Of Caterhams and Carltons
YOUR BUYER’S GUIDE to the Lotus Carlton in Octane 221 took me back to 1994-95, when I was the undergrad gofer at Caterham Cars’ engineering department, in its Kennet Road factory. The role covered everything from building cars to driving the boss around.
That boss was Jez Coates and his company car was a Vauxhall Lotus Carlton, seen on the left of the photo [right]. At the time we were developing the Caterham 21 and, since we always needed things yesterday, I was regularly sent to pick up parts from Roach Manufacturing in the New Forest, or to Flowtech in Hastings – which supplied the six-speed gearbox – or to Gaydon, when it belonged to Rover.
Jez would shout from his office: ‘Nobby [that was my nickname!] – I have a little job for you! Take the Lotus and go and pick this up.’ What 19-year old would turn down such a job?
After making a left turn out of Kennet Road, I’d soon be on the bypass towards the M25; the acceleration was breathtaking.
