Was the Mk3 Cortina the Best Cortina?

Now, let me set this up by saying I love a Ford Cortina in any guise. I’ve had a Mk1 GT and I have had a MKV 2.0GL estate, in maximum beige. Both very different beasts, but both had their merits. The Mk1 was a hoot to throw around with its little 1500 engine, while the MkV was a joy, because it meant that even with a growing family, I could keep my hand in the classic car world. Plus, it was great for tip runs. I have never owned a Mk3 Cortina though, which is strange, as I consider it to be the finest Cortina there is. Am I wrong?

I mean, come on, look at that. Drink it in with your head-mounted vision orbs. A two-door GXL in metallic brown. The stuff of dreams. But more than that, this Mk3 Cortina was a wild, brave departure from the Mk2 before it. That iconic ‘coke bottle’ shape, the (if went high enough up the spec list) quad lights, the Rostyle wheels. It was glorious, and it was dare we say it, luxurious, again, if you had the right spec. The Mk2 before it had the 1600E, but that was about it. In my decision making here, I’ve opted to not include the Lotus versions, as they were more bespoke, race-bred beasts. For the ‘normal’ models, the Mk3 Cortina was the king. You could have the base model, the L, the XL, the GT and the GXL. Oh, and of course, the 2000E. That’s 400 better than the 1600E before it. Science.

The Mk3 Cortina was an important car in Europe, as it marked the coming together of Ford UK and Ford Germany. So much so that during development, it was named the TC internally. Why TC? Taunus-Cortina, as the former was the German equivalent. This was the start of Ford of Europe, so it had to land with customers. The ‘coke-bottle’ lines were in favour at the time, and while the Mk3 Cortina was no longer than the Mk2, it was 100mm wider, giving a greater sense of space inside. The interior had a clean, modern design with a dash that sloped away underneath offering more legroom, a wide, soft rear bench and a large boot for the coupe and saloon. Though as with all previous Cortinas, the Mk3 could be had in estate form, too.

For us here in the UK, we got the 1.3 and 1.6 crossflow engine, and of course the 1.6 and 2.0 Pinto. Usually mated to a four-speed manual or a three-speed auto. South Africa got a V6 version, while Australia got a straight-six. But, as Gene Hunt proved with aplomb in television ‘lost in time’ caper Life on Mars, a 2.0 was more than enough for getting the Mk3 Cortina to hustle. Funny thing about Gene’s car; it was a GXL at the front, but the rear badge read 2000E. Talk about an identity crisis.

For me, the Mk3 had more flair, more style, more charm and more presence than the Cortinas before it. Sure, Gene did a lot to lift the car’s profile, but even before that, it was still… cool. A Mk2 1600E is cool, and the Lotus versions go without saying, but the rest of them? They needed trim and spec to make them special, whereas a Mk3 Cortina is a captivating thing even in base trim, and that’s no easy task. Yet despite this, I still see people overlooking them. I find that baffling. The MkIV and MkV I get, because they’re not exactly beautiful cars (and before you type something angry in retort, I had one). They’re classics, but only via the passage of time. They’re not as special as the Mk3 was.

This is all a matter of opinion of course, but for me, the Mk3 Cortina was a high point in the model’s timeline. I think Ford of Europe hit the nail directly on the head. Imagine getting one of these when new, at a time when Avengers and Dolomites and the like were the other options. The Mk3 Cortina was an exciting, sexy, fun, enticing car. Ford would let you have it in bright metallic blue, or green, or even yellow. It was a car that celebrated its own existence, and it did it proudly. People see them today and point and stare, but even back in the ’70s, the reaction was much the same. It was and still is, in my eyes, an amazing car. If you want a classic Ford, this has to be the one, surely? Just make sure the front and rear badges match.