Coys Auction - Techno Classica Essen
Essen
Germany
Saturday 2 April 2011
Motor Cars 15:00
Admission by catalogue only - admits two.
Estimate: €30,000 - €40,000
Registration Number: EU Registered
Chassis Number: BA74FT59431
In the early 1960s 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 tail shaft. Front suspension was standard MacPherson strut, lowered and stiffened, but the rear was radical with the leaf springs being replaced by an A-bracket, coil springs and trailing arms. Wide wheels and servo-assisted brakes (discs front, drums rear), 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 Wh