On 20 September 1962, the Blue Oval unveiled a new model designed to bridge the gap between the Anglia 105E and the Classic. The original plan was to use 'Consul 225' badging but, just before its debut, management decided to name the new car after the host resort for the 1956 Winter Olympics. Within just a few years, 'Cortina' would be less associated with Italian ski resorts and more with commercial travellers, luncheon vouchers and the driveways of Wimpey-built semi-detached villas across the UK as it came to define a market sector.
With help from the magicians at Lotus, it swiftly became a legend on track, too. Looking at Brian Harvey's 1964 Lotus Cortina, it is impossible not to immediately conjure images of Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and John Whitmore three-wheeling the circuits of Britain. A Ford Cortina powered by a twin-cam, 1558cc version of the 'Kent' engine was as remote from the average Dagenham output as Billy Fury was from Max Bygraves, but such a model could only add lustre to the range. Ambitious drivers could contemplate applying a green side stripe and 'ACBC' badges to their modest 1200 Standard, complete with column gearchange.
In the early '60s, Ford's Dearborn head office tasked PR guru Walter Hayes with developing a programme to promote the brand in British motorsport over the following five years. At the same time, Lotus suffered a combination of cash-flow and capacity problems, so in summer 1962, Dagenham sent a grey De Luxe to Cheshunt as a development car. The resulting 'Consul Cortina developed by Lotus' was shown to the press on 23 January 1963. On 5 September, the RAC issued the car's homologation papers.
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Esta historia es de la edición October 2022 de Classic & Sports Car.
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RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison
