Ford
Cortina Lotus Mk2

Why it matters

The Mk2 Lotus Cortina was the second and last Lotus-badged Cortina. Unlike the Mk1, it was engineered by Ford's Boreham competition department and built on the Dagenham line, trading some Lotus-built specialness for reliability and dealer serviceability. It was also sold with a Performance Options package that let buyers replicate works-car equipment.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Photos

Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.

• Ford Cortina Lotus Mk2 (Wikimedia Commons search)
  Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0
• Ford Cortina Lotus Mk2 (Wikimedia Commons search)
  Photo: Jeremy from Sydney, Australia · CC BY 2.0
• Ford Cortina Lotus Mk2 (Wikimedia Commons search)
  Photo: Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

Development began in April 1966, when two prototype Mk2 Cortina GTs were delivered to Boreham to be converted. The brief was to stay as close to the GT as possible while keeping the Lotus identity and the reliability Ford customers expected. The starting point was the heavy-duty two-door GT shell with anti-tramp bars at the rear and rolled front arches for wider wheels; the car was lowered by one inch.

The Mk2 was launched in March 1967, nearly six months after the rest of the Mk2 Cortina range, and was built at Dagenham although Lotus still regarded it as one of its own. It had a single specification with the 115 bhp S/E twin-cam engine, and most cars were white with a green side stripe. Towards the end of production it was marketed in European markets as the Twincam Cortina. Production ended in 1970.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Iconic Auctioneers: 1969 Ford Cortina Lotus (Mk2) Level B

   • 4032 cars made

   Accessed 2026-11-12
2. 2
   Mk2 Lotus Cortina - Developing the 2nd Generation Level A Lotus Cortina Info

   • S/E 115 bhp engine as standard

   Accessed 2026-11-12