A classic Lotus Cortina which won the British Touring Car Championship has sold for almost £20,000 at auction after appearing on the latest series of Bangers and Cash.
Historic auction service Matthewsons helped to sell the historic racer which hit the hammer for £19,800.
The iconic race car is a star of historic motorsport and has been featured at important events such as the Goodwood Revival.
The Bangers and Cash team secured the Cortina from former engineer and racing driver David Austin who got a bug for motorsport from his father who competed on motorcycles.
David built his own Formula Junior car and competed in Formula 3 before developing a passion for the Mark II Cortina.
He commented: “Everybody had a Mark I and I wanted to be the one that was quicker. A Mark II Cortina with a Lotus engine it went very well.
“I bought the Lotus from a guy who had won the Post Historic Touring Car Championship of Great Britain in it I thought that’s a good car for me to have a bash in now I’m a bit older.
“It’s a safe car and if you’re not a Grand Prix driver, you’re not Lewis Hamilton and you haven’t got those skills then it’s as safe as houses.”
David admitted he decided to part ways with the cars because he was nearly 90 and it “didn’t feel appropriate” to keep them anymore.
He admitted he wanted the car to go to a good home but was less interested in how much the Cortina sold for.
The car initially went up for auction with a staggering £25,000 reserve but failed to sell at its first appearance.
However, the Cortina didn’t meet the reserve at the next three auctions before a buyer in Nottinghamshire came in at the fifth attempt.
The Lotus Cortina was a star of tin-top racing in the 1960s as it went up against the iconic Mini and the American Ford Galaxy.
However, the Cortina has since established itself as one of the most popular historic race cars, competing in a series of top events every summer.
Experts at Mathewson’s warned Cortina owners could have issues sourcing parts and increasing costs.
They stressed owners will usually have to re-manufacture parts as spares are unlikely to be easily accessible.
But, Will Birrell, specialist historic car restorer at Motorvation Classics said: “Proper old race car. It actually won the British Touring Car Championship one year.
“A lot of pedigree, a lot of history. It’s not worth putting it back to a road car. Its value is in the fact that it’s a known good race car.
“The engine’s been recently rebuilt. You can see from the top mounts it’s all bespoke suspension legs adjustable so you can make the car handle properly on track.”
They stressed owners will usually have to re-manufacture parts as spares are unlikely to be easily accessible.
