This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, Online Auction - 10th July on Thursday the 10th of July. BackgroundFollowing the enormous success of the Lotus Cortina in the hands of a plethora of star drivers, including Jim Clark OBE, Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, Graham Hill, Sir John Whitmore and Frank Gardner, Ford introduced the Cortina Lotus Mk2 in 1967. With production moving from Norfolk to Dagenham, Ford’s marketing team felt more comfortable with the car being seen primarily as a Ford product rather than a Lotus one, and so the names were reversed. The famous Lotus 1600 twin-cam engine was now developing 109bhp. Externally, all the cars featured a black front grille, steel wheels, and Lotus badges on both rear wings and adjacent to the rear number plate. The gearbox ratios remained to 2000E specification, but the final drive was lengthened from 3.9:1 to 3.77:1. Comfort and handling improvements included a larger fuel tank and the fitment of radial tyres. The CarFormally registered under UPM 85H it is one of a handful of two-door Cortina Lotus models registered to East Sussex Constabulary in January 1970, alongside UPM 84H, UPM 91H, and UPM 92H. After only a couple of years, the Cortina was released from police service and passed to its second registered keeper, who drove it regularly until 1989. At that point, the car was placed into dry storage for the next 10 years. Around the year 2000, with a family wedding imminent, it was decided to refurbish the car in preparation for the big day. New front wings were fitted, the Cortina’s paintwork was refinished in Ermine White with a green stripe, and the interior was refurbished with Recaro cloth seats. Replacement Minilite wheels were fitted on each corner, and the steering wheel was replaced with a smaller Mountney item. The steering was improved with an uprated steering rack, the suspension upgraded to Bilstein units all round, and a stainless-steel exhaust system was fitted. The engine was rebuilt and converted for unleaded fuel, and a new clutch was installed. The interior presents wonderfully, as shown in the photos. Fitted with those distinctive Recaro seats, the cabin remains largely original, with all the correct fittings and trim still intact and believed to be in perfect working order. The mileage is believed to be genuine – just under 64,000 miles – which is considerably low for a car of this age. It has had only five previous keepers, a notably small number for a 55 year-old vehicle.   Location: Somerset Photos: Professional Seller: Private