UK’s rarest cars: 1984 Vauxhall Carlton 2000 CD, the sole survivor on British roads

In the early Eighties, a large saloon with a metallic gold paint finish often signified a driver who enjoyed a modest version of La Dolce Vita. Being issued the keys to a company Vauxhall Carlton CD was a clear sign that a directorship was in view, and the days of commercial travelling in a Cavalier L were long in the past. 

Vauxhall introduced the second generation Carlton in September 1982 with the promise of unashamed refinement. Its predecessor had suffered from a limited array of trim options, so the Mk2 could be ordered in standard or GL forms, with a choice of 1.8- and 2.0-litre petrol and 2.3-litre diesel four-cylinder engines. The era of flamboyant, chrome-plated, Detroit clone big Vauxhalls now appeared far in the past, as the Carlton’s looks were smart but understated. 

The Mk2 was German-built, with Vauxhall’s griffin badge appealing to fleet managers who tended to “buy British”. Nor would there be an Opel Rekord in-house rival occupying the same dealership, as Vauxhall/Opel’s owner General Motors was now phasing out the German marque from the UK. 

As a result, Vauxhall enjoyed a 372 per cent increase in sales during the first year of production, and in 1985, Autocar noted, “General Motors would have to go a long way to better the basic design of the car”.

July 1983 saw the debut of the CD, which bridged the gulf between the cheaper Carltons and the six-cylinder Senator saloon. The price was £9,396, and the specification included Bosch fuel injection, electric windows, central locking, a sliding roof,  adjustable steering and alloy wheels. As for the interior, it is best described as either “a symphony in velour” or “early Alan Partridge”.

Advertisements boasted the CD was “totally designed for relaxing comfort and refined travel in today’s fast-paced environment”. It also conveyed “Immaculate style. Impeccable performance”. In other words, the owner could enjoy a sense of superiority over anyone in a Ford Granada GL and enjoy greater reliability than a Rover 2300 SD1.

What Car? thought “were it not for the Carlton’s disappointing engine and heavy clutch, this refined and good looking saloon could be a real challenger in the executive market”. After a year, the larger-engined 2200i CD replaced the original flagship Carlton, while the Mk3 succeeded this version in 1986. Today, this example is believed to be the only 2.0-litre CD still on the road.

Darren Staples came by his 1984 example in January of this year. “My friend Alex and I had been looking for a joint project car; I was his apprentice at a Honda dealership when I left school,” he said. “We were going through various options and, very late on a Friday night, this appeared on the Facebook marketplace.”

The Carlton especially appealed to Staples, who owned such a model in 1992. He said:  “Back then, I was more interested in form rather than function and would spend my wages on stereo equipment and a car phone rather than maintaining the Vauxhall. It used to break down. A lot.” 

By contrast,  this example of the CD had resided in an underground car park since 2010 as part of a collection. Moreover, it had covered only 121 miles in the previous 11 years. 

Staples describes his CD as “a spectacular bit of Eighties kitsch, brown velour and all”, and akin to “a time travel capsule as it is exactly as it left the factory on the inside, down to the unused ashtrays and Philips cassette stereo. Once you remember that it is nearly 40 years old, it is great to drive. It has the most comfortable seats and easily keeps up with the traffic on motorways.”

One of the side effects of CD motoring is that when Staples visits a petrol station forecourt, “I often end up having conversations with strangers about their dad’s, grandad’s, uncle’s or neighbour’s Carlton”. 

And who would not be impressed by a Vauxhall with “Turin Velour” upholstery?

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