Some of the most iconic motorsport pictures are of Jim Clark and Sir John Whitmore cornering on three wheels in Lotus Cortinas, or drifting them, revelling in the cars' composure and handling predictability. It may have been based on the entry-level Cortina, but with more power, much-improved suspension and better brakes, the Lotus Cortina is one classic you can really take by the scruff of the neck and have enormous fun with. The Lotus Cortina came about because of Ford's decision to take part in motorsport in the early 1960s. Ford's Walter Hayes spoke to Colin Chapman, asking him to build a homologation special with which the Blue Oval could beat all comers. The solution was to take Ford's bullet-proof 1500 Kent engine and fit a twin-cam cylinder head. The cars would be built by Lotus at its plant in Cheshunt, and known as the Lotus Cortina. Sure enough, the car went on to dominate saloon car racing …show more content…
These were the only Lotus Cortinas to come off the production lines that weren't white with a green stripe, and with just 30 or so cars being built initially, it's no surprise that genuine survivors are extremely rare and valuable. Whereas most classics are bought according to their condition, with the Lotus Cortina the biggest problem is ensuring that it's not a fake and that it's got all the correct parts fitted. Missing bits of trim or mechanical items can be a real nightmare to source, so if there are significant parts missing – and the car is the real deal – you've got to be very careful about buying. The later the car, the easier it is to fake. With their alloy panels and transmission castings it's tricky to create an early copy but as things got toned down it got much easier to turn a Cortina GT into its more desirable Lotus stablemate. With a mint Lotus Cortina worth many times what an equivalent 1200 De Luxe will fetch, it's no wonder there are plenty of