60 YEARS OF THE FORD CONSUL CLASSIC

Sixty years ago, Dagenham unveiled a new model that could not be mistaken for any other car. The Consul Classic was the epitome of scaled-down Americana, from its quad headlamps to its tail fins and reverse-angle rear screen. Any driver who affected a Bob Monkhouse-style mid-Atlantic patois instantly craved the “long low look” and motorway pace of “the new look of British motoring”. The company’s chairman, Sir Patrick Hennessey, stated the Classic would “more than hold its own in the world markets, including America”..

In 1956, Ford GB identified the need for a “D-Class” model between the smaller 100E series and the Consul Mk 2. The marketing department saw it as ideal for the golf-club car park while Colin Neale’s styling appeared to be a blend of 1958 Lincoln and the 1960 Galaxie. Power was from a 1,340cc four-cylinder engine with a choice of steering column or floor gear levers, two or four-door bodies and two trim levels.

September 1961 saw the advent of the Consul Capri, which will be the subject of a blog later this year. As for the saloon, The Daily Herald praised the “striking appearance and first-rate performance” and thought it “…ideal for the family man who demands comfort and economy but still likes a good turn of speed”. However, Motor Sport seemed decidedly underwhelmed – “it resembles nothing more than an enlarged version of the 105E Anglia with the addition of some American styling gimmicks”.

There was, in fact, a good deal to like about the Consul Classic. Four headlamps were a ‘first’ for a medium-sized British saloon and the boot was a vast 21 cu ft. – larger than a Zephyr Mk 2. At £825 3s 11d, the De Luxe was also very good value for a car with two-speed wipers, duotone paint, front disc brakes, a cigarette lighter and windscreen washers as standard.

Yet the Classic never achieved projected sales figures, one possible reason was its styling. Although US influences were widespread on UK cars of the 1950s and 1960s, the Classic seemed to mark the outer limits of Britain’s acceptance of Americana. Furthermore, Ford originally scheduled the Classic’s launch before the Anglia 105E, and by 1961 it already looked faintly dated. Tellingly, the rival Singer Vogue and the Vauxhall Victor FB, which both debuted later that year, featured far more restrained lines.

By August 1962, the Classic boasted a five-bearing 1.5-litre engine – “a most desirable and practical car for the family man” thought Autocar. However, the debut of a new Ford in the following month later dealt a significant blow to the range. The Consul Cortina may have only been initially available in a 1.2-litre form and was not as well-appointed, but it was considerably cheaper.

Equally important, the Cortina’s appearance may have conveyed faint Detroit overtones but not to the extent that it would stand out in the supermarket car park. The advent of the 1.5-litre Super version in January 1963 was possibly the final blow to the Classic. And when the Corsair replaced it nine months later, Ford had sold just 111,225 saloons. However, the Consul Classic was a car destined to be remembered – for who could ever forget the Ford that “Set The Style”?