INTRODUCTION
There are few Mk 2 Lotus Cortina Police car survivors today. They were run into the ground in the day and sold off at auction for half the price of a ‘normal’ Mk 2 Lotus Cortina of the same age, which attracted guys like me who had more enthusiasm than cash to run a car like this!
They often didn’t last more than a couple of years after being auctioned off, and would usually end up as donors for other Lotus Cortinas or Elans. But a handful have survived, and are described in this section.
There are known to have been four 4 door Lotus Cortinas made, which used a bodyshell very similar to the 1600E shell, and two of those have survived. There are rumours of a further four 4 door cars having been made, 2 of which were associated with one of the South Wales constabularies. No firm evidence of these cars has come to light yet.
Police Mk2 Lotus Cortinas Identified
East Sussex Constabulary
RPX 720E – 723E (4 cars)
FDY 160E
TPX 457F
TPX 461F – 464F (4 cars)
RNJ 342G – 344G (3 cars)
PPN 583G – PPN 584G (2 cars)
UAP 369H
UPM 84H
UPM 91H – 92H (2 cars)
No known survivors. PPN 584G was used as a Ford Press car.
Hampshire Constabulary
TOR 751H – 757H (7 cars)
TOT 801H – 805H (5 cars)
UCG 662H
TOR 756H has survived
Mid Anglia Constabulary
OEB 579H – 580H (2 cars)
Both cars are 4 door and both survive.
Thames Valley (Aylesbury)
FBH 461G – 466G (6 cars)
LKX 361H – 376H (16 cars)
LKX 362H , LKX 365H and FBH 461G have survived. I believe that another 2 2 door FBH cars have also survived.
Two of the FBH cars were 4 door cars. One was written off in service (scroll down for photo).
So far, it looks like six 2 door and four 4 door Lotus Cortina Police cars have survived.
The Cars
This is the collection of photos I have found or have been sent so far, mainly of the cars in period, and organised by Constabulary.
EAST SUSSEX CONSTABULARY
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HAMPSHIRE CONSTABULARY
MID-ANGLIA CONSTABULARY
Just the two 4 door cars known about, and both of them survive.
THAMES VALLEY (AYLESBURY) CONSTABULARY
In 2014 a superb barn find emerged. Two Lotus Cortinas, an Mk1 ‘A’ Frame, and a Mk2. The Mk2 was one of the Thames Valley Constabulary cars, and is currently being restored.
Amongst the FBH series of Police cars run by Thames Valley Police were two 4 door cars. This one is the only one that has emerged on a photo, for the wrong reasons!
It crashed into a wall in the village of Gibraltar, between Aylesbury and Thame in March 1972. I don’t think it would have been rebuilt!
