Ford Cortina

The Ford Cortina was a medium family 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 80) from 1962 until 1982, when it was replaced by the Ford Sierra. From 1970 onward, it was almost identical to the German-market Ford Taunus (being 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 one million, with each successive model proving more popular than its predecessor. Such was its fame in the UK that the BBC Two documentary series Arena once devoted an edition to the car and its enthusiasts.

Mk I (1962-1966)

Notable models were the Lotus Cortina and Cortina GT. Available with 1.3 L and 1.5 L engines in 2 and 4-door saloon and 4-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 American-style estates, 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 OHV engine. Aluminium was used for some body panels. For a certain time, it also had a unique A-frame rear suspension, but this proved fragile and the car soon reverted to the standard Cortina semi-elliptic rear end.

Mk II (1966–1970)

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

The engines were at first carried over, but for 1967, they received a new crossflow 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 4-door estate were offered with base, Deluxe, Super, GT and later 1600E trims available, but again, not across all body styles and engine options.

The 1600E combined the lowered Lotus Cortina's suspension with the high tune GT 1600 Kent engine and luxury trim featuring a Burr Walnut woodgrain-trimmed dashboard 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.

For 1969, the Mk II range was given 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 taillights running the full width of the tail panel marking them out.

It was imported to the US in the late 1960s, but never caught on, clearing the way for the smaller Maverick styled Ford Pinto.

Mk III (1970–1976)

The Mk III is widely recognised by many European car enthusiasts as an iconic 1970s car. The Detroit-inspired "coke bottle" shaped Cortina was a 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.

Ford UK originally wanted to call it something other than Cortina, but the name stuck. 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 (Grand Touring) 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 SOHC 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 used 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 bodyside rubstrips, a vinyl roof and a brushed metal and black tail panel on the GXL and plain black one on the GT. 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 the 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 used the more modern 1.6 L SOHC engine.

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

From 1972, the third generation Cortina was the most popular new car in Britain.

Mk IV (1976–1979)

This Cortina had a conservative square-shaped style, this time imitating the Opel Rekord D, but this was largely appreciated by fleet buyers. Generally a rebody of the Mk III, as an integration of Ford's model range, this car was really a rebadged Ford Taunus. Many parts were carried over, most notably the running gear - and even the dashboard design.

This series spawned the first Ghia top-of-the-range model, which replaced the 2000E. The 2.3 litre Ford Cologne V6 engine was introduced as an engine above the 2.0L, already a staple of the Capri and Granada ranges. The 2.3 was available to the GL, S and Ghia variants.

2 and 4-door saloons and a 4-door estate were offered with all other engines being carried over. There was a choice of base, L, GL, S (for Sport) and Ghia trims, again not universal to all engines and body styles. The dashboard was carried over intact from the last of the Mk III Cortinas while the estate used the rear body pressings of the previous 1970 release Taunus.

Throughout its production life, the Mk4 was the most popular new car in the United Kingdom.

Mk V (1979–1982)

The Mk V was announced in September 1979. Officially it was known as 'Cortina 80', although the Mk V tag was given to it immediately on release, by the press, insiders and the general public.

A large update on the Mk IV, it was really a step between a facelift and a rebody. The Mk V differentiated itself from the Mk IV by having revised headlights with larger turn indicators incorporated (which now showed to the side too), a wider slatted grille said to be more aerodynamically efficient, a flattened roof, more glass area, slimmer C-pillars with revised vent covers, larger, slatted taillights (on saloon models) and upgraded trim.

Variants included the regular Base, L, GL, GLS and Ghia variants, although various 'special editions' were announced, including Calypso, Carousel and Crusader, the Crusader being a high-volume version that saw the car towards the end of production.

By this time, the Cortina was starting to feel the competition from a rejuvenated (and Opel influenced) Vauxhall, which with the 1981 release Cavalier J-Car, was starting to make inroads on the Cortina's traditional fleet market, largely helped by the front wheel drive benefits, of weight and grip.

The Cortina was Ford's mass-market midsize car and sold in enormous numbers, making it common on British roads until 1982, when it was replaced by the Ford Sierra. In other markets, particularly Asia and Australasia, it was replaced by the Mazda 626-based Ford Telstar, though Ford New Zealand did import British-made CKD kits of the Ford Sierra estate for local assembly from 1984.

The Cortina also raced in rallies and Lotus did some sportier editions of the Cortina Mk 1 and Mk 2 referred to as the Lotus Cortina.

Up to and including 1981, the Cortina was the best selling car in Britain. Even during its final production year, 1982, the Cortina was still selling well despite competition from the front-wheel drive hatchback Vauxhall Cavalier. On the continent, the Taunus version was competing with more modern and practical designs like the Talbot Alpine, Citroen BX and Renault 20. But the brand image of Ford's blue oval ensured the Cortina was a success in virtually every country where it was sold.

This car is, today, used for racing, because of its powerful cast iron engine. The car can have imported cylinder Heads,with hydraulic valves, which give an enormous power boost.

Overseas

The Cortina was also sold in other right hand drive markets such as the Republic of Ireland where it was assembled locally, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and South Africa. Mk III Cortina estates were adopted as police cars in Hong Kong. The Cortina was also assembled in left hand drive in the Philippines, in South Korea (by Hyundai) and in Taiwan (by Ford Lio Ho) until the early 1980s.

For a time, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) was also thinking of using the Cortina as a template for a transnational car, but the plans were scrapped.

The first two generations of the car were also sold through American Ford dealers in the 1960s. The Cortina competed fairly successfully there against most of the other small imports of its day, including GM's Opel Kadett, the Renault Dauphine, and the just-appearing Toyotas and Datsuns, although none of them approached the phenomenal success of the Volkswagen Beetle. The Cortina was withdrawn from the American market when Ford decided to produce a domestic small car in 1971, the Ford Pinto, though it continued in Canada until the end of the 1973 model year.

Australia

In Australia, rather than referred to by marks, Cortinas had a two-letter code beginning with 'T' from the Mk III on. Hence, the Mk III was the TC, with a mid-life revised model called the TD. The Mk IV was the TE and the Mk V the TF. Models for the TC and TD were L, XL, XLE and for the TE and TF were L, GL, Ghia and S-Pack.

While the first two generations were similar to the British models, Ford Australia began fitting the 200 and 250 in³ six-cylinder engines as available in the Ford Falcon to the TC onwards in addition to the four-cylinder engines. The last of the TD, TE and TF models were fitted with the cross-flow head versions of these engines, referred to as 3.3 L and 4.1 L. To hold the larger engines, the chassis had reinforced side rails and center pillar, and a tubular crossmember support under the transmission. In addition, the firewall panels were shaped to accommodate the longer engines and wider bellhousing, and were manufactured from thicker metal. This change was spread across the Cortina range so that the four cylinder models benefitted too. But this was not enough to prevent the additional front mass of the larger engines causing understeer resulting in poor handling by today's standards. Braking was also an issue under harsh conditions. However, Ford found enough customers to last to the end of the model's life in 1982, when it was replaced initially by the smaller Ford Meteor (a rebadged Mazda 323 sedan) and then the 1983 Ford Telstar sedan/hatchback range.

The TC six cylinder model had twin headlights which distinguished it from the four cylinder. The TD was identified by rectangular headlights. Both the TC and TD six cylinder models were immediately recognized over the four cylinder versions by the raised hump in the center of the hood. Basic transmission for six-cylinder models was a three-speed manual floor shift with an optional four-speed Borg-Warner transmission available, taken straight from the Falcon GT. Also available was a three-speed automatic.

The TE and TF had minor exterior differences to the models sold elsewhere. Bumpers were the most noticeable differences (larger steel bumpers for the TE, rubber RIM moulded for the TF), while the TE had additional indicators in the front wings. Another example was that the TF's front numberplate was mounted below the front bumper, further distinguishing it from its European Mk V counterparts.

In 1973 to 1974, Ford Australia proposed a three-door coupe version of the Cortina, in order to compete with the upcoming Holden Torana liftback. It would also be a local Capri replacement. This car would have used the Pinto tailgate and other parts from around the world (such as the longer 2-door Cortina doors). However, Ford rejected the idea. A unique model, particularly a small coupe for Australia could not be justified on cost grounds.

In the late 1970s, the Cortina wagons were built in Renault's Heidelberg, Victoria factory (now closed), as Ford Australia's own factories did not have the capacity.

South Africa

In South Africa, the Cortina range included the 3.0 L V6 'Essex' engine. A locally designed pickup truck version (known in South African English as a 'bakkie') was also offered, and this remained in production after the Cortina was replaced by the Sierra. The Cortina pickup was exported to the UK as the P100 until 1988, when Ford divested from South Africa, and a pickup truck version of the Sierra was introduced.

Sales Success

The Ford Cortina was a very popular car in Britain throughout its lifespan. In 1967, it interrupted the Austin 1100/1300's reign as Britain's best selling car. From 1972 to 1981, the Cortina enjoyed an unbroken run as Britain best selling car every year. Its key rivals in the 1960s were the Morris Oxford and Austin 1800, during the 1970s it was competing with the Vauxhall Cavalier, Austin Maxi and Morris Marina. At the end of its life it was facing stiff competition from the more advanced and practical second generation Vauxhall Cavalier, but was still more popular.

Cortinas in popular Culture

A 1977 Cortina Mk4 Ghia made a brief appearance in the 1977 James Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me, driven by villians in pursuit of Bond. It proved to be no match for Bond's Lotus, and ended up being driven off a cliff, landing into a farmhouse!
A Cortina, this time a 1982 L model, also appeared in the 1983 Sean Connery James Bond spinoff Never Say Never Again, driven by an officer. Unfortunately the hapless officer is distracted by a woman in a Mercedes-Benz coupe, who proceeds to throw a snake into the Cortina, which throws the driver offtrack, flipping the car through a brick wall! The woman is then seen placing a bomb in the car, which she then detonates, blowing the remnants of the Cortina skyhigh.
The car is namechecked by Elton John in his 1995 song "Made in England" in the line "I was made in England, like a blue Cortina."
A blue-black-rust coloured 1978 Ford Cortina 1.6 GLS Mk4 makes frequent appearances in British television series Keeping Up Appearances, because the car is driven by Onslow and his family. The car is notable for backfiring whenever the car starts or stops.

External links

Preceded by:
Ford Consul Classic

Succeeded by:
Ford Sierra
Ford Telstar (Asia-Pacific)
Hyundai Stellar (South Korea)

Ford vehicles | Mid-size cars | Rear wheel drive vehicles

Ford Cortina | Ford Cortina

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