July 2025
The Ford Cortina in Australia

More than just a Family Car

When you think of iconic Australian cars, names like Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon probably spring to mind. But there's another Ford that deserves a spot in that conversation - the humble yet remarkable Ford Cortina. For over two decades, this British-born beauty became as Australian as meat pies and footy, winning hearts from Sydney to Perth and everywhere in between.

A Perfect Arrival
The Cortina first rolled into Australian showrooms in 1963, and the timing couldn't have been better. Australian families were looking for something more sophisticated than the basic economy cars of the era but didn't necessarily want (or couldn't afford) the larger, locally-made Falcons. The Cortina hit that sweet spot perfectly - modern, reliable, and just the right size for Australian suburbia.

What made the Cortina special wasn't just its clean, contemporary styling (though it certainly looked the part). It was practical, fuel-efficient, and built to handle everything from daily school runs to weekend trips to the coast. Australian families quickly fell in love with its no-nonsense approach to getting from A to B.

​Made in Melbourne
Many people don't realize - Ford Australia built a slightly adjusted Cortina at their Broadmeadows Assembly Plant alongside the Falcon. The Cortina was originally a British design, however, Ford was clever enough to set up local assembly operations in Melbourne. This meant they could tweak the car to suit Australian conditions and keep the price competitive.

Building the Cortina locally was a masterstroke. It created jobs, supported local suppliers, and allowed Ford to fine-tune the car for Australian roads and climate. The Broadmeadows plant became a hive of activity, with thousands of Australian workers building cars that would soon populate driveways across the nation.

Racing Royalty
If you want to understand why Australians fell for the Cortina, you need to look at what happened on the race tracks.

The Cortina wasn’t just a sensible family car — it was a genuine racing machine. Legendary drivers like Harry Firth and Allan Moffat made the Cortina a force to be reckoned with in touring car racing in the ’60s.  At Bathurst, it was entered for three consecutive years — 1963, ’64 and ’65. The sight of a Cortina screaming around Mount Panorama became as Australian as vegemite sandwiches.  

In 1966, Ford chose not to enter, believing the Mini Cooper S had the edge — and they were right. The Minis filled the first nine places.

The Cortina racing victories weren’t just good for Ford’s marketing department — they proved the Cortina was tough enough to handle whatever Australia could throw at it. If it could survive the rigours of motor racing, it could certainly handle the weekly grocery run.

The performance versions, including the legendary Lotus Cortina with its twin-cam engine, gave Australian enthusiasts the chance to own a piece of racing heritage. These weren’t just cars; they were dreams with number plates.

​Through the Generations

The Cortina evolved beautifully over its Australian lifespan, spanning five major generations from the Mark I through to the Mark V in the early 1980s. Each iteration reflected changing Australian tastes and improved technology.  

The Mark I established the foundation, but it was really the Mark II (1966) that won Australian hearts. By the time the Mark III arrived in 1970, Ford had learned what Australian families wanted - better comfort, improved reliability, and features that made sense for our unique driving conditions.  

The later Mark IV and Mark V models continued this evolution, incorporating better safety features, more efficient engines, and the kind of refinement that kept the Cortina competitive against increasingly sophisticated rivals from Japan and Europe.

​Part of the Family
What really made the Cortina special in Australia was how it became part of ordinary families' lives. This wasn't a prestige car or a weekend toy - it was the dependable friend that took kids to school, parents to work, and the whole family on holiday adventures.

Ask any Australian over 50 about their family's first proper car, and there's a good chance they'll mention a Cortina. It represented progress and prosperity for middle Australia, embodying the aspirations of families during the boom years of the '60s and '70s.

The Cortina appeared in Australian movies and TV shows, not as a star, but as part of the background - which was exactly where it belonged. It was so common, so trusted, that it became invisible in the best possible way.

Facing the Competition
By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Cortina faced serious challenges. Japanese manufacturers like Toyota and Datsun were offering cars that were often more fuel-efficient and reliable. The oil crises of the 1970s made fuel economy a priority, and suddenly the Japanese alternatives looked very appealing to cost-conscious Australian buyers.

Ford fought back with improvements to the Cortina - better engines, more equipment, competitive pricing - but the writing was on the wall. Japanese engineering was moving ahead rapidly, and the Cortina's British roots were starting to show their age.

The Curtain Closes
In the mid-1980s, the Cortina took its final bow in Australia. As consumer preferences shifted and Ford focused on newer models, production quietly wrapped up at Broadmeadows.  

There was no dramatic farewell. Just a respectful send off for a car that had served faithfully in driveways across the country.

​​More Than Just Transportation
The Ford Cortina's Australian story is really a story about us - about a time when a well-built, honest car could capture a nation's imagination. It arrived at the perfect moment, served faithfully for over two decades, and left behind memories that still warm hearts today.

​In our current age of SUVs and electric vehicles, the Cortina reminds us that sometimes the best cars aren't the flashiest or most expensive ones. Sometimes they're just the ones that understand what families need and deliver it with quiet competence and unexpected charm. 

​A Living Legacy
Today, the Cortina enjoys a second life as a classic. Collectors prize early models and performance variants, and classic car meets are filled with restored examples drawing nostalgic smiles and family anecdotes.

Its motorsport legacy also lives on, celebrated at historic events where these once-humble cars tear around the track with style and spirit.  Watching a restored Cortina tackle a race track still brings smiles to faces and memories flooding back.