Ford Corsair
A Cortina in a sharper suit, with a nose like a Thunderbird.
The story
Ford stretched the Cortina's floor and gave it a pointed, American-looking front to fill the gap below the big Zephyr. From 1965 it used new V4 engines, which were compact but never very smooth.
Inside
A little plusher than a Cortina, with a wide dash and the option of a front bench seat.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
It was one of the first cars built at Ford's new Halewood factory on Merseyside.
Meanwhile, in 1963
The Great Train Robbery made headlines, Beatlemania took hold and Doctor Who began.
Best-selling single of 1963: She Loves You by The Beatles
Before you buy a 1960s car
- Check the sills, floorpans, wheel arches and the bottom of the doors for rust.
- Ask for any old MOT certificates, service records and bills.
- Parts for popular cars are often available from specialists, but trim and body panels can be hard to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.