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Forty one years ago, on September 21, 1962, The Ford Cortina was launched.
4.3-million examples later, the last Cortina was built in July 1982, to be succeeded by the Sierra.

In 20 years, four distinctly different generations of Cortina were put on the market – each of them selling more than a million examples around the world.

The Cortina was the mainstay of Ford’s assembly plant at Dagenham in Essex throughout the 60s and 70s.

Like all the other cars from Ford, the Cortina offered something for everyone. Because there was always a wide choice of engines, body shapes and trim packs, customers from all walks of life could find a car exactly suited to their needs.

The Mk V was introduced three years after the Mk IV had been unveiled and in September 1979, it was officially known as the Cortina 80.
Although it was never officially called the Mk V, this title was adopted by many enthusiasts and customers, and was the type which carried the Cortina range successfully to the end of it's run to 1982.

Although based closely on the Mk IV, the style and specification of the Cortina 80 was improved, with more glass area in the cabin, subtle changes to the grille, tail lamps and many of the panels.

All the engines were improved, to make them more powerful and more economical.
There was a choice of five different engines, which included the 1.3, 1.6, 2.0 and 2.3L.
There were many derivatives, such as the L, GL and Ghia, with an optional 'S pack' being made available on all models expect the 'L'.
The car came in saloon and estate types.

This made it that the Cortina 80 sold as well as the previous versions, and even included special editions in 1981 and 1982 when the Carousel and the Crusader, were introduced along with a final up-grade to all models in September 1981.

At the end of the 1970s there was a short period when Ford-UK dabbled with developing this car for use in British motorsport (though not as a full-blooded 'works' rally car). One car was tested at Boreham, and occasionally rallied but nothing came of it.

4.3 million cars later, the very last British-built Cortina was made at the Dagenham plant in Essex on July 22, 1982.
As it was replaced by the Sierra, which soon built up its own best-selling reputation.

Outside the UK the Cortina was sold in right hand drive format in many other markets namely, Ireland, Australia, New Zeland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and South Africa.
In countries which used left hand drive cars, it was badged 'Taunus' and sold in markets such as, Europe and Argentina (which had the Coupe version - not sold anywhere else).
A re-styled version continued in Turkey until 1994 by Otosan.

Credit: Graham Robson for supplying details on Ford's brief rally trial of the Cortina 80.
Further Information: Wikipedia

© Dave Barker