How many lotus cortinas were made

The badge on the front grille was an option at first. Unlike the Mk1, the Mk2 was also made in left hand drive from the start of production. The car also had a different final drive of 3. The only real difference to the engine bay was the air cleaner mounted on top of the engine. The interior was almost identical to a GT. The new combined clock and centre console were fitted. A new single-rail gearshift mechanism was used.

The car stayed in production until When the garage was sold, he offered us the opportunity of buying the car. She was painted in the original Ford Ermine White. With Sherwood Green stripes. The back axle was stripped to component part level, fully rebuilt and upgraded where possible. All chrome work has been re-chromed or replaced with new. Parts were sourced worldwide; the front bonnet trim and door treads came from Australia. The dials were refurbished and recalibrated by the Dial Shop. Myrtle professionally recovered and polished the steering wheel.

The final finishing touches in our workshop Share this post. In the summer of , Hayes and Chapman struck a deal to install the Elan engine in a special high-performance Cortina that Lotus would prepare. In street form, the twin-cam engine boasted hp; 1,cc racing versions had hp. To this, Lotus added close-ratio gears, quicker steering, front disc brakes, wider tires, more gauges, better seats, a trunk-mounted battery and various lightweight aluminum components, including doors, hood and decklid.

The body was painted Ermine white with Sherwood green flashes. The Consul Cortina developed by Lotus, as the car was called at its January press introduction, was capable of in around 10 seconds and a top speed of mph. A well-tuned Cortina might hit 80 mph with a tailwind. Braking and cornering grip were much improved, and you could now hang out the tail at will. The price was 1, pounds, a lot for a Cortina, but much less than any U.

Like the original Shelby GT, the first Lotus Cortina—Ford never called it that, but everyone else did—was a mildly civilized sedan racer.

It was noisy, the ride was stiff, tuneups were a hassle and assembly quality was haphazard. Images: Will Williams. Lotus Cortina Mk1: what to look for. Bodywork See above for trouble spots. Engine The Twin Cam is an excellent engine, but needs careful setting up and thorough maintenance.

Gearbox Gearbox ratios changed three times in production, and few are original. Interior Lotus designed improved front seats, while the steering wheel, dashboard, instruments and centre console were special, too: original parts are rare. Authenticity The chassis number was stamped into the MacPherson strut top here on a different car , though most will have been cut out or plated over. Lotus Cortina Mk1: on the road.

Other liveries were available, but the Lotus Cortina is most famous in its distinctive white with green side flashes and simple steel wheels. Also consider. Share Tweet Email. Related Articles. Incredible Lotus Esprit collection for sale News.