Seventy Years of The Original Ford Zodiac

Seventy years ago, Ford GB unveiled a new model that instantly became the object of desire of Teddy Boys at the Hammersmith Palais and ambitious business owners alike. It was, of course, the Zephyr-Zodiac with exterior trim plated in nine-carat gold. Here was quasi-Hollywood glamour for only £851 2s 6d. Ford proudly claimed such a price placed it “within reach of those who would otherwise consider such motoring beyond their means”.

As its name suggests, the Zodiac was an elaborately appointed version of the Zephyr-Six, which made its bow at the 1950 London Motor Show. Ford marketed their new flagship as a “luxury version of the famous model that won the 1953 Monte Carlo Rally”. One copywriter was clearly working overtime on such gems as “The Zodiac is for connoisseurs of motoring; it is a leader amongst cars of today, built to deserve the instant admiration it will always command”. Furthermore, it was “a picture of grace, poise and purpose!”.

The Zodiac’s decadent list of fittings included a duotone paint finish, fog, spot and a (manually operated) reversing lamp. Your friendly local Ford dealer would almost certainly point out the heater, windscreen washers, wing mirrors, leather upholstery, pile carpet, wool headlining, cigar lighter, and a clock mounted between the sun visors. A further sales asset was its higher compression ratio than the Zephyr, resulting in a top speed of 84mph; Ford regarded the Zodiac as “perfect for any “anxious to reduce travelling time to a minimum.

Autocar reported from Earls Court in 1953: “The Zodiac has all the special firings that the fonder owner loves, only the radio being a true extra”. A test published on the 16^th July 1954 noted, “Customary reaction to the Zodiac is one of admiration”, and two months later Motor Sport regarded the Zodiac as the best in its price class. Their editor, Bill Boddy, also wrote, “We were soon affectionately referring to it as ‘Zsa Zsa Zodiac’ because it is that sort of car”.

Meanwhile, back at Dagenham, Ford’s executives were undoubtedly pleased that the Zodiac had a year’s march over the rival Vauxhall Cresta E-Series. Equally importantly, BMC would not introduce the Austin A105 Westminster until 1956 and the Standard Vanguard Phase 2 lacked the Zodiac’s six-cylinder engine and sense of flair.

Sales ended in 1956 with the introduction of the Mk.2 range. The Zodiac name symbolised Anglo-American style on a reasonable budget for many years until the Grannda replaced the fourth-generation models in 1972. Back in 1953, the original Zephyr-Zodiac appeared to mark the end of post-war austerity and anticipate the further consumer society. To quote one sales campaign - “Ford Sets The Fashion”.