OPEL OMEGA GSI/EVO500/LOTUS
The
Omega GSi 3000 was introduced in Europe in 1987 as a spiritual successor to the Opel Monza GSE, but was only produced as a 4 door saloon. Smaller engined versions were produced in 2.4 4 cylinder and 2.6 litre 6 cylinder inline engines, and all the Omega range was sold new in NZ. The Omega model name was not used for the NZ market as Subaru already used the Omega name for one of their range, so this Opel was known as the GSi 3000. The UK range was known as the Vauxhall Carlton.
The GSi was released with a 3.0i 12V engine mated to either a 5-speed manual gearbox or optional automatic transmission. The 3.0i 12V engine was used in the GSi until October 1989 when the 3.0i 24V engine was introduced to compete with (and beat!) cars like the Mercedes 300CE and BMW 535i Sport. The 3.0i 24V engine was used in the GSi until the Carlton was replaced in 1994. Minor styling changes were applied in October 1990 for the 1991 model year which included new 10-spoke alloys, revised interior, smoked rear lamp clusters, larger front indicators and improved in-car entertainment.
There was also a wagon (estate) version released with the 12V and then the 24V engines.
The
Lotus Carlton was an extraordinary project that was born out of the enthusiasm of some senior executives at General Motors (Bob Eaton, president of GM Europe) and Lotus (Mike Kimberly, MD of Lotus). Lotus was acquired by GM in 1986 some time after Colin Chapman died, and this amazing project was started in 1988. The original concept was to create a compound-charged (turbo-charged and super-charged) Senator. For whatever reason this idea evolved into the Lotus Carlton, which to this day is, still, the fastest production saloon car in the world. Only 950 cars were produced, although the original plan was to produce 1100 (440 for the UK and the rest for Europe). Of the 950 produced, only 250 came to the UK in RHD layout although there are an increasing number of LHD cars appearing in the UK badged as Lotus Omegas (the Opel equivalent). The Lotus Carlton hit the streets in September 1990 and was available until early 1994. Despite the phenomenal performance of these cars, sales were slow with a hefty price tag of £48000.
The
Omega Evolution 500 saw first production in 1991 and was Irmscher's answer to the Lotus Carlton/Omega. The cars were all built in the Irmscher factory and of the 500 built for road use, 463 had modified 3.0 litre 24V engines pushing out around 230bhp. 36 of the cars had the optional 272bhp 4.0 litre Irmscher conversion and one car that was not sold had a prototype 3.6 litre 24V engine. The car also features an Irmscher EVO 500 bodykit and 8 x 18" 10-spoke alloys front and rear. All of the vehicles were originally manufactured for the German market, however, the cars have now found they way all over Europe including 1 in Finland, 1 in Norway, 2 in Sweden and 2 in the UK. Both of the UK cars are AutobahnStormers members. The Omega Evolution 500 was also used in the DTM championship in 1991 through to 1993 and was raced by teams sponsored by Opel Works/Irmscher, Commodore Computers, Tura, Dekra, Jägermeister and Cricket by drivers such as Engstler, Niedzwiedz, Strycek, Oberndorfer, Delcourt and Reuter.
The GSi 3000 specification is as follows:
Seats
Arizona cloth in combination with leather trim
Open-type adjustable front & rear head restraints
Fully reclining sports style front seats with valances
Height adjustable driver's seat
Height adjustable front passenger's seat
Front seats with two-way lumbar adjustment
Height adjustable inertia reel front/rear seat belts and centre static lap belt
Front seat centre armrest
Split-folding rear seat back
Fold-down rear seat centre armrest with load-through facility
Facia, Instruments and Controls
Rev counter, trip odometer, water temperature gauge, low fuel level warning light
Multi-function check control warning panel
Seven-function trip computer
Leather covered 4-spoke sports steering wheel
Leather covered gear knob and gaiter (with manual gearbox)
Tiltable steering column. Steering column lock
Lockable, illuminated glovebox. Instrument panel light dimmer
Quartz clock (within trip computer) and cigar lighter
Heating and Ventilation
Air blend heater with 5-speed fan and illuminated controls
Side window demist vents and adjustable face-level air vents
Rear passenger compartment heating ducts
Audio Equipment
4870 stereo radio/stereo cassette/compact disc (CD) player with removable display, boot mounted 10 disc autochanger & 6 speakers
Security code protection for audio equipment
Radio data system (RDS EON) with Travel Programme
Cassette storage area
Rear screen aerial
Interior Lighting
Interior courtesy light operated by front and rear door switches
Courtesy light with delay cut-off and integral, adjustable map reading lights
Illuminated glovebox, load area and engine compartment
Additional Interior Features
Tiltable front and rear assist handles with rear coat hooks
Carpeted rear parcel shelf (saloon). One piece soft touch moulded headlining
Fully carpeted boot/load area with sill protection. Carpeted rear seat back
Spare wheel cover (saloon). Provision for luggage retention straps in boot/load area
Cloth door trim panels, front door pockets, continental-style front and rear door armrests
Front ashtray with one touch opening and two rear ashtrays
Height adjustable dipping rear view mirror, passenger vanity mirror, twin sun visors
Illuminated passenger vanity mirror with cover
Illuminated driver's vanity mirror with cover
Cut-pile velour carpet
Mechanical
5-speed gearbox
Power assisted steering
Catalytic converter
Electronic anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Limited-slip differential
Semi-trailing arm independent rear suspension
Manual rear suspension levelling system
Cruise control
Exterior Lighting
Halogen headlamps
Lights-on warning buzzer
Twin reversing lights
Twin rear fog lamps
Dark style rear lamps
Hazard warning lights and parking lights
Side repeat indicators
Electric headlamp levelling system
Integral halogen front foglamps
Long range halogen driving lights with headlamps
Headlamp wash/wipe
Exterior Styling
Boot pushlock with handle
Body colour door handles
Body colour polyurethane front air dam and rear valance. Dark grey bodyside mouldings
Body colour door mirror housings
Body colour sill mouldings, specific front grille and rear aerofoil
Dual rectangular exhaust tailpipes
Wheels & Tyres
205/65 R 15 low profile tyres
7J x 15 alloy road wheels
Additional Exterior Features
Laminated windscreen with graduated tint shadeband
Green tinted glass all round
Electrically operated front and rear windows with one touch operation
Auto-reverse safety facility for electrically operated windows
Central locking (doors, boot/tailgate, fuel flap) with security deadlock and torch key
Electrically operated sliding/tiltable glass sunroof with interior blind
Ultrasonic security alarm with immobiliser
Heated rear window with automatic timed cut-off and manual override
Heated twin jet windscreen washer nozzles
Twin electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors
2-speed windscreen wipers plus intermittent and flick wipe. Electric screenwash
2-tone horn
Engine
3.0i 24V (2969cc) Cat generating 204 PS (150kW) @ 6000 rpm and 199.2 lb.ft. (270Nm) of torque @ 3600 rpm. 6-cylinder, dual overhead camshaft, 24 valve alloy cylinder head, Dual Ram intake system, hydraulic tappets, 12 crankshaft counterbalance weights and thermostatically controlled engine oil cooler. Motronic M1.5 engine management system. Computer controlled fuel injection and mapped ignition with selective knock control. Activated charcoal evaporation control canister. Two metallic monolith 3-way catalytic converters and Lambda sensor. Compression ratio 10.0:1.
Transmission
Manual. Final drive ratio 3.70:1 Clutch diameter 240mm
Auto. Final drive ratio 3.70:1
Hydraulically operated mechanical asbestos-free single plate clutch. Rear wheel drive.
Suspension
Front: Independent. MacPherson struts with damper cartridge, coil springs. Anti-roll bar. Negative scrub. Gas pressure dampers.
Rear: Independent. Semi-trailing arms and progressive rate miniblock coil springs with telescopic gas pressure dampers. Anti-roll bar. Lowered and uprated suspension with multi-link system at rear.
Brakes
Dual circuit, servo assisted.
Front: 11.7 inch diameter discs
Rear: 10.6 inch diameter discs
Ventilated front discs. Deceleration controlled proportioning valve on estate cars. Asbestos-free brake pads. Handbrake-on and low brake fluid warning light. Front brake pad wear warning light. Electronic antilock braking system (ABS).
Electrics
90 amp alternator
66 Ah maintenance-free battery
Load Capacities (VDA method) litres (cu.ft.)
Seat up 520 (18.4) Seat down 870 (30.7)
Wheels & Tyres
7J x 15 ten-spoke alloy wheels
6J x 15 steel spare
205/65 R 15 low profile
Fuel Capacities
16.5 Imperial Gallons (75 litres)
Steering
Power assisted recirculating ball system.
Energy absorbing steering column.
3.0 turns lock-to-lock.
Turning circle - 10.15m (33.3 ft)
Body
Aerodynamic drag co-efficients:
GSi Saloon - Cd 0.30