1966 Ford

Lotus Cortina MK 1

White with Black seats and Black carpeting, 18,000/ONE-OWNER MILES FROM NEW!

The immortal Lotus Cortina by Ford of Dagenham, in England, is one of the most charismatic, best loved and universally successful high-performance cars ever to represent the great globalized American company's famous blue-oval badge.

Cosworth Engineering helped develop and fine-tune these engines, while the Ford 4-speed gearbox as specified for the Lotus Elan was adopted for the Cortina program. Colin Chapman significantly revised the Ford Cortina's suspension, changing the spring and damper rates, reducing the ride height, and utilizing coil springs at the rear. The body shell was lightened with aluminum skins in the doors, hood and trunk lid. Aluminum was also adopted for the clutch housing, remote gearshift extension and differential case. The standard full-width front bumper was replaced by quarter bumpers. Lotus badges were added externally while the interior featured bucket front seats, pistol-grip handbrake and a wood-rim alloy-spoked steering wheel.

Production began in February 1963, with homologation being achieved in September 1963 despite production not yet having reached the FIA's 1,000-off minimum. Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Vic Elford, Jack Sears, Sir John Whitmore, and Jacky Ickx all raced Cortinas. Jim Clark multiple F1 World Champion and Indy 500 winner, also won the 1964 British Saloon Car Championship in his works version.

By the end of production late in 1966 it is believed that some 2894 Lotus Cortinas had been built, virtually all finished in Ermine White with Sherwood Green body band and flash. In 1967 a Lotus Cortina Mark II followed, assembled by Ford not Lotus, and therefore not allocated a Lotus type number.

This Lotus Cortina has has one Texas owner from new. It is 100% original throughout and has been meticulously gone through to prep for preservation class concours showing. It must be one of the finest original Ford Lotus Cortinas in existence.

This is a rare opportunity to acquire an incredible icon of the vintage automobile world, a specimen that is unmodified, unmolested and totally original. Pure 1960s sports saloon, a rare late model Mk 1 Lotus Cortina.

Price: $115,000