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RNR 999 W, metallic silver 2.0 Cortina Ghia. Best equipped and luxurious Cortina I ever owned. That was 1986, back in the days when a twenty-year old could afford to own and run a nice motor. I still missed my Mk 3 2.0 XL that I had before. Loved the shape and character that personified the 1970’s
My uncle has a brand new cortina 1.6 and a new capri calypso , he ran a small ford dealership than closed due to franchise problems in the early 80`s and some of the cars on the inventory were stored in his barn and basically forgotten. He is quite elderly now and jokes he will leave me the cars when he pops :-)
Love them. My dad had a new 1 every year from 77. 1st was a 1.6 then 1.6GL , 2.0GL,2.3 Ghia.......then, the cream of the crop, a 1.6 LS with every factory option, Recaros, Bilsteins, front fogs and power steering. Everyone says it wasnt available on a 1.6 but I still have the original bill. Doesn't matter, it flew. Only 90bhp on paper with the 'Mexico' spec engine(carb,cam,dizzy and manifold) but to this day it remains my dream car. He drove it like he stole it from brand new. RTA506X. He still drives like a nutter at 81 years of age in his mapped 435i. What a lad
You bring your own humour, No waffling on for 20 minutes, You stay close to the facts, the pros and cons and you give your honest opinion on the car not just what lovers of the car want to hear. Brilliant review as always. Look forward to the next.
Oh god, mine was exactly the same colour as this but only the 1.6 GL and I think designated the 4 1/2 spec, I was 22 in 1982 when I got this car new as a sales rep and I felt like the King of the road. It wasn't very rapid but I had some real fun on the twisty Cat and Fiddle road and stopping off at 'Hobson's Choice' which as the name suggests was the only burger van on that road. Happy days and thanks for reminding me of them with your excellent video.
One wonders if this Cortina would be better called the "Father Ted" Cortina but I reckon that would be an ecumenical matter. What caught my eye about this film is that this car is the same colour as Father Ted's Cortina. "Taunus" is pronounced "Townoos" as it is a German name. The bodyshell of this car is derived from the Continental Ford Taunus TC which was contemporary with the Cortina mk3 with the Coke bottle styling. Thank you for producing this film.
That 140 MPH speedometer is mighty optimistic. I guess even 40 years ago they knew that many people mistakenly believe that the highest number on a car's speedometer is its actual top speed!
We owned several used Cortinas over the years: First off a mark 2 'G' plate (1970-74), a couple of Mark 3's 'J' and 'P' plates (1975-82) and finally, a sky blue Mark 4 Ghia on the 'T' plate (1982-87). The luxury in the Mark 4 was unbelievable - blue velour seats, slightly tinted windows, and even though it was second hand to us, it still had that new car smell.
Bought a new TE GL wagon here in Aussie back in the late 70's. Had the 4.1 litre crossflow falcon six in it. Went well although with that great lump of a six up front a bit under steery. Great car for cruising our long country highways with plenty of power for overtaking. Fuel consumption was so so. Did plenty of trips between Sydney & Melbourne in that car. Ah the memories.
I had a hand me down Ford Cortina as a Rep Car in1983. I think it had the 1300 engine and I remember it had to warm up on really cold mornings before it could drive up a hill. A good car on the motorway and enough room inside. The branch manager had an 1800 Marina and he used to ask me to drive if we went anywhere. That car had a bit more performance but the clutch engagement was sharp when driven for the first time.
I’m getting my license next year and I truly love the mk5 cortina. I’m hoping to get one of these for my first car. I’m going to have to beg the insurance people for a half decent quote though!
My dad’s friend had this exact model and it always seemed massive! I remember as a kid even in ‘84 I found the dash looked so old fashioned with the wood effect. That steering wheel brings back the memories! Great vid 👍🏻
I had a mk4 2.0L Ghia x wood trim on the top of the door and carpet on the bottom with blue velour trim the colour of the car was squadron blue a rear colour at the time
Absolutely correct : these mags were period correct and standard fitment on both the Granada Ghia as well as the Cortina Ghia - both of thése model ranges, obviously denoting their respective top spec models in the range.
Very similar Ghia style wheels of course to the Granada but not carbon copies The Granada Ghia style alloys were an inch bigger and had five studs whereas these have four. 😉
@@TwinCam The Ghia wheels are a nice upgrade. Strange how the first 2 years of the Sierra Ghia had steels though. The mk1 Fiesta Ghia also came with similar alloys, yet the mk3 Escort Ghia never did, even though its velour upholstery pattern changed 3 times in its 5 and a half year life on sale! Cortina 2.0 GL would have had Sports Wheels (or Dartboards) with stainless rim covers and black rubber hub and nut covers from the factory. Carousel and Crusader had them as well. Caribbean Blue was a very popular Ford colour in 1982, but I've never seen any Ghia models or Granadas in that colour.
I own a 1984 Ford Taunus 2.3 Ghia, made-in-Argentina, strato silver body / light tobacco interior, with factory 5 speed manual, air conditioning and power steering. The engine, contrary the european Cortina / Taunus, is not a V6 "Cologne" unit but a "Lima" straight four, with 105 cv (about 103 bhp) and a very handy 193 Nm of torque at 3,500 rpm. The torque is quite enough to move the 1,140 kg with grace, hitting 100 km/h (about 62 mp/h) in a tick over 11 seconds and reaching 173 km/h (106 mp/h). The best part is acceleration through gears, as 80-120 km/h can be done in 9 seconds in 4th. Fuel consumption is not its best attribute, but going a steady 110 km/h (70 mp/h) in 5th gear it can travel almost 14 km/litre (around 32 MP/G) at a low 2,300 rpm. It's very realiable, stable, has good brakes and is supremely comfortable.....as long as it riding on a smooth road. If the road is rough, the handling become a bit skittery, but that only adds to the fun factor! This is my fourth Taunus, and I love them!!
This takes me back. I spent my childhood being driven around in Mk3, 4 and 5 Cortinas. One of which GSU 221T was a blue 2.0 GL. Scrapped many years ago now, but this video brought back a lot of memories.
I had a manual TD, what you'd call a MK3, Cortina wagon as my first car, and a TF ,MK5, Cortina as my second car. Both manual. Loved them to pieces. Wonderful 4 cyl engine, that 2 litre Pinto. Very revvy.
I was in my early teens when the Cortina was phased out for the Sierra and can remember the Crusader and Carousel becoming quite desirable at the time because of resentment towards the Sierra's styling and the fact that they were the run-out models of a model that was established and loved.
How I lusted after those run out special edition Cortina Crusader/Carousel models back in the day - the two tone paint and graphics were more than my younger self could possibly resist. Funnily enough I also went a bit soppy over the Sierra when that car was launched too - this just goes to show how much of a Ford boy I was in the 1980's - and I'm not even from Essex. Putting nostalgia aside and trying to be a bit more objective about it, methinks any honest Cortina owner must concede that they could rust like a Lancia with age - all 3 of mine sufferd to some degree from rotted rear wheel aches/ front wings/door bottoms etc - at least one had major structural corrosion damage at the base of the ' B' pillar that might well had killed me in a serous collision. I also can't agree with those who feel that the Pinto engine noise is somehow 'sporty' ('thrashy' might be a better description) or that Cortinas handled at all well - there was times when can distinctly recall feeling that just 3 mph faster would have put me either in a hedge or over a cliff! Indeed I didn't actually learn just how competently better engineered cars could ride and handle until my motoring tastes changed and I discarded my last MK5 Cortina for a (FWD) VW Passat - but even that went rusty 6 months after I got it. Youngsters who have grow up never realising just how rapidly cars of the past could rust don't know they're born. Having said all that I'd still want a Cortina now of course ... but God alone knows how any have survived this long.
The car I passed my driving test in was my dads 1982 Ford Cortina, I can't remember if it was a 1.6 Carousel or Crusader but it was the same colour as the one in the video but with fancy striping along the sides and on the bonnet, the first car that got me into modding, ditched the standard push button radio for a cassette player, big rear shelf speakers, Wolf race alloys and fitted a twin choke carb, loved the car and used it till I found work at 18 and could afford my own.
@@TwinCam Well it looked good to me, so no worries, But yeah i know how you feel, ive been there too, rushed and bitty and felt not quite happy with it.. But you are amazing....
A nice account of one of my locally supplied Cortinas! For me the all new bodied Mk3 was may favourite with it's beautiful coke bottle shape which was very nicely face lifted on later models! I was quite disappointed when the Mk4 was introduced as I thought Ford had lost something with it, but the refinements shone through and customers loved it. The Mk 5 was a little plain but it had managed to lose all the bits I did not like on the previous model. My father had a 1600GXL, followed by a 2000E, and then a Mk4 Ghia, and all were great cars. I always thought it was unusual to miss out the glove box with the wood finish in this model. I don't think the wood dash was fake, it might have been a veneer but it was very acceptable and nothing like some of the plastic fake wood found on some other brands of cars! The dash panel was an award winning design being nice and clear to view, first found on the facelifted Mk3 Cortinas during 1973. The Mk2 Escort also adopted it in 1975 and the facelift Mk1 Granada had a similar setup too! The floppy indicator stalk was intentional as it was a feature designed to enable the driver to indicate briefly without having to fully switch it on, for example when leaving a motorway. It was part of an idea to have all the main switches close to hand when driving. As regards not having a cassette player, at that time Ford wanted you to buy their top models before you could have luxury's like that!
Another great video. A friend of my dad had a 1982 Y reg 1.6 L. Same colour as the one in this video. He was a retired accountant. I always wondered just how good he was being that his retirement present to himself was only a 1.6 L.
Good vid. I grew up as a lad in Cortina’s and thus became a 70’s, 80’s Ford fan. Not so much Ford these days though. I always preferred the overall look of the Mk IV to the Mk V. Dad had 2 of them and the front and rear lights to me looked aesthetically better. Oh I also just dived into my Ford car catalogue of the era, the Ford P21 radio was a standard GL fit. Keep up the good work on the retro classic cars!
Thanks Ian ☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day. I also prefer the look of the Mk4. It just looks more polished and slightly smarter than the Mk5.
I noticed that he mentioned the improved vision between the MK4 and MK5. This reminds me of being caught out by wrongly thinking that a MK4 door would fit a MK5 as they looked exactly the same. Unfortunately, as soon as I tried to fit the MK4 door it became quite apparent that they were in fact slightly shorter than the MK5 door.
Yes. It's strange how much they changed the shell (especially at the back) considering the style remained almost identical. Surely that was a rare waste of money for Ford?
The Mark IV & V were called the TE and TF Cortina here in Australia and quite often came with a 3.3l straight six or a 4.1 litre straight 6. The smallest engine was the 2.0 Four.
Great cars these, I had a X reg 2.3 V6 Ghia with the 4 speed manual. Wood dash trims and lovely deep blue velour seats, it was 5 years old when I bought it and still like new. I think the only negative with cortinas was the back seats were really low. Cracking video young man.
In Australia we had the 4GL (2.0L) and the 6GL (4.1L, which was our Falcon motor). The Ghia model and the L model. Unfortunately after several years of the Aussie sun the interior plastics cracked and believe it or not they rusted as severely as all our local made brands. They were always an attractive car and there were plenty to be had. But with the Japanese market creating other options, to buyers, the poor Cortina sadly faded into history.
Late 81 saw Ford switching to the Mazda 323 based Meteor as the stop gap measure then came many a generation of Telstar after that from 83-95.Just as well they did that Granted it meant we didn't have a contender against Sigma/Bluebird/Accord and 626(first gen)for a couple of years as the Meteor was a size smaller closer to say an Alfa Sud and whatever else existed around that period but the wait was worth it.
Twin-Cam It was easily burnt and torn, and a neglected car with a velour interior could look terrible in no time and be difficult to sell on. A big no-no for fleets/hire cars, hence why it drifted out of favour - one of their main concerns was resale value. You might get an executive car with velour, but a rep’s car? Forget it. - Unlikely to be looked after by a hard working rep. These days people aren’t used to seeing velour interiors. The most recent car I’ve been in with velour seats was a ‘98 registered Rover 600. So it’s likely not something that’s even asked for. As most cars are obtained (not bought) new on finance, then the finance providers are probably not keen on velour either, just like fleet managers weren’t. Again, all about resale value. Particularly as most cars are returned to the dealers to be sold on again as “approved used”.
@@BungleBare Got married in 1992. My Dad had just inheireted his parents' last car, a 1983 LTD Crown Victoria. Chocolate-brown velour seats with electric motors for sliding / lifting / tilting. Two-tone braown outside, with landau vinyl on roof and coach-lamp lights on the B-pillars. Big chrome bumpers. During 1 summer, drove it 5hr20min each Friday Evening + Sunday Afternoon, due to a training job far from home. Had it until 1999.
love this car, and the old pinto lump, i have a Sierra 1.6 Pinto and sometimes go for a drive [not atm as lockdown] just to listen to that engine and for the smooth drive, not to loud but sounds good, great old cars all Fords are the older from the Focus back are amazing, Capri, Cortina, Sierra Fiesta etc, another great vid keep em coming
Mk 5 rear lights are bigger because of rear fog lights which were mandatory from 1980. As they were redesigning the car, they added in the lights instead of separate rear fogs..
"Doesn't quite light the fire that makes me fall in love" ... naturally fondness for anything is purely subjective, but I'd hazard a guess that if you lived with a MK5 Cortina, you will love it. I had one, a mint all original 1982 2.0 Ghia automatic in white, with black vinyl roof and beige Chatsworth velour interior. I bought it as my first car in 2003 when I was 21, and not because I loved Cortinas per say, but my mom owned a 1982 1.6 L automatic from brand new, so I was very familiar with the car, and where to get parts etc, my main reasons for buying it. At the time I figured I'd use it for about 2 years and move on. Well after the first month I was totally in love. The 2 litre engine provided markedly better shove than the 1.6, which was a welcomed surprise since my mom's 1.6 was my only experience with Cortinas up til then. But it meant that it easily kept up with modern day traffic, and didnt struggle climbing a hill. It was relatively quiet and supremely stable on the highway, while still having excellent handling and roadholding. Yea it had buckets of body roll but I actually prefer that (even today) because you can feel the car's suspension loading up to point where grip will be lost, so tracking the car around a twisty back road was way more entertaining that its 1970s engineering suggested. I thoroughly loved my ownership experience with it and sadly 5 years into ownership, I had to sell it to help pay for college expenses. It's something I regret to this day, especially since they've all but disappeared from the roads
Another good one. I worry that I repeat myself in the comments, but my Uncle loved Cortinas when I was a kid. Had a succession of battered Mk 3s and finished off with a Mk 4. Fantastic cars, although the Escort was my preferred motor. I know what you mean about this not quite lighting the fire.... there are a couple on the market over here in Aus and whilst I like the idea, they don't have the spark I am after if I do go for an older car.
Here in Argentina it was known as Taunus (Cortina sounds like curtain in spanish and means shorty in our old lunfardo slang ;-)). I think that MK4 version was aestheticaly more attractive, but both versions were a hit in my country. Power plants were 2.0 for base models and 2.3 for full options and fast back coupe. In 1983 Ford's General Pacheco plant ( in Province of Buenos Aires) released the SP5 2.3 fast back coupe with Hella grid and front lights and two barrell carb. I was a high scool teen by that time and it was a dream car for my generation.
I think you got the summing up absolutely correct, the most average car you could buy at the time. Ford were so good at not upsetting anyone who just wanted any old car to get about in thier daily lives. I also agree about the seats. You always felt like you were sitting on the floor. I'm not a Ford fan and the Cortina was one of the reasons. I knew many people who had various versions and you could pick any of them and guarantee that it would feel floppy and worn out even after a couple of years. They were cheap to repair, moved under thier own power most of the time and everyone had one for some reason. I never got it myself but, hey, each to their own. Sorry Ford fans, it's just not me. Good review Ed. Looking forward to the next one.
My second car in 1984 was a 1977 mk4 Cortina 2.0 Ghia, Silver with a Black full length webesto sunroof. Was a lovely car. Kept it for 6 months before buying a Black MK1 XR2!!!!!
Quite powerful for the era as well. 2 litre pinto in the video, 99 bhp. 1600 Octavia which I am driving now, 105 bhp. Not dazzling progress in 40 years. However no Cortina could ever make 70 mpg in daily driving. I don't think I ever managed 30 in mine. Try the over 50s Cortina quiz, if you are in a group of men that sort of age ask who has owned a Cortina. Last time I did that every bloke put his hand up!
Remember very well never getting more than 270 miles out of a full tank in my Mk 3. When I got more than 300 out of my Mk 5 2.0 Ghia it was a revelation!
Had one of these in 1992, same colour as the one in video, black bonnet and white doors 😂front end was starting to separate from the Bulkhead but boy could the graphic equaliser and Stereo pump out some choons 😁😁😁
I actually converted the dash of my 1975 facelift MK3 cortina to a MK5 dash where Ford had dropped the radio down to the plastic centre console (which weren't fitted on the MK3) in order to introduce the middle air vents which also didn't exist on the MK3. A slight bit of cutting was required in the rear metal dash frame to change the radio slot to a vent slot but other than that, the MK5 dash facia was exactly the same fitting and screwed in place exactly the same as the MK3. The MK5 blower box was exactly the same fitting as the facelift MK3 other than now having the additional outlet for the centre vent.
I had a 1977 mk4 1.6.L back in 1988 when I was 19 and agree it was an o.k. car. Ultimately though like most 70s cars it succumbed to the tin worm, it was worst with the rear wheel arches, when you opened the boot you could see the rear tyres. And on one occasion with the rear wheel drive I managed to spin it 360 degrees when taking a corner a little too enthusiastically. I suppose I was quite fond of it really. Great vids as ever Ed, keep em coming.
This is the EXACT car that my Dad got as his company car in 1982 - 2.0GL Cortina sedan in "oil blue" non-metallic. Mom still had her 1979 diamond white 1.6L estate with choc brown velour interior - love that stuff! My uncle had the 3.0GLS in auto with A/C no less! And Grandad rounded it all off with his also "oil blue" 3.0GLE Granada auto : a complete FORD FAMILY then 😁🙌😀
Chris Greenwood they used to rot in the corners just in front of the windscreen very nicely as well. Amazing to think how much body repair stuff you could buy from car accessory shops back then. Big business. Anyone over the age of 50 will know it was a weekend pastime for most of us at one time or another, filling holes in bodywork with bits of wire mesh and paste, then sanding it etc. Fun times. I had an old Vauxhall in 1986 and remember someone coming to look at it when I was selling it, and was standing there thinking "don't pull the wing too hard !" Haha.
@@oddities-whatnot 😂 yes sir the old wire mesh was my preferred method of attack. Mixinging filler with to much harder, where it reacted and got bloody hot to the touch. 😂
Good video 👍 My Dad drove Cortina estates (both XL/GL models) in the 70s & 80s (a late mk3 and an early mk5), both had the same dashboard and the same 1600 Pinto engine (I think). It was a decent, reliable but unexciting car.
Thanks Tim☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day. It’s weird that I came to the conclusion that it’s a bit boring, as I really like the car. I suppose I like an interesting story and engineering more than I thought I did. I think I’m getting to the bottom of my BL obsession! 😂
Drove these mk5,s as soon as i passed my test back in 89. Must have owned at least 10 through the years in various engine sizes and trim. Weber carbs and 4 branch manifold. Just preferred them over the capri granada escorts.
I have one like this, but deep blue and with round, not square, additional headlamps. Mine is also Ghia and with tuned 2.0L engine, so it has 130 horsepowers. It can be mildly terrifying when you put your foot down but it is a perfect sleeper. I used it daily until 2018, now the old girl has more time to rest since I bought a new car to replace it as a daily driver.
At the time it was current, a very ordinary but nonetheless very good car. We had several in our family over the years. Whenever I see one I'm 11 again!
Being an American, we never had the Cortina save for a brief time in the 60s with the 1st and 2nd Gen, albeit in very small numbers. I appreciate the detail in terms of showing the interior/dash. Appears to be a nicely designed car, and reminds me of a Gen 1 Fiesta I had in the 80s.
I remember my Dad having the MK3, MK4 & MK5. And every one I know who had one, didn’t know about the fan when set to vent. With the fan lever all the way to the left, vent, this shut off the windscreen and foot air so only the vents worked, but in this position you could pull the lever out 1 click and the fan would run on full to get nice cold air out the vents onto your face.... A weird little fact....
One other thing that the Cortina and Taunus have in common is a mountain theme. The Taunus is a mountain range in western Germany, while Cortina (or more fully, Cortina d'Ampezzo) is a ski resort in - you couldn't make this up - the Dolomites.
I would have loved one of these as my family car back then but had to compromise with smaller basic Mark 1 Golf. I so agree with you about velour seats. They were hard wearing as well as pleasant to touch and eye. They seem to have been perceived as naff by fashion police and killed off. I always thought this dashboard was posh but amazed to see all the screw heads.
Yeah, the dashboard is disappointing to be honest. Everyone criticised the dash in something like a Princess (myself included), but this makes a Princess dash look well designed and well put together! I’m going to call it, the Mk1 Golf was the best looking car of its era.
Always look forward to your videos Ed! This one brought back memories - my Dad had a run of Cortinas as company cars when he was a sales rep back in the 70s and early 80s: A late MkIII, two MkIV versions and lastly a Cortina 80 (or MkV if you prefer). All were 1300 ohv base versions, the tiny engines looking quite lost within the roomy engine bays. Vinyl seats (not great on a hot summer's day - ouch!) on all but the last and no headrests - these being a luxury way beyond the spec of these poverty base models. I agree the rear lights of the MkIV were better proportioned though sadly there seem to be few survivors of this iteration left now. Keep up the good work Ed - really liking your brochure videos too! 👍🏼
Loved that car... My Dad had a MK1, 2 MK3's, 1 MK4 and 3 MK5's, i did have a MK5 in Highland Green. Think my dad had a Ford thing :). Good review and interesting. It was underpowered tbh. The 1.6 compared to a 1.6 Cavalier in power terms was left wanting. The plus side was , you could maintain and service the car yourself. First things to go was the automatic choke...achilles heel on that car. Everyone changed to a manual choke eventually. The Rheostat on the volume/on/off radio button used to fail and it would crackle at full volume on switch on and vol adjustment. Rust was a problem. On the plus side.... i remember my exhaust going so i took it to be repaired. The back box had gone, the rear section was £16 and a full system was £26. New car exhaust were nearly £100 for other cars at that time but there was so much of them on the road spares were reasonably priced. I loved the car but it was priced to the last nut and bolt. i think mine came with a set of rear fog lamps and it was a GL Happy Days. keep up the good videos....brilliant.
I have had two of these - both 2.0 V6's. I remember them fondly, however they were rust-buckets like no other car. They were both great cars, though the '82 with the Weber was much better. The Solex carburetor on my '80, was a catastrophe in the winter-time. In Denmark we have two years between MOT, but that's too long for these cars - they rust through in less time. It's the only car ever I've owned, that i got wet in when driving through a puddle. It simply formed a rusthole between the doorsill and the clutch pedal so fast, that i wasn't aware of it. But both drove good, and was quite reliable (especially the '82 with the Weber). And it was quite a nice drive for both of them. Would i recommend one to use as daily driver? No... but i would definitely recommend one as classic car. It deserves that. Actually i sorry about the fact that the Cortina/Taunus always has been in the shadow of it's big brother, the Capri. The Cortina/Taunus deserves to be on the spotlight too.
My Dad had this exact model but in Gold, to be honest as a little kid I didn't like it as it felt claustrophobic in the back & made me feel ill on long journeys. After a couple of years we got a Sierra which I remember being much more impressed by, it looked space aged compared to the Cortina & had a row of warning lights in the middle of the dash below the air vents, seemed very cool to me at the time!
Memory stirring...my bro had a mk4 1.6l (which lost a wheel with driveshaft still attracted on the motorway.🤔) then a mk5 2.0gl..my unc had a 2.0 ghia mk5,my grandad had a mk5 1.6l...a friend had a rough 2.0 mk5 tuned up with twin 40s,janspeed etc...quite fancied the rare 2 door for a project..
A good presentation on one of my favourite cars. I always like the look, logic ergonomics of a mk5. Best spec was the 2.0 ghia, especially in sable brown with beige crush velour interior!! 90mph in 3rd gear was always achievable!! I replaced it after a few good years of ownership with a 1985 orion 1.6i ghia, as for me the orion was the cortinas successor, never that awful sierra. RIP OLR868W😕.
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My first car, 2.0 GL Mk5 in Gold. Ghia alloys, interior, X-Pack grille, Ghia interior and seats. AHY 21V Loved it.
RNR 999 W, metallic silver 2.0 Cortina Ghia. Best equipped and luxurious Cortina I ever owned. That was 1986, back in the days when a twenty-year old could afford to own and run a nice motor.
I still missed my Mk 3 2.0 XL that I had before. Loved the shape and character that personified the 1970’s
I loved this car. What happy memories.
My uncle has a brand new cortina 1.6 and a new capri calypso , he ran a small ford dealership than closed due to franchise problems in the early 80`s and some of the cars on the inventory were stored in his barn and basically forgotten. He is quite elderly now and jokes he will leave me the cars when he pops :-)
Love them. My dad had a new 1 every year from 77.
1st was a 1.6 then 1.6GL , 2.0GL,2.3 Ghia.......then, the cream of the crop, a 1.6 LS with every factory option, Recaros, Bilsteins, front fogs and power steering. Everyone says it wasnt available on a 1.6 but I still have the original bill. Doesn't matter, it flew. Only 90bhp on paper with the 'Mexico' spec engine(carb,cam,dizzy and manifold) but to this day it remains my dream car. He drove it like he stole it from brand new. RTA506X.
He still drives like a nutter at 81 years of age in his mapped 435i. What a lad
he he lol l remember driveing the 2.0 ghia with tinted windows was my dad's too in the early 2000s
Update: dad is now 84 and itching to get rid of the mapped 435i and get something dafter
You bring your own humour,
No waffling on for 20 minutes,
You stay close to the facts, the pros and cons and you give your honest opinion on the car not just what lovers of the car want to hear.
Brilliant review as always.
Look forward to the next.
Thanks Dan ☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day.
My mate had a Cortina TC (MARK 3) down here in Australia it originally came with a six he put a 302 Windsor V8 motor in it. Fun times.
Oh god, mine was exactly the same colour as this but only the 1.6 GL and I think designated the 4 1/2 spec, I was 22 in 1982 when I got this car new as a sales rep and I felt like the King of the road. It wasn't very rapid but I had some real fun on the twisty Cat and Fiddle road and stopping off at 'Hobson's Choice' which as the name suggests was the only burger van on that road. Happy days and thanks for reminding me of them with your excellent video.
One wonders if this Cortina would be better called the "Father Ted" Cortina but I reckon that would be an ecumenical matter. What caught my eye about this film is that this car is the same colour as Father Ted's Cortina. "Taunus" is pronounced "Townoos" as it is a German name. The bodyshell of this car is derived from the Continental Ford Taunus TC which was contemporary with the Cortina mk3 with the Coke bottle styling. Thank you for producing this film.
That 140 MPH speedometer is mighty optimistic. I guess even 40 years ago they knew that many people mistakenly believe that the highest number on a car's speedometer is its actual top speed!
My Cortina could have used that the 180 Kmh speedo went back to zero often on the freeway
We owned several used Cortinas over the years: First off a mark 2 'G' plate (1970-74), a couple of Mark 3's 'J' and 'P' plates (1975-82) and finally, a sky blue Mark 4 Ghia on the 'T' plate (1982-87). The luxury in the Mark 4 was unbelievable - blue velour seats, slightly tinted windows, and even though it was second hand to us, it still had that new car smell.
Bought a new TE GL wagon here in Aussie back in the late 70's. Had the 4.1 litre crossflow falcon six in it. Went well although with that great lump of a six up front a bit under steery.
Great car for cruising our long country highways with plenty of power for overtaking. Fuel consumption was so so. Did plenty of trips between Sydney & Melbourne in that car. Ah the memories.
My first car as an 18 year old was a 2.3V6 Ghia Mk4 Cortina. Very happy memories, what an engine.
Such a great car. Remember it well from my childhood
Another sweet trip down memory lane to a time when these things were ten a penny. Makes me mightily nostalgic for my mk3 Escort. 👍🏻
My mate had one in red. Out run most of the bmw on motorway. My mum had mk 2. Played guess where the cortina. Nicked every day. Lol
I bought a Mk5 in that baby blue about 25yrs ago for 50 quid, and it had 6 months mot lol.. Like you say, they were 10 a penny
Reminds me of my mums mk3 escort 1.6GL. 2 door. Good days.
You've a great writing and presentation style.
Thanks Dan ☺️
I just absoloutley love the look of these👍🏻
I had a hand me down Ford Cortina as a Rep Car in1983. I think it had the 1300 engine and I remember it had to warm up on really cold mornings before it could drive up a hill. A good car on the motorway and enough room inside. The branch manager had an 1800 Marina and he used to ask me to drive if we went anywhere. That car had a bit more performance but the clutch engagement was sharp when driven for the first time.
Lovely car
I’m getting my license next year and I truly love the mk5 cortina. I’m hoping to get one of these for my first car. I’m going to have to beg the insurance people for a half decent quote though!
My dad’s friend had this exact model and it always seemed massive! I remember as a kid even in ‘84 I found the dash looked so old fashioned with the wood effect. That steering wheel brings back the memories! Great vid 👍🏻
Cheers Andrew :)
The Sweeney made the Cortina so cool and wanted. We had one, It was like riding on a sofa around corners. Just magic.
If I remember correctly, the little cubby hole above the radio is where the clock moved to if the tacho was fitted on the higher spec models
No the clock moved down and was just in front of the gear lever
Spot on. Ghia model only. And the fuel and temp gauges were moved over to the centre dial, to make way for the tachometer.
My dad had the same model in gold with the obligatory black vinyl roof, awesome.
I had a mk4 2.0L Ghia x wood trim on the top of the door and carpet on the bottom with blue velour trim the colour of the car was squadron blue a rear colour at the time
My parents owned a Mk4 Ghia.
Beautiful car.
Thanks for posting this.
Lovely motor love the wheels looks abit like the Granada from the side view thumbs up to the owner 👍👍👍
You could. These wheels are from a Ghia or a GLE I believe, but they've been put on this standard GL because shiny.
Absolutely correct : these mags were period correct and standard fitment on both the Granada Ghia as well as the Cortina Ghia - both of thése model ranges, obviously denoting their respective top spec models in the range.
Very similar Ghia style wheels of course to the Granada but not carbon copies The Granada Ghia style alloys were an inch bigger and had five studs whereas these have four. 😉
@@TwinCam The Ghia wheels are a nice upgrade. Strange how the first 2 years of the Sierra Ghia had steels though. The mk1 Fiesta Ghia also came with similar alloys, yet the mk3 Escort Ghia never did, even though its velour upholstery pattern changed 3 times in its 5 and a half year life on sale! Cortina 2.0 GL would have had Sports Wheels (or Dartboards) with stainless rim covers and black rubber hub and nut covers from the factory. Carousel and Crusader had them as well. Caribbean Blue was a very popular Ford colour in 1982, but I've never seen any Ghia models or Granadas in that colour.
I own a 1984 Ford Taunus 2.3 Ghia, made-in-Argentina, strato silver body / light tobacco interior, with factory 5 speed manual, air conditioning and power steering. The engine, contrary the european Cortina / Taunus, is not a V6 "Cologne" unit but a "Lima" straight four, with 105 cv (about 103 bhp) and a very handy 193 Nm of torque at 3,500 rpm. The torque is quite enough to move the 1,140 kg with grace, hitting 100 km/h (about 62 mp/h) in a tick over 11 seconds and reaching 173 km/h (106 mp/h). The best part is acceleration through gears, as 80-120 km/h can be done in 9 seconds in 4th. Fuel consumption is not its best attribute, but going a steady 110 km/h (70 mp/h) in 5th gear it can travel almost 14 km/litre (around 32 MP/G) at a low 2,300 rpm. It's very realiable, stable, has good brakes and is supremely comfortable.....as long as it riding on a smooth road. If the road is rough, the handling become a bit skittery, but that only adds to the fun factor! This is my fourth Taunus, and I love them!!
I loved my white 2l GL, 1982 WJT 186 X
love to have it again with its veloooor seats 😁
This takes me back. I spent my childhood being driven around in Mk3, 4 and 5 Cortinas. One of which GSU 221T was a blue 2.0 GL. Scrapped many years ago now, but this video brought back a lot of memories.
I had a manual TD, what you'd call a MK3, Cortina wagon as my first car, and a TF ,MK5, Cortina as my second car. Both manual. Loved them to pieces. Wonderful 4 cyl engine, that 2 litre Pinto. Very revvy.
I was in my early teens when the Cortina was phased out for the Sierra and can remember the Crusader and Carousel becoming quite desirable at the time because of resentment towards the Sierra's styling and the fact that they were the run-out models of a model that was established and loved.
The initial resentment for the Sierra not only meant Ford made a lot of Cortinas very late on, but also the Orion was launched to fill the saloon gap.
How I lusted after those run out special edition Cortina Crusader/Carousel models back in the day - the two tone paint and graphics were more than my younger self could possibly resist. Funnily enough I also went a bit soppy over the Sierra when that car was launched too - this just goes to show how much of a Ford boy I was in the 1980's - and I'm not even from Essex.
Putting nostalgia aside and trying to be a bit more objective about it, methinks any honest Cortina owner must concede that they could rust like a Lancia with age - all 3 of mine sufferd to some degree from rotted rear wheel aches/ front wings/door bottoms etc - at least one had major structural corrosion damage at the base of the ' B' pillar that might well had killed me in a serous collision. I also can't agree with those who feel that the Pinto engine noise is somehow 'sporty' ('thrashy' might be a better description) or that Cortinas handled at all well - there was times when can distinctly recall feeling that just 3 mph faster would have put me either in a hedge or over a cliff!
Indeed I didn't actually learn just how competently better engineered cars could ride and handle until my motoring tastes changed and I discarded my last MK5 Cortina for a (FWD) VW Passat - but even that went rusty 6 months after I got it. Youngsters who have grow up never realising just how rapidly cars of the past could rust don't know they're born. Having said all that I'd still want a Cortina now of course ... but God alone knows how any have survived this long.
The car I passed my driving test in was my dads 1982 Ford Cortina, I can't remember if it was a 1.6 Carousel or Crusader but it was the same colour as the one in the video but with fancy striping along the sides and on the bonnet, the first car that got me into modding, ditched the standard push button radio for a cassette player, big rear shelf speakers, Wolf race alloys and fitted a twin choke carb, loved the car and used it till I found work at 18 and could afford my own.
Really love the Cortina, the boxy design, the looks .. Another great video and really enjoy them M&D xxx
Thanks again ☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day.
@@TwinCam Well it looked good to me, so no worries, But yeah i know how you feel, ive been there too, rushed and bitty and felt not quite happy with it.. But you are amazing....
A nice account of one of my locally supplied Cortinas! For me the all new bodied Mk3 was may favourite with it's beautiful coke bottle shape which was very nicely face lifted on later models! I was quite disappointed when the Mk4 was introduced as I thought Ford had lost something with it, but the refinements shone through and customers loved it. The Mk 5 was a little plain but it had managed to lose all the bits I did not like on the previous model. My father had a 1600GXL, followed by a 2000E, and then a Mk4 Ghia, and all were great cars. I always thought it was unusual to miss out the glove box with the wood finish in this model. I don't think the wood dash was fake, it might have been a veneer but it was very acceptable and nothing like some of the plastic fake wood found on some other brands of cars! The dash panel was an award winning design being nice and clear to view, first found on the facelifted Mk3 Cortinas during 1973. The Mk2 Escort also adopted it in 1975 and the facelift Mk1 Granada had a similar setup too! The floppy indicator stalk was intentional as it was a feature designed to enable the driver to indicate briefly without having to fully switch it on, for example when leaving a motorway. It was part of an idea to have all the main switches close to hand when driving. As regards not having a cassette player, at that time Ford wanted you to buy their top models before you could have luxury's like that!
Another great video. A friend of my dad had a 1982 Y reg 1.6 L. Same colour as the one in this video. He was a retired accountant. I always wondered just how good he was being that his retirement present to himself was only a 1.6 L.
Thanks again Richard ☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day.
I had RRX 72Y, a red MKv 1.6L company car when I was 18. Loved it.
Good vid. I grew up as a lad in Cortina’s and thus became a 70’s, 80’s Ford fan. Not so much Ford these days though. I always preferred the overall look of the Mk IV to the Mk V. Dad had 2 of them and the front and rear lights to me looked aesthetically better. Oh I also just dived into my Ford car catalogue of the era, the Ford P21 radio was a standard GL fit. Keep up the good work on the retro classic cars!
Thanks Ian ☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day.
I also prefer the look of the Mk4. It just looks more polished and slightly smarter than the Mk5.
@@TwinCam It was great, but you should test the windshield wipers.
These were a hit everywhere. The Ford Cortina XR6 Interceptor would probably light your fire.
Probably. That being said, anything with six cylinders would.
Brings back memories , had a ghia mk 4 in gold , it was a great looking well behaved on the road and easy to maintain - great video
Thanks Dennis :)
Great video, big fan of the mk5 cortina, it was the 7th best selling car in the 80s, despite it only being on sale for the first 3 years
Thanks Alan
I owned a 2.0 ghia mk5 once, always liked my mk4 and 5 cortinas. great review ed, made me very happy
Thanks Michael ☺️
One of my older brothers had one of these. I got to drive it now and then. Proper cool car in its day.
Excellent video. I've had 3 of these in my time, mk4 2.0S, mk5 1.6 ghia and 2.0 Crusader.. Loved them.
I noticed that he mentioned the improved vision between the MK4 and MK5. This reminds me of being caught out by wrongly thinking that a MK4 door would fit a MK5 as they looked exactly the same. Unfortunately, as soon as I tried to fit the MK4 door it became quite apparent that they were in fact slightly shorter than the MK5 door.
Yes. It's strange how much they changed the shell (especially at the back) considering the style remained almost identical. Surely that was a rare waste of money for Ford?
MK3 is beautiful design.
The Mark IV & V were called the TE and TF Cortina here in Australia and quite often came with a 3.3l straight six or a 4.1 litre straight 6. The smallest engine was the 2.0 Four.
Great cars these, I had a X reg 2.3 V6 Ghia with the 4 speed manual. Wood dash trims and lovely deep blue velour seats, it was 5 years old when I bought it and still like new. I think the only negative with cortinas was the back seats were really low. Cracking video young man.
Thanks Shane ☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day.
In Australia we had the 4GL (2.0L) and the 6GL (4.1L, which was our Falcon motor). The Ghia model and the L model. Unfortunately after several years of the Aussie sun the interior plastics cracked and believe it or not they rusted as severely as all our local made brands. They were always an attractive car and there were plenty to be had. But with the Japanese market creating other options, to buyers, the poor Cortina sadly faded into history.
Late 81 saw Ford switching to the Mazda 323 based Meteor as the stop gap measure then came many a generation of Telstar after that from 83-95.Just as well they did that Granted it meant we didn't have a contender against Sigma/Bluebird/Accord and 626(first gen)for a couple of years as the Meteor was a size smaller closer to say an Alfa Sud and whatever else existed around that period but the wait was worth it.
about to buy a mk5 and i was on the fence until i saw this video, definitely made me realise what i was going to be missing out on 👍
Totally agree with missing velour seats,.
Never understood why cars don’t come with them anymore. It’s such a nice material.
Twin-Cam
It was easily burnt and torn, and a neglected car with a velour interior could look terrible in no time and be difficult to sell on. A big no-no for fleets/hire cars, hence why it drifted out of favour - one of their main concerns was resale value. You might get an executive car with velour, but a rep’s car? Forget it. - Unlikely to be looked after by a hard working rep.
These days people aren’t used to seeing velour interiors. The most recent car I’ve been in with velour seats was a ‘98 registered Rover 600. So it’s likely not something that’s even asked for.
As most cars are obtained (not bought) new on finance, then the finance providers are probably not keen on velour either, just like fleet managers weren’t. Again, all about resale value. Particularly as most cars are returned to the dealers to be sold on again as “approved used”.
My focus 2007 still has velour . Love them
@@BungleBare Got married in 1992. My Dad had just inheireted his parents' last car, a 1983 LTD Crown Victoria. Chocolate-brown velour seats with electric motors for sliding / lifting / tilting. Two-tone braown outside, with landau vinyl on roof and coach-lamp lights on the B-pillars. Big chrome bumpers. During 1 summer, drove it 5hr20min each Friday Evening + Sunday Afternoon, due to a training job far from home. Had it until 1999.
love this car, and the old pinto lump, i have a Sierra 1.6 Pinto and sometimes go for a drive [not atm as lockdown] just to listen to that engine and for the smooth drive, not to loud but sounds good, great old cars all Fords are the older from the Focus back are amazing, Capri, Cortina, Sierra Fiesta etc, another great vid keep em coming
Thanks ☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day.
@@TwinCam well it doesn't look rushed and is very good, you done well, it's a decent example and your honest about it but not rude
Had a Crusader back in the day. Loved it !
Mk 5 rear lights are bigger because of rear fog lights which were mandatory from 1980. As they were redesigning the car, they added in the lights instead of separate rear fogs..
Ahh of course!
@@TwinCam The mk5 Estate version had a separate rear fog, below the rear bumper on the offside. It stuck out and was very easily damaged.
"Doesn't quite light the fire that makes me fall in love" ... naturally fondness for anything is purely subjective, but I'd hazard a guess that if you lived with a MK5 Cortina, you will love it.
I had one, a mint all original 1982 2.0 Ghia automatic in white, with black vinyl roof and beige Chatsworth velour interior. I bought it as my first car in 2003 when I was 21, and not because I loved Cortinas per say, but my mom owned a 1982 1.6 L automatic from brand new, so I was very familiar with the car, and where to get parts etc, my main reasons for buying it. At the time I figured I'd use it for about 2 years and move on. Well after the first month I was totally in love. The 2 litre engine provided markedly better shove than the 1.6, which was a welcomed surprise since my mom's 1.6 was my only experience with Cortinas up til then. But it meant that it easily kept up with modern day traffic, and didnt struggle climbing a hill. It was relatively quiet and supremely stable on the highway, while still having excellent handling and roadholding. Yea it had buckets of body roll but I actually prefer that (even today) because you can feel the car's suspension loading up to point where grip will be lost, so tracking the car around a twisty back road was way more entertaining that its 1970s engineering suggested.
I thoroughly loved my ownership experience with it and sadly 5 years into ownership, I had to sell it to help pay for college expenses. It's something I regret to this day, especially since they've all but disappeared from the roads
Another good one. I worry that I repeat myself in the comments, but my Uncle loved Cortinas when I was a kid. Had a succession of battered Mk 3s and finished off with a Mk 4. Fantastic cars, although the Escort was my preferred motor. I know what you mean about this not quite lighting the fire.... there are a couple on the market over here in Aus and whilst I like the idea, they don't have the spark I am after if I do go for an older car.
Here in Argentina it was known as Taunus (Cortina sounds like curtain in spanish and means shorty in our old lunfardo slang ;-)). I think that MK4 version was aestheticaly more attractive, but both versions were a hit in my country. Power plants were 2.0 for base models and 2.3 for full options and fast back coupe. In 1983 Ford's General Pacheco plant ( in Province of Buenos Aires) released the SP5 2.3 fast back coupe with Hella grid and front lights and two barrell carb.
I was a high scool teen by that time and it was a dream car for my generation.
What a lovely car. As to Bastable, I would argue he was as much as legend as the Cortina :-) Brilliant video as usual!
Cheers mate :)
I think you got the summing up absolutely correct, the most average car you could buy at the time. Ford were so good at not upsetting anyone who just wanted any old car to get about in thier daily lives. I also agree about the seats. You always felt like you were sitting on the floor. I'm not a Ford fan and the Cortina was one of the reasons. I knew many people who had various versions and you could pick any of them and guarantee that it would feel floppy and worn out even after a couple of years.
They were cheap to repair, moved under thier own power most of the time and everyone had one for some reason. I never got it myself but, hey, each to their own. Sorry Ford fans, it's just not me. Good review Ed. Looking forward to the next one.
Thanks! ☺️
My second car in 1984 was a 1977 mk4 Cortina 2.0 Ghia, Silver with a Black full length webesto sunroof. Was a lovely car. Kept it for 6 months before buying a Black MK1 XR2!!!!!
Quite powerful for the era as well. 2 litre pinto in the video, 99 bhp. 1600 Octavia which I am driving now, 105 bhp. Not dazzling progress in 40 years. However no Cortina could ever make 70 mpg in daily driving. I don't think I ever managed 30 in mine.
Try the over 50s Cortina quiz, if you are in a group of men that sort of age ask who has owned a Cortina. Last time I did that every bloke put his hand up!
Remember very well never getting more than 270 miles out of a full tank in my Mk 3. When I got more than 300 out of my Mk 5 2.0 Ghia it was a revelation!
Had one of these in 1992, same colour as the one in video, black bonnet and white doors 😂front end was starting to separate from the Bulkhead but boy could the graphic equaliser and Stereo pump out some choons 😁😁😁
I actually converted the dash of my 1975 facelift MK3 cortina to a MK5 dash where Ford had dropped the radio down to the plastic centre console (which weren't fitted on the MK3) in order to introduce the middle air vents which also didn't exist on the MK3. A slight bit of cutting was required in the rear metal dash frame to change the radio slot to a vent slot but other than that, the MK5 dash facia was exactly the same fitting and screwed in place exactly the same as the MK3. The MK5 blower box was exactly the same fitting as the facelift MK3 other than now having the additional outlet for the centre vent.
I had a 1977 mk4 1.6.L back in 1988 when I was 19 and agree it was an o.k. car. Ultimately though like most 70s cars it succumbed to the tin worm, it was worst with the rear wheel arches, when you opened the boot you could see the rear tyres. And on one occasion with the rear wheel drive I managed to spin it 360 degrees when taking a corner a little too enthusiastically. I suppose I was quite fond of it really. Great vids as ever Ed, keep em coming.
Thanks Darren ☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day.
Had one of these, can't fault it, used to get me to Cornwall from Germany and back when on leave.
This is the EXACT car that my Dad got as his company car in 1982 - 2.0GL Cortina sedan in "oil blue" non-metallic. Mom still had her 1979 diamond white 1.6L estate with choc brown velour interior - love that stuff! My uncle had the 3.0GLS in auto with A/C no less! And Grandad rounded it all off with his also "oil blue" 3.0GLE Granada auto : a complete FORD FAMILY then 😁🙌😀
Fond memories of my MK4 Cortina, mixing body filler on an industrial scale to patch up the ever disappearing inner wings.
Chris Greenwood they used to rot in the corners just in front of the windscreen very nicely as well. Amazing to think how much body repair stuff you could buy from car accessory shops back then. Big business. Anyone over the age of 50 will know it was a weekend pastime for most of us at one time or another, filling holes in bodywork with bits of wire mesh and paste, then sanding it etc. Fun times. I had an old Vauxhall in 1986 and remember someone coming to look at it when I was selling it, and was standing there thinking "don't pull the wing too hard !" Haha.
@@oddities-whatnot 😂 yes sir the old wire mesh was my preferred method of attack.
Mixinging filler with to much harder, where it reacted and got bloody hot to the touch. 😂
Good video 👍 My Dad drove Cortina estates (both XL/GL models) in the 70s & 80s (a late mk3 and an early mk5), both had the same dashboard and the same 1600 Pinto engine (I think). It was a decent, reliable but unexciting car.
Thanks Tim☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day.
It’s weird that I came to the conclusion that it’s a bit boring, as I really like the car. I suppose I like an interesting story and engineering more than I thought I did. I think I’m getting to the bottom of my BL obsession! 😂
My parents had a 1974 1600 XL estate when I was born. It had RoStyle wheels. It was replaced by a late mark 1 Granada 2000L.
Drove these mk5,s as soon as i passed my test back in 89. Must have owned at least 10 through the years in various engine sizes and trim. Weber carbs and 4 branch manifold. Just preferred them over the capri granada escorts.
Beautiful.... sophisticated yet not too pretentious
I have one like this, but deep blue and with round, not square, additional headlamps. Mine is also Ghia and with tuned 2.0L engine, so it has 130 horsepowers. It can be mildly terrifying when you put your foot down but it is a perfect sleeper. I used it daily until 2018, now the old girl has more time to rest since I bought a new car to replace it as a daily driver.
just come across your chanel. love the way you understand classic cars .
Thanks Chris ☺️
Once again another great video, keep up the great work
Thanks mate :)
Nice car. Thanks for featuring it, Ed.
Excellent presentation, Thank you!
Thanks Rory ☺️
My stepdad had a 1986 Toyota Camry with an oh-so-blue velour interior- fabulous. That Cortina is really cool, a car from the Rhyl area too!
Good video..my memory of the Mk5 1.6GL I owned back in the 90's was that on a quiet night you could hear the rust mites eating the darn thing..!!!
At the time it was current, a very ordinary but nonetheless very good car. We had several in our family over the years. Whenever I see one I'm 11 again!
Being an American, we never had the Cortina save for a brief time in the 60s with the 1st and 2nd Gen, albeit in very small numbers. I appreciate the detail in terms of showing the interior/dash. Appears to be a nicely designed car, and reminds me of a Gen 1 Fiesta I had in the 80s.
I remember my Dad having the MK3, MK4 & MK5. And every one I know who had one, didn’t know about the fan when set to vent. With the fan lever all the way to the left, vent, this shut off the windscreen and foot air so only the vents worked, but in this position you could pull the lever out 1 click and the fan would run on full to get nice cold air out the vents onto your face.... A weird little fact....
one of my favourite cars ever good video bro
Thanks ☺️ it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day.
One other thing that the Cortina and Taunus have in common is a mountain theme. The Taunus is a mountain range in western Germany, while Cortina (or more fully, Cortina d'Ampezzo) is a ski resort in - you couldn't make this up - the Dolomites.
Nice video as always. I had a Mk 4 back in 1986 and it was the 3 door 1.3 not the most speedy of cars but a reliable and economic car.
I would have loved one of these as my family car back then but had to compromise with smaller basic Mark 1 Golf.
I so agree with you about velour seats. They were hard wearing as well as pleasant to touch and eye. They seem to have been perceived as naff by fashion police and killed off.
I always thought this dashboard was posh but amazed to see all the screw heads.
Yeah, the dashboard is disappointing to be honest. Everyone criticised the dash in something like a Princess (myself included), but this makes a Princess dash look well designed and well put together!
I’m going to call it, the Mk1 Golf was the best looking car of its era.
I’d rather have the mk1 golf
Had a few of them loved them easy-to-use easy-to-repair reliable engine great car's
Always look forward to your videos Ed! This one brought back memories - my Dad had a run of Cortinas as company cars when he was a sales rep back in the 70s and early 80s: A late MkIII, two MkIV versions and lastly a Cortina 80 (or MkV if you prefer). All were 1300 ohv base versions, the tiny engines looking quite lost within the roomy engine bays. Vinyl seats (not great on a hot summer's day - ouch!) on all but the last and no headrests - these being a luxury way beyond the spec of these poverty base models. I agree the rear lights of the MkIV were better proportioned though sadly there seem to be few survivors of this iteration left now. Keep up the good work Ed - really liking your brochure videos too! 👍🏼
Thank you so much Adrian!
It wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be as it was quite rushed on the day.
Beautiful car my late father had a 2 0
Love those old Fords, my fist car was a mk 2 Cortins, bought for the princely sum of £50.
Loved that car... My Dad had a MK1, 2 MK3's, 1 MK4 and 3 MK5's, i did have a MK5 in Highland Green. Think my dad had a Ford thing :). Good review and interesting. It was underpowered tbh. The 1.6 compared to a 1.6 Cavalier in power terms was left wanting. The plus side was , you could maintain and service the car yourself. First things to go was the automatic choke...achilles heel on that car. Everyone changed to a manual choke eventually. The Rheostat on the volume/on/off radio button used to fail and it would crackle at full volume on switch on and vol adjustment. Rust was a problem. On the plus side.... i remember my exhaust going so i took it to be repaired. The back box had gone, the rear section was £16 and a full system was £26. New car exhaust were nearly £100 for other cars at that time but there was so much of them on the road spares were reasonably priced. I loved the car but it was priced to the last nut and bolt. i think mine came with a set of rear fog lamps and it was a GL Happy Days. keep up the good videos....brilliant.
I have had two of these - both 2.0 V6's. I remember them fondly, however they were rust-buckets like no other car. They were both great cars, though the '82 with the Weber was much better. The Solex carburetor on my '80, was a catastrophe in the winter-time.
In Denmark we have two years between MOT, but that's too long for these cars - they rust through in less time. It's the only car ever I've owned, that i got wet in when driving through a puddle. It simply formed a rusthole between the doorsill and the clutch pedal so fast, that i wasn't aware of it.
But both drove good, and was quite reliable (especially the '82 with the Weber). And it was quite a nice drive for both of them.
Would i recommend one to use as daily driver? No... but i would definitely recommend one as classic car. It deserves that. Actually i sorry about the fact that the Cortina/Taunus always has been in the shadow of it's big brother, the Capri. The Cortina/Taunus deserves to be on the spotlight too.
My Dad had this exact model but in Gold, to be honest as a little kid I didn't like it as it felt claustrophobic in the back & made me feel ill on long journeys. After a couple of years we got a Sierra which I remember being much more impressed by, it looked space aged compared to the Cortina & had a row of warning lights in the middle of the dash below the air vents, seemed very cool to me at the time!
Memory stirring...my bro had a mk4 1.6l (which lost a wheel with driveshaft still attracted on the motorway.🤔) then a mk5 2.0gl..my unc had a 2.0 ghia mk5,my grandad had a mk5 1.6l...a friend had a rough 2.0 mk5 tuned up with twin 40s,janspeed etc...quite fancied the rare 2 door for a project..
Such a clean, unfussy design. Very well proportioned. Muscular, even. Especially the side view.
I had a 1980 in 1.6 GL. Brilliant and solid car . Did me very well for 3 years. Fond memories of dating....
As they said in 82. A car above comparison
My dad had two mk4s and 1mk5.coverd 50,000 miles a year. Great cars.
Very good looking car and a perfect color for it.
A good presentation on one of my favourite cars. I always like the look, logic ergonomics of a mk5. Best spec was the 2.0 ghia, especially in sable brown with beige crush velour interior!! 90mph in 3rd gear was always achievable!! I replaced it after a few good years of ownership with a 1985 orion 1.6i ghia, as for me the orion was the cortinas successor, never that awful sierra.
RIP OLR868W😕.
A beautiful looking car