FORD CORTINA MK4 & MK5

Once a staple of everyday British motoring and a UK best-seller, the Cortina Mk4 and closely related Mk5 are now rare classics

JEFF RUGGLES

The Mk3 Cortina's American-inspired ‘Coke bottle’ was band on-trend when it hit showrooms in 1970, but after several years of sustained success at the top of the sales charts, buyers were craving something new. In 1976 the Mk3 Cortina was narrowly knocked off the top step by rivals for the first time in half a decade – but by then Ford had already dusted off its straight edge to sharpen things up again. The fourth-generation Cortina, launched in September 1976, was an evolution rather than a revolution. The outgoing Mk3, while hardly a pioneer in terms of tech, had ushered in significant change. It was significantly larger than its Mk1 and Mk2 predecessors, and shared the same platform as the similar-looking but less curvaceous Taunus TC sold by Ford Germany.…

You're reading a preview of

Classics World (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

DiscountMags is a licensed distributor (not a publisher) of the above content and Publication through Zinio LLC. Accordingly, we have no editorial control over the Publications. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including those made in Publications offered on our website, are those of the respective author(s) or publisher(s) and not of DiscountMags. DiscountMags does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or usefulness of all or any portion of any publication or any services or offers made by third parties, nor will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in any Publication, or your use of services offered, or your acceptance of any offers made through the Service or the Publications. For content removal requests, please contact Zinio.