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► Have any of you CM readers’ owned or driven a Ford Cortina over the past six decades? I ask as on September 20th, the popular family-sized Ford marks its 60th anniversary. Launched as the Consul Cortina in 1962 (just four years after CMs birth), the Consul part of the badge was dropped by 1964.
The Mk1 Cortina was a great looker I think with those funky rear lights and pointy rear wings. In Standard, Deluxe, Super and GT trims. In 1963 the Lotus Cortina arrived, offering the Mk1 some aggressive looks and tuned suspension. Also, in ’63, the estate model was listed.
The MkII came in 1966. I don’t have many memories of the MkII – only that our close neighbour in the 1970s had one into the 1980s. It sat in their garage at the bottom of the garden for years when the man became ill, only to be dragged out with rust all-over the bodywork. It was the 1600E model too, in a purple hue with a black vinyl roof.
The MkIII arrived in 1970. The styling really turned heads on the MkIII, and a touch of lavishness could be found in the 2000E model. I did once own a Ford Corsair 2000E with the walnut dash, however the seats in the Corsair were not in the same league as those found in the Cortina 2000E with its luxurious hard wearing ‘Savannah’ fabric.
For me the MkIV and MkV have my most attention, mainly because I learnt to drive in my father’s MkV (a company vehicle). It was delivered in early 1980 with those huge rear lights in ‘L’ spec with Oyster Gold (if I remember correctly) paintwork and Chocolate trim.
After passing my driving test, I’d borrow dad’s car at the weekends to gain driving experience, taking the humble 1.6 engine to, what sounded like, maximum revs in each gear (no rev counter on the ‘L’ model) – Iwas 17 at the time!
If you were to ask me what Cortina I would own today – it would be a MkIV 2.0 Ghia manual in Jupiter Red with a black vinyl roof. Or... a MkV Ghia in Gold or Silver with the 2.0 or 2.3
