Last week, we looked at some of the cars from the British Leyland family and its descendants and ancestors at the Lytham Hall Classic Car Show back in May this year. But, of course, as BL found out, even British customers could buy elsewhere. Here are some of the locally built alternatives we could choose from.
Let’s start with Ford, by the early 1970s the market leader, finally recovering the position it had held fifty years earlier. And where better to start than with a Cortina, Britain’s favourite family car from the late 1960s to the early 1980s?
This is a 1982 Cortina 1.6L, with optional metallic paint, from the generation known to many as the Mark 5 but formally known as the Cortina 80 (or the Taunus TC3 in Germany). This told your neighbours that you were a sober person dedicated to sensible shoes motoring, or that your employer thought you worthy, but not yet that worthy. Either way, a default and solid family car choice for many at the time.
This is 1982 car, so the last months of Cortina production before the Sierra arrived in September 1982. By 1982, the Cortina was only No 2 in the UK sales charts, behind the newer front wheel drive Escort, having spent most the 1970s at the top of charts. Seemingly, it was too popular for many to have been preserved.
This is a 1972 Cortina Mk3 1600XL estate – the generation of Cortina that stepped slightly upmarket from the original car as Ford deduced that if people had more money they would be willing to spend a bit more, an observation BL seemingly completely missed. So, from 1970, the Cortina came with 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0 engines, and a larger and wider body on a longer wheelbase, effectively setting a new size template for the mid-market.
Technically, it remained pretty conservative, although there was a four link coil spring rear suspension for the first time and from 1973 overhead camshaft engines. XL denoted the middle of the trim options – some more plastic wood but no fabric seat trim.
If you were wondering what a Cortina 80 estate looked like – well take the Mk3 estate, flatten out the Coke bottle and add the front of the 1982 car….these cars were very similar under the skin. Indeed, the dashboard from the 1973 facelift was used until 1982.
The Cortina’s predecessor was the Consul Classic, not Ford’s greatest hour. Perhaps the styling was just, well, too American for the UK?
Production ran from 1961 to 1963, after a delayed start. A delayed start doesn’t help with such deliberately contemporary styling of course. This the rarer 2 door saloon version; there was a four door saloon and also a Consul Capri coupe, which challenged the eyes even more.
The Cortina’s little brother was the Escort, a name used in Europe from 1968 for a range not technically linked to the 1980 on European and North American cars. This is a February 1968 1.1 litre car – so a very early entry level car. Known to some as the dog bone Escort for obvious reasons, and not much more complicated under the skin.
The Escort was always at the core of the Fast Fords – this is a 1979 Escort Mk 2 RS2000, with the 2 litre Pinto engine and a special front clip. Not the most sophisticated sports saloon ever from Europe, but good enough for CAR to put it up against a BMW 3 series and for it to emerge second but not disgraced.
These are fine examples of the Ford Escort Mk3 XR3, first seen in 1980 and sold throughout the life of the Mk3 to 1990, gaining fuel injection (the XR3i) and a five speed gearbox in 1982. It may not have quite matched the Golf GTi on the road, but in the showroom with the strong styling, interior and those great wheels it had a large amount of appeal.
The saloon version of the Escort originally came as the 1983 Ford Orion, seen by some as the true successor of the conservative Cortina, as the more avant garde nature of the Sierra was a clear departure, and a step upmarket. For many Cortina customers, an Orion could well be a good fit. This is a 1988 Orion 1.6i Ghia, so the smartest version of the Orion, with the drivetrain of the XR3i and a typically full Ghia trim pack.
The Escort was also offered in limited numbers and variations as a Cabriolet, assembled by Karmann. This is a 1989 example, in XR3i specification. Alongside is a Fiesta Mk1 XR2i, the XR3i’s little brother
The Escort and Orion had a major facelift in 1985, with a new softer front and brand new interior. Fresh at the time, now a lot anonymous than the original.
And to wrap up the front wheel drive Fords, this is a Fiesta XR2 Mk1 Cabrio, designed by the UK converter Crayford and dating from 1983. There were 200 examples built, sold as the Fiesta Fly.
And to round out the Fords, a 1985 Capri 2.8i, the last configuration of the long running Capri and of perhaps the closest Europe ever got to a Mustang clone – it was based on the Cortina after all. Technically, by this time the Capri was a German car, but most buyers would have considered it British at heart. Small dogs were an aftermarket accessory.
Next up, Vauxhall, GM’s UK arm and prior to 1978 separate from Opel. The Vauxhall Viva, such as this 1973 example, was Vauxhall’s competitor to the Ford Escort and lower end Morris Marina. This is the third generation of Viva, which ran from 1970 to 1979, and was superseded by the Vauxhall Chevette (GM T-car), which was closely linked to the 1973 Opel Kadett.
Vauxhall used a variety of names for the Viva’s variations – the Coupe was known as the Firenza at one time and the larger engined versions were sold as the Magnum from 1973 to 1978. Magnums were always a rare sight – it was sold against the Triumph Dolomite as a sports saloon rather than against the larger engined Ford Cortina. This car was sold in North America as the Firenza at Pontiac and Buick dealers, but with limited success.
The Viva’s larger contemporary was the Victor, which was later re-branded as the Vauxhall VX. This is a 1978 VX1800 estate, although the format was actually closer to a large hatchback than a classic Volvo 240 like estate car.
This car shared some key elements with the 1972 Opel Rekord D, although no one was told at the time.
The other UK home team was Chrysler UK, formerly the Rootes Group. One of the key parts of the Rootes Group of the 1960s was the Hillman Imp, and its derivatives. This is Singer Chamois Coupe Mk2, with a revised roofline and missing the liftback rear window of the Imp saloon.
The Singer was an upmarket version of the Imp, alongside the more sporty emphasised Sunbeam Imp and Stiletto Coupe, though this was a UK market name. European export markets usually used the Sunbeam name; Empire and Commonwealth markets used the Hillman name.
Rootes’s grandest name was Humber; this is a 1963 Sceptre Mk1, the smartest derivative of the Hillman Super Minx. This is 1600c version with 80bhp, overdrive, screen washers and a reversing lamp, as well as a leather interior.
In some ways, this car was a trend setter, bringing some of the Rover 2000 and Triumph 2000 to a lower point in the market. Perhaps the Ford Cortina 1600E was a stronger example, but this quite a shift from old Humber Hawk and Super Snipe.
Chrysler took control of Rootes in 1967 but was the 1970 Hillman Avenger really the last Rootes Group car? Avengers are rare on the classic circuit – there are only a few hundred left. This is one of them, and quite a special one – a 1975 Avenger Sunseeker 1600 automatic.
The Sunseeker was a special edition, with a Borg-Warner automatic transmission on the four door, reversing lights, wing mirrors, reclining seats and special wheels, which all emphasise that the basic Avenger was, well, very basic.
It doesn’t show very clearly, but the car also had a half vinyl roof in cream – hmmm. Well. it was the 1970s.
And although it’s got a French badge, this 1998 Peugeot 306 1.9litre diesel van would have been British built, at the former Rootes-Chrysler UK factory at Ryton-on Dunsmore outside Coventry, and probably exclusively for the British and Irish markets, albeit in small numbers. Such conversions of hatchbacks were a bit of British thing – Vauxhall Corsas, Ford Fiestas and Austin Metros all appeared in this form over the years. This van version of the 306 was always rare – like I don’t ever seeing one before – and rarer than the smaller 205 equivalent, so to see one at a car show being used by a trader was quite a treat to start the morning.
And now some traditional British luxury and indulgence, starting with a 1998 Bentley Turbo RT, the last of the line linking the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit and Bentley Mulsanne to the 1966 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. This is a most spectacularly maintained and prepared example, and in that respect probably the car of the show. In 15 years, it has done just 500 miles out of a total of just 8000, mostly to and from shows and the MoT test station.
The interior was absolutely stunning – apologies for the cliché but nothing else seems appropriate.
6.75 litres of V8 wonder, built in varying forms from 1959 to 2020, rising from 172 bhp for the original 6.23 litre version to over 530 bhp for last 6.75 litre twin turbo variable cam timing engines. This one is around 400bhp.
If the Bentley is a bit too conservative or old money for you, how about an Aston Martin Rapide? It can trump the Bentley with a V12, even if it is only 5.9litre and based on two Ford Mondeo V6 engines. But the styling is to die for.
This is a 2014 car, and those looks are wearing well. Maybe I’ll start a JustGiving page…
Perhaps I’ll park it next to the Jensen Interceptor…
One point is that the Vauxhall Viva HC/Magnum was sold in Canada but never the US. The only Vauxhall ever sold in the US was the F type Victor. From 1961 the only European GMs sold in the US were Opels, the last under their own name being the Manta/Ascona A (although the latter name wasn’t used, they were just the Opel sedan and wagon).
I suspect Commonwealth tariff preferences had something to do with the split.
The Victor FB was briefly sold in the US, but only for about 6 months (Sept.’61 to March ’62).
Vauxhall was Pontiac’s captive import in the US. Aside from having earned a bad reputation, Pontiac didn’t need a lower product than the Tempest. Full size Pontiacs were red hot at retail by 63–the position that Buick had in the Fifties. Buick had room in its showrooms for a less expensive car with more appeal to young people. Pontiac already was there with its own cars.
I love the late 90’s Bently sedans, they’re the definition of class. On one of our trips home from central Pennsylvania, the wife and I discovered an independent Rolls Royce/Bentley garage in Front Royal, VA Kinda hard to miss when they’re offering a used ’73 Silver Cloud for $14,750.00 on US522 where you turned off to go to the shop. I don’t want to think of how much ‘deferred maintenance’ was in that car.
Turns out the shop also had a surprisingly extensive used lot on the premises. Which led me to the only time in my life where I’ve seriously looked over the household finances to try and buy a creme ’98 Bentley Mulsanne that the current second owners were willing to part with. Original owner: Billy Joel.
Probably fortunately, I figured I could swing it, but I’d be killing off any and all emergency funds for the next five years or so. So I was a good boy and passed.
Nice selection. I do like the Orion. I lusted after a Ghia Injection when I was younger but alas, the insurance was a killer.
The Aston Martin styling is truly to die for. When one encounters a V-12 equipped example on the road, as I did yesterday, the engine sounds just add to the effect. If I could have one car, any car, in the garage, cost and maintenance no object, it would be a V-12 A-M.
We didnt get MK3 Escorts but that doesnt mean none got here I was behind a red Mk3 version yesterday and got offered a tired ragtop version a few years ago, MK1 & 2 Escorts are still popular here and the boyracers all think the 2 door is the fast version and not the granny special they really are, theres some confusion with the MK2 sport version that had some extra gauges fitted but only a 1.6 engine,
HC Vivas are very familiar I did a lot of pre delivery clean ups on those and did the registrations for customers, they sold fairly well here but there was also a dealer fitted Magnum kit complete with black 1300 badges that was sometimes fitted and of course the Viva Score 7 with go faster stripes and bright colour paint jobs unfortunately they had an unmodified 1256cc engine it was just a sales weapon introduced when sales began to flag,
Humber Sceptres are very rare here any that landed were privately imported and survivors tend to be immaculate.
I’ll take the Capri 2.8i, thanks.
What, no Sierras? 😉 But on a serious note Roger, a mighty fine selection of the cars that were plentiful during my childhood but not so much now – although there is a tidy Mk V Cortina in town here. I always wondered why the Humber Sceptre had such a bulbous windscreen and different roof line compared with its Hillman and Singer siblings. Of all the cars pictured, I love the Cortina, but I’d take home the Rapide – such a beautiful looker!
Great photos and beautiful cars. Looking at the Escort Mk 3 XR3 I’m remined of the advertising here in the US prior to launch in 1980 that the Escort would be a “world car” and ours would be the same as models built elsewhere – then comparing our dowdy one with that sharp European XR3 and thinking Ford exaggerated that a little…
That Fiesta XR2 Mk1 Cabrio is a strange one. It has to be one of the more poor outcomes from a convertible conversion I have some across. The rear view in particular is much less resolved looking than the stock. Tough to make a convertible from a hatchback I suspect.
A friend of mine had a Vauxhall Firenza (as sold in Canada). They were a subject of legal action from their owners as I recall due to poor quality. GM removed all the Vauxhall badges for the next year. Then were replaced essentially by the Vega and Astre in the line up.
As a little kid, I used to read all my dad’s subscription copies of Time magazine (Canada). And I remember an article, and pics, of a protest on Parliament Hill of Firenza owners. I believe it was the first class-action lawsuit in Canada.