein himself is quoted as saying 'Less than 10% of all facts stated on the internet are actually true'
Quality double layer joke there. Well played sir!
The Police learnt from that car and at one time were using Holden Commodores, the Australian ones with silly horsepower. Don’t know if they persuaded Vauxhall to sell them direct because, at the time you hd to buy an Australian one, new or used, then import it to UK. Bit silly really when there were built in Luton in the first place and shipped to Oz.
No Holden Commodore was ever built in Luton or anywhere in the UK. They were loosely based on Opel designs but were all built in Australia.
At the Luton plant we built the Holden version of the Vectra but only a few and as far as I can remember they were all estates
But the 'Ghost of 40RA' lives on!!!
Yup... with the original owner!
these cars were abit like the lockness monster back in the 90s....everyone hurd of it but rearly ever seen in the flesh.
in the day brodie brittain racing did a ecu chip tune for £395 iirc that gave 500 bhp and simliar big torque gain,afaik it was stock turbo's with bigger injectors,
I wonder if the Lotus motor was sold on, it ciuld well have been salvageable.
Hot Wheels need to do 40 RA.
Worked on these and yes fast very fast VERY VERY fast
Allens Farm Rd, Northfield is very relevant to this story, the River Rea runs close by.
In what way is it relevant?
I was working at the local police station at the time. The offenders lived in Northfield. I know who they were. The best vehicle that West Mercia had was an Opel Senator 3.0 but the Lotus left it for dead. @@oscarsgarage447
Really interesting info, thanks! Did you see the car when it was recovered?
No we were just thankful that they had no longer got it. The burglaries weren't the major problem, it was their dangerous driving thereafter. Sadly these guys didn't listen at school, didn't pass any exams and can't earn a living and support themselves. Brain dead. Stealing the belongings of others is their only option. @@oscarsgarage447
So has the original owner of the Carlton purchased another and put his plate on or has he sold the number plate
Original owner kept the plate and now has it on another Lotus Carlton.
Great story. What is the Car plate web site to check the number plate change..?
We use mycarcheck.com
Did the robbers stick false plates on it ? Surprised if the kept 40 RA.
Not 100% sure on that. But a Lotus Carlton would have been fairly noticeable at the time I guess...
Should do one on the Essex boys range rover
That one is a bit complicated...
The gta 40 ra is a mod just adding onto that
Thanks... at my age more into Scrabble!
@oscarsgarage447 it's no problem really I like scrabble aswell
40 RA has a mot that runs out in May 2024
Did you watch the whole video ?, the plate is now on ANOTHER Carlton.
Thanks Marky. Welcome to our world...commenting without watching! Like reviewing a restaurant without actually going there! :-)
So did he keep the plate and buy another LC or did he sell the plate to someone else who got one?
He kept the plate and put it on another LC
@@oscarsgarage447 Oh thats great to hear. I hope he's enjoying it after all that fuss for so long.
We had a rent a van business in Letterkenny around that time - We hired a Luton body van to a customer who I believe got all the running gear, wheels interior and loom from 40 RA - he transplanted it into a Red Gis 3000 Carlton which was on a 90 DL plate - he even modded the back arches - At the time there was a lot of cloak and dagger - Vauxhall refused to help in any way as the car he had wasn't a genuine Lotus and didn't have the proper strength in the shell to take the power - he found it very hard to insure as well - I haven't seen this car for over 15 years but in no doubt it still exists !! Am I wrong ? - was 40 RA the donor ?
That's really interesting... I would love to track that one down but think it will be a challenge!
Stole this car to rob newsagents? Wtf
The clutch was a total bitch on the Lotus Carlton, but what a car.
That Hyundai is not an electric vehicle, it's a petrol 1.6ltr se spec, 3 cylinder
According to DVLA: FUEL TYPE: Electric
So I am confident it it...
Still a pile of shite not worthy of that plate.
Id be impressed if you can tell me who was behind it all 😊
I only do metal not flesh! But look further down the comments... ex policeman said they knew where they came from.
You couldn't afford one now!!!
I couldn't afford one then! :-)