Ford Cortina MkV 2.0 GLS Estate

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As familiar a part of the British streetscape as the red telephone box, the much-loved Ford Cortina was the UK’s best-selling car of the ‘70s. And you can bet that Ian Dury’s ‘Billericay Dickie’ wasn’t alone when he sang the immortal words: “I had a love affair with Nina in the back of my Cortina”, such was the impact this car had on popular culture.

Constantly revised throughout its 20-year life, it received its final MkV facelift in 1979 with a wider grille, flatter roof and even more glass area which proved enough to keep it at the top of the sales chart until 1982 when it was finally replaced by the controversial yet hugely successful Sierra.

This wonderful 2.0 GLS Estate was bought new by Miss M Nisbett of Essex in August 1980 from Billericay Service Station – how appropriate! She wisely opted to have it rust-proofed with a six-year guarantee which has no doubt helped to keep it in the fine condition you see today. The service book shows six stamps up to 44,911 miles in November 2012, the first five at the supplying dealer, and the odometer still shows only 47,513 miles which is almost certainly genuine – just look at it!

Miss Nisbett kept the car until 1998 and it has had seven owners since, the current keeper acquiring it in July 2015 with an invoice on file from the previous owner stating that he believed the mileage of 47,187 to be correct. Although there isn’t much other history with the car apart from a few fairly recent invoices (tyres, wipers, trim parts), the original handbooks and four old MOTs from 2013 to March 2017 (when the last one expired with no advisories recorded), it has clearly led a charmed life and the condition speaks for itself.

Starting promptly and running beautifully as we moved it around for these photos, this low mileage Cortina estate comes in a wonderful period colour scheme, must be one of the finest examples surviving and would sit well in any collection. Nina would love it!