Classic British Motors 1970s Classic Cars

The Ford Cortina was a medium sized car sold by Ford of Britain. The Cortina was produced in five generations (Mark I through Mark V-though officially the last one was the Cortina 1980) from 1962 until 1982, when it was replaced by the Ford Sierra. From 1970 it was almost identical to the German-market Ford Taunus (they were built on the same platform) which was originally a different car model; this was part of a Ford attempt to unify its European operations.

By 1976, when the revised Taunus was launched, the Cortina was identical. In fact, this new Taunus/Cortina used the doors and some panels from the 1970 Taunus.

The Cortina replaced the unpopular, quirkily styled and expensive to build Ford Consul Classic of 1961 and proved an instant hit.

All Cortina series sold over the million mark, with each successive model proving even more popular than its predecessor.

Notable models were the Lotus Cortina and Cortina GT. Available with 1.2 L and 1.5 L engines in 2 and 4 door saloon and 5 door estate forms. Base, Deluxe, Super and GT trims were offered but not across all body styles. Estates offered the option of fake wood side and tailgate trim, aping US style wagons, for a short time. Lotus Cortina models were solely offered as 2 door saloons all in white with a contrasting green side flash down each flank. Lotus Cortinas had a unique 1.6 L twin cam engine by Lotus, but based on the Cortina's Kent overhead valve engine. Aluminium was used for some body panels. For a certain time, it also had unique A frame rear suspension, but this proved fragile and the car soon reverted to the standard Cortina semi-elliptic rear end.

Again a Lotus version was produced (this time in-house at Ford) but the most admired was the 1600E that came about in late 1967.

The engines were at first carried over, but for 1967, they received a new cross flow cylinder head design, making them more efficient. AT this time, they became 1.3 L and 1.6 L in size, with the Lotus Cortina continuing with its own unique engine. A stripped out 1.2 L version running the engine of the Ford Anglia Super was also available for some tax conscious markets.

Again, 2 and 4 door saloons and a 5 door estate were offered with base, Deluxe, Super, GT and later 1600E trim available, but again not across all body styles and engine options.

The 1600E was a particularly sought after car, combining the lowered Lotus Cortina's suspension with the high tune GT 1600 Kent engine and luxury trim featuring wood dash and door cappings, bucket seating, sports steering wheel and full instrumentation inside, while a black grille, tail panel, front fog lights, a vinyl roof and plated Rostyle wheels featured outside. They were very often stolen just for their unique body bits and trim to dress up more humble Cortinas.

For 1969, the Mk II range came in for subtle revisions, with separate FORD block letters mounted on the bonnet and boot lids, a blacked out grille and chrome strips on top and below the tail lights running the full width of the tail panel marking them out.

An aftermarket converter, Jeff Uren used the Mk II but managed to shoehorn in the larger 2.5 L and 3.0 L V6 motors from the Ford Zephyr/Zodiac to create the Uren Savage. Crayford also did some convertible versions based on the 2 door saloon body.

An iconic 1970s car. The Detroit-inspired "coke bottle" shaped Cortina was a huge hit amongst fleet buyers. It replaced both the Cortina Mk II as well as the larger, more expensive Ford Corsair by offering more trim levels and the option of larger engines than the Mk II did.

Ford UK originally wanted to call it something other than Cortina, but the name persevered. Although the Mk III looked significantly larger than the boxier Mk II, it was actually the same overall length, but 4 inches wider.

Trim levels were now Base, L (for Luxury), XL (Xtra Luxury), GT and GXL (Grand Xtra Luxury). 1.3 L, 1.6 L and 2.0 L engines were offered, the 1.6 L having two distinct types - the Kent unit for models up to GT trim and a single overhead cam Pinto unit for the GT and GXL, the latter of which was also offered in 1600 form for a short while. 2.0 L variants ran a larger version of the 1600 Pinto unit and were available in all trim levels except base.

Four headlights and Rostyle wheels marked out the GT and GXL versions, while the GXL also had body side rub strips, a vinyl roof and a brushed metal tail panel. All models featured a downward sloping dashboard with deeply recessed dials and all coil suspension all round. In general styling and technical make up, many observed that the Mk III aped the Vauxhall Victor FD of 1967.

In late 1973 the car received a facelift. Outside, there were revised grilles, rectangular headlights for XL, GT and the new 2000E which replaced the GXL. The 1.3 L Kent engine was carried over but now, 1.6 L models all ran the more modern 1.6 L overhead cam engine.

Inside, the car received a much neater dashboard that no longer sloped away from the driver's line of sight and generally upgraded trim. The 2000E reverted to the classy treatment offered by the 1600E instead of the vulgar faux wood offered by the GXL.

A conservative square-shaped style, this time imitating the Opel Rekord D, but this was largely appreciated by fleet buyers. This series spawned the first Ghia top-of-the-range model that replaced the 2000E. A 2.3 L Ghia version was introduced, featuring a version of the German Cologne V6 that was also taking root in the sportier Ford Capri. These models were identical mechanically and bodily to the 1976 Taunus.