As with previous Cortinas, a new model was launched after around 6 years of production of the highly successful MK3. Purists were pleased to see a return to the familiar 3 x Square box arrangement that pleased so many on the Marks 1 and 2. Gone was the "coke bottle" styling that gave the Mark 3 its American look and feel, and a style not to dissimilar to the much loved Mark 2, was re-born; However the mechanical section remained as per the Mark 3.    An advert from 1976 for the new Mark 4 Cortina My own personal experiences with swapping major parts, I.E. Engines, gearboxes and various suspension parts confirm that the Mark 4 was a Mark 3 with new clothes !! (My Mum and Dad "loved" their own repair yard right in their own garden !). After a short time, a new engine was added to the range, this was a V6, 2300 cc unit known as the Cologne unit, due mainly to it's German roots.   There was no "E" version on the Mark 4, the flag ship models were known is "Ghia". Ghia was and is an Italian styling house who had carried out a lot of design work for prominent Italian manufactures such as Lancia, Fiat and Alfa Romeo. Ghia were commissioned to design the trim to give the cars a luxury feel, Ghia also designed trim for other Ford cars of the era including the Ford Granada and the Mark 2 and 3 Ford Escort.   My own Mark 4 , this was taken 2 days after a friend, thanks Gary, resprayed it Midnight Blue, it used to be pale blue and looked a bit sorry for it's self. I fitted a Mark 3 Engine and Gearbox to this car as well as chrome rostyle wheels, my apologies to the purists !. I sold this one to buy another..Mark 3 Cortina! (The 2000E on page 3!) Note how similar the Mark 4 is in styling to the Mark 2, No swept back "coke bottles" here. By 1976, the product was a refined vehicle capable of providing comfortable and reliable transport for all at a reasonable price, although the basic concept remained much the same as in 1963.       1967 1978 After 4 years, Ford gave the Cortina face lift, un-officially known as the "Mark 5", Ford called it "The Cortina '80", they increased the amount of glass to give the interior a lighter feel, there were also changes to the dash, lights and as before a bewildering number of trim and engine combinations were available. By 1980, the writing was on the wall for the end of the Cortina, Ford were busy working on a concept car, known at the time as the Probe, this was to become the Ford Sierra.   A lovelly example of a "Mark 5" Cortina. This is a 1982 Cortina Crusader. This picture was taken at the Bromley Pageant of Motoring 2005. If this is your car and you object to it being on the site, please contact me. Further Information The MK4 Cortina was often seen on television, Van Der Valk drove a 2 door 1600L in the TV series "Van Der Valk", as this was show was set in Holland it was a left hand drive model so technically it was a "Taunus" but I am sure you will understand; The Sweeney often drove a yellow 2.0S model when their Consul GT (Not a Granada as you would think) was elsewhere. The last Cortina, a Silver Crusader model rolled off the production line in 1982, this last car is still in existence. Ford still own the rights to the name Cortina, it was rumored that the Mondeo would be named Cortina, but as we all know, this was not the case................................ Page Links.... Home Mark 2 Cortina Mark 3 Cortina Mark 4 Cortina Links and new guest book, tell me what you think............ Please sign my guest book If you have any comments about this site, please email me, all feedback is appreciated.   Ford Cortina related links Non Ford Cortina related links Music related links Mark 3 (Cortina) Owner's Club Chalkstack - Video arts and media company Guitar moods - Quality Wedding/Function Music Taunus club of  Argentina Quarryhill Web, Web design,service and hosting Jimmie Bone - Kent based solo artist and band Affordable Classics, Fords of course ! *NEW*Glory Hunt Metal Detectors, Kent White City Music - Thanet group - Reformed 2002 More Cortina web information Chris Crook's History of Ashford site Eye to Eye-UK/US band, info on the new album Kieth's Mark 3 Cortina GT site Hugh Burnham's m0wye site, & good pictures of Wye *NEW* Duffy, possibly the voice of 2008 ? Ford Owner's Club - Australian site Robolights- Stage lighting, connectors and effects   Dayle's South African Consul Cortina site Beauty Services Ashford, Kent: Beauty 1-2-1   Gail Salter's excellent Cortina 80 site C-Scope Metal Detectors   Kieren and Sarah's Mark 5 site Bravenet:- Webmaster tools, very useful site   New Zealand Ford Cortina Club R.H.D.R. Engine driver, Kevin Crouch, memorial website   Jewels Mark 1 Cortina Site Edward Lowdell's EPL models   Krisztion's Hungarian Ford site, lots of info Dan Bass Graphic Designer   Nice cup of tea and a sit down   Associate House Adult Education, Ashford, Kent     Cortina spares advice     Home Page Spares advice Back to top of this page Search for a domain name Powered by 123-reg.co.uk © This site copyright belongs to Martin Bass 2006.