The Forgotten Ford Granada – Made By Hyundai

Some of us (all right, me) have long been fascinated with large European saloons that enjoyed an afterlife or a parallel career in another continent. India’s Hindustan Contessa (aka the Vauxhall Victor FE) and the Standard 2000 (aka the Rover SD1) are prime examples of the former; we have the Hyundai-built Ford Granada Mk for the latter. II.

The two Chung brothers founded the Hyundai Motor Company in 1967, and in February 1968, they signed a contract to assemble the Ford Cortina Mk. II. A year later, Hyundai introduced its first large car, a locally made Taunus 20M from Ford of Germany, which rivalled the Korean-built Toyota Crown between 1969 and 1973. 2,406 20Ms left the factory, and Hyundai saw the need for a replacement model.

The firm planned to introduce their version of the Granada in October 1973, but the Korean government banned the production of large cars with six cylinders or more in the wake of the OPEC Fuel Crisis. But Hyundai argued the economic reasons for making such a vehicle, and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy finally gave their permission, but with two stipulations. Firstly, the engine for such vehicles could not be larger than three litres, and secondly, the domestic content had to exceed 20%. Thirdly, the government only allowed building one six-cylinder model for every five four-cylinder cars exported.

The Pony, the first in-house Hyundai design, first appeared at the 1974 Turin Motor Show, but the firm continued to build the Cortina until the demise of the Mk. V in 1983. The Granada, which debuted in October 1978, was their last Ford model, and in appearance, it was almost identical to its German parent. Korean buyers had a choice of a four-cylinder 1.7 litre, a 6-cylinder 2.0 litre and a 6-cylinder 2.8-litre engine.

The prices were very steep: a Granada cost more than an apartment. Hyundai gave priority to government ministers, other high-ranking officials, and the CEOs of large corporations. Its main domestic rivals were the Saehan, Motors-assembled Opel Rekord E and the Kia-built Peugeot 604. Sales figures amounted to just 4,743 Granadas when the wonderfully named ‘Grandeur’ – a rebadged Mitsubishi Debonaire - replaced it in December 1985.

Less than ten Korean-built Granadas are believed to survive, and they remain a fascinating aspect of Hyundai’s relationship with Ford. And I still hope that someone will import one into this country in the future…