A machine that (almost) needs no introduction. THE Lotus Omega , although based on the more modest Opel Omega (or Vauxhall Carlton in the UK, from which it also adopted the name), made a huge impact due to its scandalous numbers (at the time).
The large rear-wheel-drive saloon was equipped with a 3.6 l inline six-cylinder which, thanks to the aid of a pair of Garret T25 turbochargers, it delivered an impressive 382 hp — perhaps they are not that impressive these days, where there are hot hatches with more than 400 hp, but in 1990 they were colossal numbers… and even more for a family sedan.
Just remember that the BMW M5 (E34) at the time had “only” 315 hp, and almost equaled the 390 hp of a… Ferrari Testarrossa with twice as many cylinders.
The 382 hp allowed it to reach an advertised top speed of 283 km/h , making it not only faster than its rivals, but also one of the fastest cars in the world at the time.
To contextualize the feat, it surpassed the maximum speed of true sports and even super sports cars — for example, the Ferrari 348 TB reached 275 km/h! There was only one faster sedan, the (also very special) Alpina B10 BiTurbo (based on the BMW 5 Series E34) capable of reaching 290 km/h.
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Who would need to walk so fast with a four-door familiar? This was the question that the English Parliament came to ask in the face of these scandalous figures presented. It was quickly discovered, with reports of several robberies carried out with a Lotus Omega (also stolen), which the police simply never managed to catch. Its fastest patrol cars had a top speed just over half that of Lotus…
More than 300 km/h
If they knew that the Lotus Omega even had the potential to exceed 300 km/h, it still ran the risk of being banned from the market. This is because the 283 km/h was electronically limited and the limiter removal would reach the 300 km/h mark, maybe even a little more… The best? Even without removing the limiter, it was possible to deactivate it with a simple trick.
Yeah… according to this video from The SUPERCAR DRIVER channel there is a way to disable it and reach the 300 km/h mark.
The trick is apparently simple: pull the fifth gear to the redline and only then put the sixth, which automatically disables the electronic speed limiter. Is it really like that? There's only one way to find out: someone with a Lotus Omega to prove it?