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[tunnie]

The problem is everyone will remember the Senator the 'best', I ran both for nearly a year. I drove the Senator for a couple of weeks, jumped straight into the facelift and its was immediately apparent how much better it was.

I'd be the first to admit your Senator hard tired suspension.  But then you would be the first to admit that your Omega you are using for comparison has even more tired suspension (as it 150k on original shocks )

Still handles like a dream 

[Turk]

If only I'd had a spare £10k when the Lotus Senator was for sale a few years ago 

 :-? Lotus Senator ?   There's a Lotus Carlton.

[tunnie]

If only I'd had a spare £10k when the Lotus Senator was for sale a few years ago 

 :-? Lotus Senator ?   There's a Lotus Carlton.

Must be a DIY version, no official one was made that i know of  :-/

[tunnie]

If only I'd had a spare £10k when the Lotus Senator was for sale a few years ago 

 :-? Lotus Senator ?   There's a Lotus Carlton.

Must be a DIY version, no official one was made that i know of  :-/

I know there were a few 4.0 24v ones, but don't think they got the Lotus Brand  :-/

[VXL V6]

There's a single Lotus Senator......

Owned by a chap on ABS. All the running gear etc off a LC.

As for differences in handling, well I can't say i've driven a Carlton or Senator recently (last Carlton I drove had 260K on it) to compare but I think the Omega is more about refinement than out and out handling, though with Irmscher springs and Bilsten Shocks I believe the Omega's chassis gets the handling it deserves.

Even in a high mileage / aged example of any of the V-Car chassis cars i'd sooner lose it's arse in oversteer than lose the front of a modern shitbox FWD in understeer. 

[Kevin Wood]

Still handles like a dream 

No jokes about water beds, now.

Kevin

[Martin_1962]

I had a 2.0 GLi - the pre cat version.

They rust well, one of the reasons I got an Omega.

2.0 handles better and goes better in Carlton version.
Senator is nice but is just different to the Omega.

2.5 Senator is slow!

[Andy B]

If only I'd had a spare £10k when the Lotus Senator was for sale a few years ago 

 :-? Lotus Senator ?   There's a Lotus Carlton.

Must be a DIY version, no official one was made that i know of  :-/

hence the ue of the phrase THE Lotus Senator. You're young and so don't know everything about all things 

[tunnie]

If only I'd had a spare £10k when the Lotus Senator was for sale a few years ago 

 :-? Lotus Senator ?   There's a Lotus Carlton.

Must be a DIY version, no official one was made that i know of  :-/

hence the ue of the phrase THE Lotus Senator. You're young and so don't know everything about all things 

Hence the phrase 'must' & 'DIY' 

[Sixstring]

Was fortunate enough to drive a 3.0 ex-plod Senny a few years back, must say that it was a good, taut drive at 65k-ish. However, although the Omega is definately for me the better car in ride quality and comfort, there is just "something" about the Senny that makes me still hanker after a good 24V one in Black...........

[Kieran]

The Senator looks better for cruising but the Omega handles better. Saying that thou the Senator is not that bad at handling for an old car

[Omegatoy]

blimey!! owned countless sennys and 24v carltons, my view?
engines far superior in the straight six
and they last a lot longer than the v6 in terms of maintenance,and no blooming awful cambelt and rollers to contend with, also no dreaded oil cooler syndrome!! engine far more accessible to work on and headgasket etc much easier to do
sports ride senny far better driving machine,

comfort? omega wins it with the softer ride and more compliant bushes etc, however they wear out 3 times faster than the senny carlton range,
bodywork? on balabce think the omega just takes it, as the senny and carlton did lose thier rear arches rather quiclly, however once done and waxoyled they never lost them again,
JM2PW

[Omegatoy]

may i point you to this post? the words by simon say it all really?
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1279394927

[Chris_H]

Had an 89 Senator CD for 13 years - a record at the time. 

VERY minimal mechanical work needed but rear arches were going when I sold it and some of the 'chassis' box-sections didn't look too good either.

Electrics were a bit of a pain with various bits and pieces suffering.

I loved the digital dash and boot space was fantastic.

Senator and Omega both rear-ended other cars and Senator always came off best of the two.  I shouldn't admit to that I know, but I wasn't always the driver!!

[geoffr70]

I had a 24v Senny in the Falklands, it was an absolute rust bucket as it had been there most of it's life. Digi dash didn't work so i don't know how many miles it had, and there is no MOT requirement so the suspension was shot. But on the few tarmacked roads there is down there it floated like a cloud. It was inconceivable how comfortable it was! Then on the Stanley Road (gravel and potholes) it was like a (big) rally car! I grew up with Senators, they are what dreams are made of!