One of only three Group 5 ford Lotus Cortinas built as a works racer for the 1966 season will be offered for sale at Silverstone Auctions’ as part of its docket for its Autosport International sale January 12, 2019, in Birmingham, England.
The car was raced in the British Touring Car Championship series by such motorsports greats as Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Jacky Ickx, among others.
The first to drive the car was Clark, in the rain at Oulton Park. Ickx and Peter Arundell took the car to second in class at Snetterton, Goodwood and Silverstone before the engine was replaced with a fuel-injected unit. John Whitmore drove to a class victory and fourth overall at Brands Hatch with the new engine, and Arundell added class victories at Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and in the Lombank Entrants Trophy event.
The following year, Hill finished first in class and second overall in the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch in the car’s final works-racing effort.
The car raced through 1968 in England, and then raced in Africa for several years before being purchased by Clark’s race mechanic, Cedric Selzar, who returned it to England.
Silverstone notes that the car has been restored to its racing condition and retains its original body shell with period-correct suspension and engine.
