The 'Lotus-Cortina' was a high-performance
car, the result of collaboration between
Ford and
Lotus.
Released in 1963, originally called the 'Consul Cortina Sports Special by Lotus', the Lotus-Cortina was a variant of the lightweight 2-door Mk I
Ford Cortina, and available only in one colour: white with a green flash. The Lotus Twincam Motor was never installed from the factory in a four door shell.
Future
Formula One World Champion
Jim Clark used a Lotus Cortina to win the 1964
British Touring Car Championship.
The Lotus-Cortina featured a 1558 cc
dual overhead cam engine from Lotus, based on Ford's
Kent, and produced 105 bhp. The car also included modified
suspension, a close-ratio
gearbox, and aluminium alloy panels.
A Lotus-Cortina based on the Mk II Cortina was released in 1967. Like the Mk I, it was originally called the Lotus Cortina, but was later reduced to Cortina Twin Cam to reflect the reduced input from Lotus. The Mk II version is seen by enthusiasts as less authentic, as it was built among ordinary Cortina's on the Dagenham production line. The white and green livery was no longer compulsory on the Mk II. Power increased slightly to 109 bhp
External links
★
Lotus Cortina Register
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New Cortinaland
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New Zealand Lotus Cortina Register
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World of Cortina