Broughams and personal luxury cars (“PLC”) are an American construct, and Ford was the acknowledged pioneer of the genres. The 1955 Ford Thunderbird was the first to be dubbed a “personal car” by its maker and the 1965 LTD is commonly attributed to be the first mass-produced brougham, launching a whole era. The hallmark of both PLCs and broughams is quite simple: affordable luxury, thanks to being based on mass-production cars, with the added trappings that defined them, such as vinyl roofs, plush interiors, and other details that all suggested prestige and luxury even if the brand was a pedestrian one such as Ford.
The Brougham/PLC wave soon enough rolled across the Atlantic and Pacific, and its effect could be seen widely, especially so at Ford in Europe, as in the case of this Granada 3000 Ghia Coupe. Was it Europe’s Chrysler Cordoba or Thunderbird Landau?
To me, the Brougham and the PLC were cars where the features and pizazz made up for the lack of traditional brand name, or brand equity if you prefer. Was the origin in the history and distinctiveness of the premium European brands compared with the less premium competitors? Perhaps the strongest exponent of this was in Europe was Ford, and the peak European Ford Brougham was the Granada Ghia, Ford’s largest car in Europe with a definite dash of North American style and in this form carrying a large set of contemporary PLC clues.
There are, and were, many cars that a European Brougham might aspire to be compared with, cross shopped against, in the mid 1970s. The Rover 3500, the last big six cylinder Triumph 2500 or at a stretch a low power Jaguar XJ6 2.8 or 3.4 litre from the UK, Lancia Flavia (or later 2000) or Gamma and the Alfa Romeo 2000 from Italy, the Volvo 240/260 or a SAAB 99, may be an upscale Citroen DS or CX, or the Peugeot 604, and, perhaps the ultimate, the Mercedes-Benz W123. Equally, of course, a Brougham from a mainstream brand could stand against a Toyota Crown or Datsun 260C easily as well, perhaps more closely.
The key point here is that the Brougham was feature rich if heritage light; the others were more heritage rich, with an emphasis on prestige through low volumes, engineering and style rich finish, but relatively feature light. Compare a Mercedes-Benz W123 to a Ford Granada Ghia and you’ll see what I mean.
You can arguably match the rise of the European Brougham to the decline of non-premium big car from the mainstream brands. As the Humber Super Snipe, Vauxhall Cresta, Austin Westminster and Wolseley 6/110 twins faded and were not replaced in the late 1960s, and the larger Rover 3.5 Litre (P5) and compact but dated Jaguar Mk2 were retired a few years later, the space was opened up.
In reality, the writing had been on the wall since the mid 1960s. Why buy that slow, heavy Austin Westminster when similar money gets you a more agile, better driving Rover 2000TC, complete with a Rover badge or a leather trimmed six cylinder Triumph 2000 or 2500, or more choice as European marques became more readily available? Traditional style and finishes in a smaller package with a prestige brand.
By 1964, Rootes had elected to put the upscale Humber badge on the family sized Hillman Super Minx to create the first Sceptre; in 1966 came the Ford Zodiac Executive and in 1967 the Cortina 1600E. The era of the Humber Imperial and Austin Westminster was truly over. There was no surprise when the 1970 Ford Cortina Mk3 came in 2000GXL (later named 2000E) form with all the trimmings, and the Vauxhall Victor FD and FE begat the 3.3 litre Ventora. That the new 1972 Ford Granada would offer a Euro-Brougham option was no surprise.
Technically, for a Ford and the early 1970s, these cars had some surprises. There was independent rear suspension, and the MacPherson struts you might have expected were replaced by a wishbone set up. Engines were a varied bunch – the UK built right hand drive cars with the Essex engine in V4 2 litre and V6 2.5 litre and 3 litre forms; in Europe, the German built left hand drive cars offered the 1.7 litre V4 from the Taunus, the 2.0, 2.3 and 2.6 litre Cologne V6 and the 3.0 Essex V6 in small numbers. Size wise, a wheelbase of 109 inches, and a length of 180 inches.
The entry level Consul and Granada shared the same styling; visual differences were limited to wheels and grilles, chrome strips and vinyl roofs. The style was very 1972, with big square lights, a deliberate low and wide impression and hooped bumpers at the rear with some very memorable (and polarising) rear lights. A small kick up over the rear wheels hinted at a Coke bottle, as the Coke bottle was fading. If you didn’t insist on cool and calm, not a bad looking car, I suggest. And significantly more modern and cohesive than the preceding Zephyr and Zodiac.
Incidentally, when I was looking for background photos, I realised again what a good looking car this was, which has worn its years well and retains a visual compactness seemingly now lost.
In the UK, the four cylinder 2 litre versions and a more basic 3 litre version were sold under the Consul nameplate, an old Ford of Britain staple. But the cars were essentially differentiated by trim alone. The first Brougham version came in the form of the Granada 3000GXL, with a complete if rather brash (for Europe) trim package of vinyl roof, extra chrome, full interior trim and instrumentation, along with the Essex 3 Litre V6 engine.
Trim options went from L, to XL, GT and finally GXL with all that early 1970s Ford could offer. So, lots of appearance and a strong showroom appeal but no electric windows or central locking and a preference for plastic wood inside. Still, it was definitely a class competitive, if not absolutely leading, car well able to hold its own with any UK rival (Triumph 2000/2500, Rover 2200, the just about dead Vauxhall Cresta and many from Continental Europe as well, such as an Opel Rekord and Commodore, Volvo 240/260 or Fiat 132. Maybe not a Peugeot 504, for engineering thoroughness and durability, or a Citroen DS or later CX for technology, but for a cautious private buyer and fleet buyer it made a very strong case against these too. Some compared its road going abilities to a BMW E3 New Six and Neue Klasse. That was going some, maybe, but very flattering to be even a credible discussion.
In the UK, the car came as a four door saloon and as a spacious estate, though without the Peugeot style revised rear suspension, third row of seats and raised roof. Some markets in Europe got a two door saloon as well, and also a raked rear profile coupe. The original format for the coupe had a coke bottle waistline; this was blended out in 1974 to a strong straight line. The coupe came in many engine and trim variations in Europe, but only came to the UK (all coupes were built in Germany) in Ghia trim with the 3 litre Essex V6.
Ford bought Ghia in 1970 and by 1974 was using Ghia as the top trim level in Europe, starting with the Capri and Granada. The UK got the Granada saloon and estate, in 3 litre V6 form and also the Coupe with the later straightened window line. A revised grille and bonnet edge featured, along with a full list of extras from the Ford accessory list. Inside, crushed velour made an appearance, normally alongside an automatic gearbox and a vinyl roof, and all in 1970s colours. A traditional Rover this was not, nor was it a seemingly austere Mercedes-Benz or Audi. It may not have been the full Cordoba, but it arguably as close as you could get in 1974 and unmatched in Europe until the 1978 Opel Senator/Vauxhall Royale, and their Monza and Royale Coupe supporting acts. The Monza looks ever more like a direct response to the Granada Coupe, with a similar profile and the addition of the visually suggested hatchback. I’d also suggest the change of tune of the trim and equipment in the Rover 3500SD1 in 1981, from Scandinavian like minimalism to full plush, was partly a consequence of the Granada’s success as well.
Spotting a direct European market rival to the Granada Ghia. The Volvo 262C was limited in volume, lacking in the style and the image, the Lancia Gamma was too thoroughbred or complex (delete as appropriate), rare and expensive, the Fiat 130 coupe supremely elegant but aging, Rover, Peugeot and Citroen offered nothing comparable, the BMW3.0 Coupe was in a very different part of the market. The obvious one was Ford’s closest rival, GM Europe, in the form of the Opel Commodore Coupe. CAR put them side by side in 1975.
A close run thing, but the Opel edges it. It cost 10% more and CAR judged it worth it especially for the driver, but if you wanted the features and glitz you’d still go Ford, and have a more comfortable ride.
The Granada went to a Mark 2 in 1977 – visually very different with a calmer, squarer style typical of late 1970s Ford of Europe. Also typical of late 1970s Ford of Europe, under the sober suit, the car was essentially unchanged though the 3 litre Essex V6 had been replaced by the Cologne 2.8 and the cars were all now built in Germany. The Ghia and its Brougham nature survived, even if the Coupe variant was discontinued. Not many survive now – rust and banger racing between them have claimed many examples.
Was this car peak 1970s? Was it Europe’s Brougham? Was it a good car, and a better one than some might suggest? Probably, on all counts and that makes it a candidate, if not for the fantasy garage, at least for the fantasy car park. And quite a surprise at Tesco on a week day afternoon.
Great writeup, Sir Rog. I get your point, though I don’t agree.
I loved that Ghia badge: posh fakeries and shiny bits on, say, an Escort econobox. Marketing brilliance, and as a kid, I fell for it. Hell, a late ’70’s Escort Ghia is worth good money today, which is partly rarity, but partly still sheer appeal. A quite-sporty little car but (here) with 2 litres, velour and wood and shiny alloys? Yes please!
As for the Granada as Europe’s PLC? Hell no! The understated, very handsome Granny was a properly credible car, a 5-series for heaps less. After all, they sold it, even more handsomely re-skinned, till ’85.
Your actual furry-Baroque US PLCs would have their faux wires fall off, their whitewalls tuck under, and they’d tinkle out all their velour and fake wood and opera balconies and chandeliers at the first corner, all whilst running out of brakes and giving you a good 9 mpg with seasickness to boot. No comparison, surely.
As I was reading the article, something wasn’t clicking… until I remembered that in Europe cars have to deal with royalty and the desire to not look comparable to common folk… whereas in USA everyone wants to be just common folk… an “ordinary Joe” as the American WWII veterans used to say… not putting on airs… sportiness and fun are OK, but not airs…
I was wondering what these cars weighed… USA 3000 lbs. or imported roller skate 2000 lbs.? The charts seem to feel every dimension is important… except vehicle weight…
Kerb weight is listed as 3053 lbs, so fairly heavy for the size, though slightly less than the 3100 lbs of the Mk.IV ‘Executive’ that preceded it.
I think that properly speaking, a U.S.-style personal luxury car is a specialty car. This is a tricky point because one of the reasons for the emergence of personal luxury cars in the U.S. was that two- and four-door hardtops became very mainstream, sold in huge numbers and thus not that special. The success of the Thunderbird was that it had its own body shell, so it obviously wasn’t just a Galaxie hardtop; GM kept trying to imitate it with dressed-up standard cars like the Oldsmobile Starfire, which didn’t hit. (The arguable exception was the Pontiac Grand Prix, although it didn’t become a huge hit until it was more clearly different than a regular full-size or midsize Pontiac.) In Europe, just having a more attractive coupe or hardtop based on a regular sedan was still fairly special in itself; it wasn’t so mundane that middle-class gits started demanding something more distinctive, the way they did here.
There were European models that I think qualified as PLCs — the BMW E9 and E24 coupes, certainly; the Jaguar XJ-S, the Mercedes-Benz SL and SLC — but by U.S. standards, the Granada was just a Granada coupe, which wasn’t the same thing.
Terrific writeup. At the beginning, I like how you distilled the whole idea of what differentiates a PLC from a “regular” make against an offering from a more traditionally prestigious make.
If I squint… really squint… and look at the picture of the red Granada saloon, its greenhouse almost looks like that of the U.S.-market Granada. That, its parent make, and the seven seven letters comprising its model name may be the only similarities between our Granada and yours.
I’m generally not a fan of vinyl roofs on fastbacks, but this one doesn’t look that bad.
Someone else around here has also recently found a ’77 Granada. You are correct; other than seven letters and four wheels, nothing is similar. Even the driver sits on the other side.
Great find Roger, that shade of blue really suits it well.
My personal favorite in this class would still be the Opel Monza, unveiled in September 1977. Bread-and-butter brand, a good level of Broughaminess, coupe (though, as Roger says, based on the Senator A sedan, in its turn based on the Rekord E sedan). Preferably with the fuel-injected 3.0 liter inline-six.
Get your trousers on, you’re nicked!
Love these Grannie coupes – in working class Britain of the ’70s this was a dream car for those of us whose families could only afford a basic Escort. It was handsome, too – one of the integration of the vinyl roof is handled really nicely.
That’s why I love this video from Blur – the lead character, a bit of a “flash ‘arry”, feels very familiar to this boy from London…
Great song,too…
The more direct French competitor would be a Peugeot 504 Coupe or Cabriolet. Speaking of Douvrin V6 powered rides was the the Volvo 262C sold in the UK? With its chopped top and vinyl roof it was Sweden’s Cutlass Supreme.
I prefer the more Germanic look of the MKII Granada, especially in early 80 2.8 Injection trim
I thought of that Blur video with this Granada post, and I love the song. I fear their recent Ballad Of Darren album didn’t do it for me the way their older stuff does though.
So they fixed the problems the MK4 model had or they just carried on with a restyle? Big UK Fords ended here with the MK4 model and large Fords came from Aussie after 71, the Essex engines had reliability problems and the MK4 independant rear was understeer inducing they were a comfy cruiser if you could keep them running most got V8 swapped as used cars then fell off the roads very few survive, I hope the Granada was a better car.
Really interesting read on an unusual subject, thank you Roger! Very thought-provoking too, as I sit here pondering if the Granny Ghia coupe could be considered Europe’s PLC. I always felt that PLC or brougham were largely synonymous with ‘tacky’, and (usually) ‘all style and no substance’. Tacky isn’t a word I’d use for the handsome Granny, and it definitely has a reasonable level of substance backing up its stye, so I’m unsure if it reaches the lofty heights of PLCdom. Then again, it certainly meets the idea of ‘applied-prestige’ with the vinyl roof and the velour interior. Ultimately I think the tinsel is too tasteful for true PLCdom, so perhaps it’s better considered as PLC-adjacent!
Where does the Rover 800 coupe fit in this story?
A good-looking flop from a later generation that didn’t find much of a market at all in Europe or the UK.
The “PLC” is unknown in Europe – in terms of its name as well as in terms of its substance.
It’s a pure US-American marketing invention.