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What They Drive

A Cortina Wagon Hides a Lotus Elan's Heart

· 1 min read

This Ford Cortina wagon carries an engine and gearbox lifted straight from a Lotus Elan, a swap that turns a practical family hauler into something closer to a sports car wearing a wagon's clothes. The body keeps the load-hauling shape collectors expect from a 1960s wagon, while the mechanicals underneath trace back to one of Lotus's most storied roadsters. It's a build that rewards a second look, since nothing about the exterior hints at what's been dropped in underneath.

With reporting from Car and Driver.

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