If the discussion is about legendary classic cars in South Africa, there's only one that fits the bill like no other - the Ford Cortina.
The Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) was founded in 1923. A year later, the blue-oval brand opened its assembly plant in a converted wool store in Port Elizabeth (now known as Gqeberha) to assemble Model T cars from export kits shipped from Canada. By 1930, Ford opened a new purpose-built factory in the Friendly City, and the rest - as they say - is history.
Ford's earliest traces in South Africa go back to 1905 when Port Elizabeth-based Arkell and Douglas were appointed as the first Ford agents in the country.
The Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) was founded in 1923. A year later, the blue-oval brand opened its assembly plant in a converted wool store in Port Elizabeth (now known as Gqeberha) to assemble Model T cars from export kits shipped from Canada. By 1930, Ford opened a new purpose-built factory in the Friendly City, and the rest - as they say - is history.
Ford's earliest traces in South Africa go back to 1905 when Port Elizabeth-based Arkell and Douglas were appointed as the first Ford agents in the country.
Take a trip down memory lane with the Cortina generations over the years:
First generation
The first iteration of the Cortina launched in 1962, boasting a rigid and compact chassis that weighed less than 900kg and was powered by a 1.2-litre engine that sent power to the front wheels. A larger 1.5-litre engine option also became available in the following months, and production of this generation ceased in 1966 - the same time Ford won the 24 Hour of Le Mans in its history.
Second generation
The MKII launched in 1967, featuring a longer body and a range of engines (1.3, 1.5, and 1.6-litre options). A special edition Cortina Perana debuted a year later, built by SA Hall of Fame inductee Basil Green, that dominated everything it came across on the track.
Third generation
This chassis really came into its own locally, and there are still mint models on the road if you look hard enough. The MKIII adopted the big-bodied design and had the power to match as well. Customers could now enjoy the grunt of the 2.5 and 3.0-litre Essex V6 engines that made the Cortina more powerful than its predecessor.
Fourth generation
The sleek design lines and the 1.6-litre and V6 engines were retained. With the emergence of other models from automakers like Datsun and Mazda, it still continued to be a best-seller. The MKIV Cortina bakkie was launched shortly after the new Cortina did in 1977.
Fifth generation
1983 would be the last time a Cortina model would grace roads (in new car guise anyway) worldwide. The last generation went out with a bang - models like the XR6 and XR6 Interceptor were particularly well-received and competed in the Group 1 racing series after more than a decade out of local motorsport.
Now that you've got the knowledge, it's time to shop! Head to gumtree.co.za or your Gumtree app (click for Apple & Android), and don't forget to use your location settings to find local service information close to home.
