Lot 218: Ford Lotus Cortina MkII

In the early 1960's Ford asked Lotus founder Colin Chapman to produce a sports/racing version of its new Cortina for homologation in Group 2. Announced in January 1962, and assembled at Lotus, the Lotus Cortina sported bonnet, boot lid and doors made of alloy, as were clutch and diff housings and the gearbox tailshaft. Front suspension was standard MacPherson strut, lowered and stiffened, but the rear was radical, the leaf springs replaced by an A-bracket, coil springs and trailing arms. Wide wheels and servo-assisted disc front/drum rear brakes, along with 105bhp from the twin-cam 1,588cc Ford engine and a close ratio box, completed the package. The Lotus Cortina's first victory came in the 1964 Motor Six Hours at Brands Hatch, followed by Sir John Whitmore's outright honours in the 1965 European Touring Car Championship; Jackie Ickx also won the Belgian Saloon Car Championship, Bengt S�nderstr�m the Swedish Rally and Roger Clark the Welsh Rally while in New Zealand the car won the Gold Star Saloon Car Championship; 1966 then saw victories in the Acropolis and Geneva Rallies and S�nderstr�m/Palm win the RAC. There is little wonder, with its competition history, that the Lotus Cortina is a popular entrant for rallys and tarmac the world over. First registered on the 29th April 1970 this car is described as being a good solid car having a very good shell with the chassis described as excellent. Finished in metallic British Racing Green with a black interior, the good condition of the car is no doubt down to the restoration that was completed in 1998 which consisted of work to the body, mechanicals and a rebuilt engine. Supplied with a V5 document, this car is ideal as usable classic or as a historic motorsport entrant.