We had 3 1600e`s when i grew up, Series 2 in Aubergine, green, gold almost sure a silver one to at some point may of been a parts only car.... oooh i sooo want to get one and restore in my parents memory and leave it in the garage :):)
I actually liked the moment Jeremy recalls his dad in the 1600E...genuine emotion on something that meant a lot to him back then. Nothing wrong with it
Jeremy seems to be the most emotional of the three and that is awesome. I remember how emotional he got when the lads got to run the Monaco F1 track courtesy of Bernie Ecclestone.
My dad had a MK1 Cortina, and he did all that he could to get the engine as close to the Lotus Cortina’s specs as possible. He said ,with all the upgrades and tunes it was like being a leaf in a hurricane. And the best part is, that Cortina is now mine. And he is right.
you know what I love most? When dads car that he loved manages to get to his sons hands and maybe continuing the history,I have the same story about another car that I loved which i didnt manage to drive
I remember asking my Dad if he had a cortina. He immediately went into his room, brought out a old photo book with pictures of his cortina and we spent hours talking about it. That isn't a car, It's a part of your soul
Exaclty the same for me My dad has folder of photos from the 80-early 2000s of all the cars he owned and the mk5 cortina stuck out the most to me because it was his first car …. It is now my all time dream car
Dad came home in a 1600 GXL one day. I was blown away even though it wasn't brand new I still felt like royalty and my dad was king. I felt like Clarkson did and I will never forget dad taking me out for dinner and a long drive. I fell asleep before we got back home and dad carried me up to bed. I faked not feeling well to skip school the next day so i could help him wash it. I was 6yrs old and I wouldn't leave dad's side in case I missed him leaving in the most beautiful car I had ever seen.
after he shared on top gearwhat happened with his dad and how he said goodbye, him remembering his dad in that car is kinda sad and happy at the same time
For me I like the way the last ever studio episode was a documentary on a car that started from something small and unnoticeable to something massive and world renowned. As Jeremy Richard and James started as small unnoticeable tv presenters but became massive and world renowned from top gear and the grand tour. This was an amazing piece of television and something that including the ending montage of there times in top gear and the grand tour over the course of 18 years made me tear up and applaud them. Thank you chaps 👏👏👏 Cannot wait for the Madagascar special
That was one of the best documentries ever!! I had tears droping from my face when all the Ford Fans sang in the church and the old pictures were shown. I already had buyers for my Cortina and my Sierra. Because of your show I canceled all deals and decided to hold my cars as many years as possible!!!
For me I like the way the last ever studio episode was a documentary on a car that started from something small and unnoticeable to something massive and world renowned. As Jeremy Richard and James started as small unnoticeable tv presenters but became massive and world renowned from top gear and the grand tour. This was an amazing piece of television and something that including the ending montage of there times in top gear and the grand tour over the course of 18 years made me tear up and applaud them. Thank you chaps 👏👏👏 Cannot wait for the Madagascar special
That was indeed the point of the episode. They ended it with a "funeral for the Mondeo", or as they called it the "funeral of a friend", which was a metaphore for the ending of TopGear and the Grand Tour's studio format
Seeing Clarkson talk about his dad like this, and after seeing the episode of top gear where he talks about how that porsche got him to hospital on time to say goodbye it just shows how close they were.
Those three were the best Top Gear presenters ever! Irreplaceable! A mate had a GT Cortina and would scare the hell outa me by taking corners at ridiculous speeds! Great car, great time of my life!
Clarkson's reaction while on the race track in the Mark 1 1966 Lotus Cortina is priceless and exactly right ! The Mark 1 1500cc GT was more a cruiser/rally car rather than a race car , but was still pretty lively ; i owned my parent's 1966 model from 1972 for 8 years , a four door version in Ermine White MWY 117D ; still have photos of it from 1968 - does it still exist ? A good comparison between the two is the 1996 Calibra 2.0 Turbo 4WD and the 1998 Calibra 2.5 V6. Have owned both models , though not at the same time. You are right about the presenters , John. For example , Hammond's initial appraisal of the Toyota Yaris 1.5 T Sport 2001 was balanced and fair - he tested a silver model in that video. I have two : both registered at Newcastle's main Toyota dealers in September 2001 ; both 51 plates : the heritage of Toyota's racing models , represented today by the Gazoo racing Supra & Yaris models
I can remember 1971 like it was yesterday ,our hated neighbour purchased a brand new 1600 E ,dad was absolutely gutted he lost sleep for a fortnight . Not to be outdone he went out and purchased a brand new Vitesse 2 litre and knocked the said neighbours plug in .Dad loved it !. I can see his sardonic smug smile now .
My grandmother had a 1972 GXL exactly like the one James had! That brings back memories! I even got to drive it when we returned to the U.K for a holiday in 1987. It was a bit more worse for wear after 15 years but was still a lot of fun to drive around the country lanes near Great Easton! I was 7 when she brought that car home and remember it well because my dad had just bought a 1972 Toyota estate car and whereas everyone had a Cortina no one had a Toyota! :)
I relate to this totally. My mates were just the same. I know the Allegro gets some stick now but back in the 1970's it was the kids who's Dad's brought Lada' and Scoda's that really suffered!
Gawd life looked better back then (or at least in the Ford ads it did! LOL!). I remember my dad's company Cortina's, from salesman to director, L, XL, GXL, exactly like the segment suggests, and he worked hard to achieve those jobs and cars. We sat at home in the dark most of the too 3day week, power cuts etc., with linoleum flooring, no freezer, just a fridge, no central heating, a coal bunker, second hand B&W TV, second hand push bike, things were tight, but fond memories of more honest times.
Ok, in 1966 my dad replaced his Anglia with a mark 1, 1500 deluxe, in Lagoon Blue Then a mark 2 1600, then a mark 3 2000 GL, my first car was a mark 2 1500, and then got a mark 3 2000 GXL, by which time my dad had bought a mark 1 Granada 3 litre
1 second ago They never made a Mk3 GL. Copied from classiccars. Trim levels were now Base, L (for Luxury), XL (Xtra Luxury), GT (Grand Touring) and GXL (Grand Xtra Luxury). 1.3 L, 1.6 L and 2.0 L engines were offered, the 1.6 L having two distinct types - the Kent unit for models up to GT trim and a SOHC Pinto unit for the GT and GXL, the latter of which was also offered in 1600 form for a short while. 2.0 L variants used a larger version of the 1600 Pinto unit and were available in all trim levels except base.
What a great show, here in Australia I had a 1976 Cortina XL but we had the 6 cylinder version too. I had the thumping 250 cubic inch 6 cylinder, 4 speed manual and it could fly, great memories. Thank you
Closest I got to a Cortina was driving the company's sales rep's Mark III 2000E to do an urgent delivery. This was back in 1979 and was the largest engined car I had driven at that point; it went like stink! My first wheels was a Mk I Ford Escort 1100cc panel van. My Dad impressed everyone when he arrived home in a 2nd hand 1971 Fiat 850 sport spider. Still very proud of you Dad.
There are many magic moments from Top Gear & The Grand Tour over the years, but this, by a country mile is the finest piece of motoring television i’ve ever seen. Everyone can relate & it is evocative & emotional on so many levels. I lost my Dad recently & he never had a Cortina, but I will forever treasure the car related memories of going to collect a new car with my Dad & being so proud of him & being in awe of whatever the new machine was 🥺❤️
Hammond, I feel your pain. My dad came home with a DAF 33 who's only redeeming value was it was marginally warmer in the winter driving months than the Beetle but this first implementation of the CVT was absolutely 💩
My grandfather had one, a DAF 33. My dad had a DAF 44 stationwagon and then a Renault 12, after he turned down a Renault 30, yes that one with all the luxury. I was devastated and ashamed at the same time.
My dad didn't have one but my then (1965) girlfriend's father had a 1965 GT version. He was a carpet salesman and found the weight of the samples in the boot helped his cornering. The car was an object of pride and joy to him; Jeremy's emotion is on the money.
Specials like this are simply the highlights of Top Gear and the Grand Tour for me. I'm not a huge fan of all the "some foreign Country" Specials...you can keep those. This here is the real deal, best motoring related contend....in the world.
The world really gotta treasure Jeremy Clarkson cause there will never be anybody that even comes close to this gentleman when it comes to whether being a motoring journalist or a car enthusiast/presenter. They tried but he has cemented his spot as the best journalist to ever come out of England.
At school we all wanted a cortina "crusader"--A mk5 which finished on the Y reg. Our teacher had one and it was bright red and looked amazing!! My late dad never did own a cortina but had one lent to him by a workmate when his austin 1100 was in the garage. Purple mk2 on a J plate. Funny how time flies! RIP George
I remember with love, my Ford Cortina V6 2.3 Ghia car, 'T' Reg and loved it, and this show brought back many happy memories of owning it. Happy days....
I have been waiting to see this for years. I am from the Clarkson / May generation and every now and again I have asked other older men if they had a Cortina. My dad had one, I had one a generation later. The low and sleek look, with the large back end for the stuff that you have to carry around, which came in with the Mk 3 Cortina, is still here with the Czech-built Octavia I drive today.
This brought a tear for my old girl A full house, fully modified, opening quarter light windowed little beast! I learned a lot from that wee car and still to this day, is one of the best cars I ever owned. Man the fun I had with her was off the scale and I wish I still had her now. I'm 63 and would buy one tomorrow, trouble is, I can't afford one now. I payed $1500 for her in 1976, now you might need $15000 for a good one and are as rear as chicken lips!
I grew up in a white 1969 Ford Cortina Deluxe four door with the 1100cc motor. Wonderful family car for the era although underpowered for such heavy chassis. My father kept it until 1980. Great memories.
Loved the MkIII GXL, That was a beautiful car. My dad never had a Cortina, but he did have more than one Escort. My older brother had a MkII 1600E though, that was metallic purple, jacked up at the back with wide multi spoke wheels, and furry dice and seat covers. He later had a MkV 2.0 Ghia, and eventually a Sierra 1.8LX after the Cortina came to the end of its life. My second car was my dads old Escort, after cutting my teeth with a Mini. Fond memories.
I worked at Ford Research & Engineering (later called Product Development ) Centre at Dunton Essex right from leaving the Ford Apprentice Training School at Harold Hill in 1969, and retired many years later in 2004. Employees got anything up to 20 plus percent off new vehicles, so we all drove new Fords, and struggled to find our own car in the sea of identical vehicles at the end of the shift. To me, the MK1 Cortina was the best driving experience and produced the best memories. Mine was a GT model, but it had the 1600 crossflow engine. It still had a single downdraft Weber, but it had some cylinder head work, and had reasonable performance for its day. It stayed flat round corners, and I just plain loved that car. My brother had it after me, and he loved it as much as I did. I always thought the MKII and MKIII Cortinas a bit wet. Especially the MKIII with its rubber mounted subframes front and rear. We had a line stopping event with the MKIII after it was discovered that it was possible for the front subframe to move all the forward, and the rear all the way back, and the prop-shaft could fall out of the gearbox! The fix was easy and obvious (in hindsight). we used voided bushes which were solid longitudinally, but open vertically, so they could flex up and down, but not forwards and backwards. I live in New Zealand now, and drive Japanese cars, but I still have happy memories.
Southern California 1968. My Dad drove home in a brand new Cortina Deluxe. It replaced our Edsel Wagon, but Dad still kept his '59 Peugeot. In 1980, the Cortina became mine. It was trashed & thrashed, but it was mine. Engine cut out at the slightest hint of dampness, and the brake went away in the wet, but I didn't know enough to care.
....times when five (!) children where sitting in back of the car without seat belts. :) I remember jumping on rear seat while my grandpa driving his old Moskvich 412.
😂😂theres a blast from the past a Moskvitch. I delivered one on a trailer using my mk1 1500 GT Cortina from bedfordshire to Wiltshire in the snow bloody thing weighed a ton.😞
My Dad had a Cortina. Vancouver Canada early 70s. It was a 1966. One rainy December eve. a Dodge Dart ran a stop sign and Mom and Dad T-boned the Dart. The Cortina was put back together and lived on. My Mom had a scar on her leg where the heater vent knob tried to impale her for years.
Just found this video, brings back memories. I'm 62 now and my first car was a 2nd hand Cortina Mk1 1500cc which I think I paid £150 which was a lot as an Apprentice on £16 a week. Dark blue, 2 door - I loved that car. I put Rostyle wheels and 1/4 bumpers, sun strip, imitation sheepskin seat covers and a 12"aluminum / leather steering wheel. Nice. Always envied a guy up the road, Winston who had a Mk1 Lotus Cortina called Mr Shifter. Went like stink - you could always hear him coming. These were the days of the Chelsea Cruise, always up there. Went on to buy Rover V8 P5 Coupe - God that drunk the petrol and that when it was about £0.65 pence a GALLON.
Owned a Mk I, 1300 (No chrome stripe), then a Mk III, 2000 GXL, an absolutely beautiful car., along with its extravagant trim, twin headlights and vinyl roof.
And of course, here in Australia we shoehorned in a 200 and then a 250 cubic inch straight six into the third generation Cortinas. I mean, the thing was a horsepower rocket ship. Also of course, it refused point blank to go around corners and laughed at you when you tried to use the brake pedal. But at a stoplight drag race...hooo boy!
Back in the days when you were shoe horning V6 engines into cortinas, I remember a savage Ford corsair we used to do drive byes to just look at it.Had loads of mk1 cortinas always welding, changing engines, gearboxes, diffs, in pursuit of speed.Dident have the 2 litre pinto at that point , probably wouldn't be alive now to be typing this.😂.Bloody great days how I miss my siblings and my best freind Tim Steele ❤
Yep I had a TE Cortina with a 250 XFlow and one of the best upgrades I made to it is to install a Hoppers Stoppers brake upgrade, and it actually stopped good after that.
Love this episode. Easily my fav, for the lads and especially for the bullseye on Ford. Plus, a great tribute to my favorite Ford of all time, Sierra Cosworth
Our cars growing up in the early 2000's were a 2001 Black VW Cabrio and 1999 Green Chevrolet Suburban, but when I was really little I remember having a 1996 Red VW Jetta and 1995 Maroon Chevrolet Blazer
My first car was rusted hand painted 65 mk1 2 door. Loved that car. Broke down at least once a month. Brother in law helped me rebuild the motor and he put 3 sets of rings in upside down. Still ran but the exhaust was coming out the breather tube for the crankcase. Mum had a TE I had a TE, always wanted a TF with the 4.1. Those things hammered. Awesome cars. Just the TE was probably the worst around corners. and the 2L wasn't that powerful but it was a cortina so that made it ok
I had an Australian 73 Cortina with a 4.1 litre big six. That thing flew LOL - Gobs of torque. The downside was that the big engine over the wheels made for heavy steering and understeer. Growing up I had a neighbour with a Lotus Cortina....sounded awesome
My grandpa had a mk1 2 door, in maroon with the very rare option of a bench seat and column shift. Oh to have it now....he had fords as company cars from a popular in I guess the early 50s to a Sierra in 1984. Kept the Sierra on retirement and then had 2 rover 200s, an Alfa 155 and then a very early rover 75 until he couldn't drive any more. What a collection. I had the same sense of beaming pride, first with a pearlescent British racing green rover vitesse fastback on 17s and then when that was replaced with a range rover, but not just a base one, a 4.6hse with 18 inch Mondial alloys in a not very mid 90s silver. Wow the memories.
The only car my dad ever bought new was a red mk 3 cortina with a brown vinyl roof. He drove it under a chemical tanker on a foggy morning and survived. My first car was a red mk 4. It was also my first bank loan. £400. A knackered 1.3l. looked awesome with pin stripes and mud flaps.
My dad said that when he was in high school in New South Wales, ( AU ) around early 1980's, even his teacher had a Mk 3 Cortina and he loved the long bonnet on the front of it.
I love talking about childhood cars. My Dad worked at Ford, Chrysler, and Jeep for a while so he'd bring home interesting cars and jeeps. One time he brought home a diesel engine jeep that wasn't being sold in the us at the time, I felt so damn cool knowing no one else in the us could even get it yet without importing it. The jeep he worked the most on was the four door jeep, that thing was his baby at work. As for cars we owned, it was a red 2006 mustang convertible with tan leather seats and interior. Now, I've always wanted a DeLorian, but before I get one of those, I'm going to get one of these beauties... Once I get older and I don't cost so much on my Mom's insurance...
Clarkson's short emotional moment when remembering his father and the first car he loved... that was special. Best show ever.
Grand tour and top gear
We had 3 1600e`s when i grew up, Series 2 in Aubergine, green, gold almost sure a silver one to at some point may of been a parts only car.... oooh i sooo want to get one and restore in my parents memory and leave it in the garage :):)
My Dad didn’t have a car - ever. We went everywhere on bicycles with three speed Sturmey Archers.
God no. Best show never more like. These three A-Holes have turned the show into contrived crap.
@KYLE kyle. Was your "green" a very dark shade? If it was, I think it was on the FMC colour chart as "Aquatic Jade".
I actually liked the moment Jeremy recalls his dad in the 1600E...genuine emotion on something that meant a lot to him back then. Nothing wrong with it
It always reminds me of the Porsche 928.
A car that ensured he could say goodbye to his dad.
It may have sparked his passion for cars no wonder he got emotional it made him a multi millionaire
Jeremy seems to be the most emotional of the three and that is awesome. I remember how emotional he got when the lads got to run the Monaco F1 track courtesy of Bernie Ecclestone.
My da built a 7 everytime i see 1 i remember to try an finish projects lol
Imagine him as a kid
My dad had a MK1 Cortina, and he did all that he could to get the engine as close to the Lotus Cortina’s specs as possible. He said ,with all the upgrades and tunes it was like being a leaf in a hurricane. And the best part is, that Cortina is now mine. And he is right.
you know what I love most? When dads car that he loved manages to get to his sons hands and maybe continuing the history,I have the same story about another car that I loved which i didnt manage to drive
Dude gratz. You have an amazing car
Sorting the engine is the easy bit, sorting the live rear axle is the real art . Front disks upgrade as well.
Lucky man!
I remember asking my Dad if he had a cortina. He immediately went into his room, brought out a old photo book with pictures of his cortina and we spent hours talking about it. That isn't a car, It's a part of your soul
Exaclty the same for me My dad has folder of photos from the 80-early 2000s of all the cars he owned and the mk5 cortina stuck out the most to me because it was his first car …. It is now my all time dream car
No no it is a car and a car is family modern cars aren't cars they are machines
My dad didnt have a cortina but the car i remember most and being proud of him having it was his Skoda Octavia vRS he had
My father is dead
My dad had a Celica GT and Bluebird SS and busted a nut on their photos :)
Dad came home in a 1600 GXL one day. I was blown away even though it wasn't brand new I still felt like royalty and my dad was king. I felt like Clarkson did and I will never forget dad taking me out for dinner and a long drive. I fell asleep before we got back home and dad carried me up to bed. I faked not feeling well to skip school the next day so i could help him wash it. I was 6yrs old and I wouldn't leave dad's side in case I missed him leaving in the most beautiful car I had ever seen.
I never thought I'd hear James May say "I suddenly became aware my body can produce semen" I just died laughing
Who would've thought 😂😂
he came on the rev counter then
Waht part was that
-Male
-Female
-James May
I had the same "excitement" when i got to know the Mitsubishi 3000GT TURBO, she's gorgeous
after he shared on top gearwhat happened with his dad and how he said goodbye, him remembering his dad in that car is kinda sad and happy at the same time
What did he say on top gear?
@@ashwinp7982 look for Jeremy Clarkson Speaks About his Father - Patagonia Special
Seeing James behind the office desk, I thought he'd updated his look a bit.
Lol. That actually suited him rather well
Thought it was Noddy Holder!
For me I like the way the last ever studio episode was a documentary on a car that started from something small and unnoticeable to something massive and world renowned. As Jeremy Richard and James started as small unnoticeable tv presenters but became massive and world renowned from top gear and the grand tour. This was an amazing piece of television and something that including the ending montage of there times in top gear and the grand tour over the course of 18 years made me tear up and applaud them. Thank you chaps 👏👏👏
Cannot wait for the Madagascar special
They ONLY updated The background to fit James may
I didn't notice to be honest...there was a slight distraction to the right.
Nobody:
Jeremy Clarkson: *Another story about my father*
Me: Cries
Jeremy: “My dad had a Cortina 1600E!”
James: “My dad had a Mk3 Cortina GXL!”
Richard: “My dad had an Allegro Estate... 😔”
Which was the best looking of the lot.
@@bigbird2451 The Mk3 GXL
@@bigbird2451 erm ... are you blind ... or something?
@Hewis Lamilton No, he's a clairvoyant.
Greatest bit of the series
When Clarkson talks about his dad, it just brings a smile to my face, because it shows you that they had a love that was truly special
That was one of the best documentries ever!! I had tears droping from my face when all the Ford Fans sang in the church and the old pictures were shown.
I already had buyers for my Cortina and my Sierra. Because of your show I canceled all deals and decided to hold my cars as many years as possible!!!
The best cars are the ones you sold on regretting a bit.
Good for you mate. Nothing worse than regrets as we get older.
Brings back memories of a friend buying a 2000E. I was mildly envious.
For me I like the way the last ever studio episode was a documentary on a car that started from something small and unnoticeable to something massive and world renowned. As Jeremy Richard and James started as small unnoticeable tv presenters but became massive and world renowned from top gear and the grand tour. This was an amazing piece of television and something that including the ending montage of there times in top gear and the grand tour over the course of 18 years made me tear up and applaud them. Thank you chaps 👏👏👏
Cannot wait for the Madagascar special
That was indeed the point of the episode. They ended it with a "funeral for the Mondeo", or as they called it the "funeral of a friend", which was a metaphore for the ending of TopGear and the Grand Tour's studio format
Seeing Clarkson talk about his dad like this, and after seeing the episode of top gear where he talks about how that porsche got him to hospital on time to say goodbye it just shows how close they were.
Those three were the best Top Gear presenters ever! Irreplaceable! A mate had a GT Cortina and would scare the hell outa me by taking corners at ridiculous speeds! Great car, great time of my life!
Clarkson's reaction while on the race track in the Mark 1 1966 Lotus Cortina is priceless and exactly right ! The Mark 1 1500cc GT was more a cruiser/rally car rather than a race car , but was still pretty lively ; i owned my parent's 1966 model from 1972 for 8 years , a four door version in Ermine White MWY 117D ; still have photos of it from 1968 - does it still exist ? A good comparison between the two is the 1996 Calibra 2.0 Turbo 4WD and the 1998 Calibra 2.5 V6. Have owned both models , though not at the same time. You are right about the presenters , John. For example , Hammond's initial appraisal of the Toyota Yaris 1.5 T Sport 2001 was balanced and fair - he tested a silver model in that video. I have two : both registered at Newcastle's main Toyota dealers in September 2001 ; both 51 plates : the heritage of Toyota's racing models , represented today by the Gazoo racing Supra & Yaris models
That moment when Siegfried's Funeral March is used for introducing the city of Birmingham, and Austin Allegro...
What I love about this is, every time that Clarkson talks about his father he always seems to get emotional, Jeremy truely loved his father,
I can remember 1971 like it was yesterday ,our hated neighbour purchased a brand new 1600 E ,dad was absolutely gutted he lost sleep for a fortnight . Not to be outdone he went out and purchased a brand new Vitesse 2 litre and knocked the said neighbours plug in .Dad loved it !. I can see his sardonic smug smile now .
Seriously I love these three. We all grew up infatuated with the awesomeness that is the trio
My grandmother had a 1972 GXL exactly like the one James had! That brings back memories! I even got to drive it when we returned to the U.K for a holiday in 1987. It was a bit more worse for wear after 15 years but was still a lot of fun to drive around the country lanes near Great Easton! I was 7 when she brought that car home and remember it well because my dad had just bought a 1972 Toyota estate car and whereas everyone had a Cortina no one had a Toyota! :)
I relate to this totally. My mates were just the same.
I know the Allegro gets some stick now but back in the 1970's it was the kids who's Dad's brought Lada' and Scoda's that really suffered!
or FSOs aka Polski Fiat or worse Yugos......
Would you like British Communism or Soviet Communism?
My first car was a Mk1 Lotus Cortina, the engine noise Jeremy was getting brought back so so many memories!
when jeremy said "my dad had an 1600 e" i felt that joy as well
Gawd life looked better back then (or at least in the Ford ads it did! LOL!). I remember my dad's company Cortina's, from salesman to director, L, XL, GXL, exactly like the segment suggests, and he worked hard to achieve those jobs and cars. We sat at home in the dark most of the too 3day week, power cuts etc., with linoleum flooring, no freezer, just a fridge, no central heating, a coal bunker, second hand B&W TV, second hand push bike, things were tight, but fond memories of more honest times.
I live in Ireland same story here we love old fords especially the cortina my dad had a mk 4 2.0 gl, happy times 👍
Ok, in 1966 my dad replaced his Anglia with a mark 1, 1500 deluxe, in Lagoon Blue Then a mark 2 1600, then a mark 3 2000 GL, my first car was a mark 2 1500, and then got a mark 3 2000 GXL, by which time my dad had bought a mark 1 Granada 3 litre
Ha! Dad bossed you there mate! But that MK III GXL was a real beauty.
1 second ago
They never made a Mk3 GL. Copied from classiccars. Trim levels were now Base, L (for Luxury), XL (Xtra Luxury), GT (Grand Touring) and GXL (Grand Xtra Luxury). 1.3 L, 1.6 L and 2.0 L engines were offered, the 1.6 L having two distinct types - the Kent unit for models up to GT trim and a SOHC Pinto unit for the GT and GXL, the latter of which was also offered in 1600 form for a short while. 2.0 L variants used a larger version of the 1600 Pinto unit and were available in all trim levels except base.
What a great show, here in Australia I had a 1976 Cortina XL but we had the 6 cylinder version too. I had the thumping 250 cubic inch 6 cylinder, 4 speed manual and it could fly, great memories. Thank you
What a magic episode had 1 MK2 Cortina and then 2 mk 1 Cortina,s,had friends with mk 3,4,5 cortinas, they were part of growing up with and driving.
One of the most beautiful cars ever made! Right mix of early 60s Ford and British race car brillance!!
Closest I got to a Cortina was driving the company's sales rep's Mark III 2000E to do an urgent delivery. This was back in 1979 and was the largest engined car I had driven at that point; it went like stink! My first wheels was a Mk I Ford Escort 1100cc panel van. My Dad impressed everyone when he arrived home in a 2nd hand 1971 Fiat 850 sport spider. Still very proud of you Dad.
There are many magic moments from Top Gear & The Grand Tour over the years, but this, by a country mile is the finest piece of motoring television i’ve ever seen. Everyone can relate & it is evocative & emotional on so many levels. I lost my Dad recently & he never had a Cortina, but I will forever treasure the car related memories of going to collect a new car with my Dad & being so proud of him & being in awe of whatever the new machine was 🥺❤️
Remember my dad driving up the driveway in his Red Passat Variant GT. In ‘92 that was a real tick in my lifebox. Still brings a smile to my face.
Hammond, I feel your pain. My dad came home with a DAF 33 who's only redeeming value was it was marginally warmer in the winter driving months than the Beetle but this first implementation of the CVT was absolutely 💩
I remember the Daf, my neighbour had one. Taking off, the engine revs would be screaming but getting no where.
@@emmams5 Yes, that was my dad...
My grandfather had one, a DAF 33.
My dad had a DAF 44 stationwagon and then a Renault 12, after he turned down a Renault 30, yes that one with all the luxury. I was devastated and ashamed at the same time.
@@Martin280967 After the DAF fiasco Dad finally realized he should buy an Opel (Ascona) if his peers weren't to laugh behind his back.
@@robertpolkamp 😆👍🏻
My dad didn't have one but my then (1965) girlfriend's father had a 1965 GT version. He was a carpet salesman and found the weight of the samples in the boot helped his cornering. The car was an object of pride and joy to him; Jeremy's emotion is on the money.
I had a Mk3 GXL in a Copper Metallic paint, with Black Interior. Loved it, I paid £995.00, sold it for £899.00 2 years later, wish I still had it.
My dads last Cortina was an XR6 Interceptor when he worked for Ford South Africa. Was a beautiful car
The moment Hamond took out the bat and hit the car, I was reminded of how fortunate I was to of grown up with Top Gear.
Specials like this are simply the highlights of Top Gear and the Grand Tour for me. I'm not a huge fan of all the "some foreign Country" Specials...you can keep those. This here is the real deal, best motoring related contend....in the world.
An amazing car. My first car in 1968. I took it up Welsh Mountains. I took it to London. I took it to Ireland. I did all my own work on it.
I had four Cortinas in succession, starting with a 3.0 1973 XLE and finishing with a MK4 XR6 Interceptor. Loved every single one of them...
The world really gotta treasure Jeremy Clarkson cause there will never be anybody that even comes close to this gentleman when it comes to whether being a motoring journalist or a car enthusiast/presenter. They tried but he has cemented his spot as the best journalist to ever come out of England.
Man those dials “angled towards the driver” do look good!!!
How to talk about the Ford Mondeo: Do an 15 min long film about the Fort Cortina...
did u watch the full episode? or do u not have prime and simply rely on youtube...
@@justin_fajardo probably the second one can’t afford prime
Cinematography is off the chart
At school we all wanted a cortina "crusader"--A mk5 which finished on the Y reg. Our teacher had one and it was bright red and looked amazing!! My late dad never did own a cortina but had one lent to him by a workmate when his austin 1100 was in the garage. Purple mk2 on a J plate. Funny how time flies! RIP George
Fords arent just cars they have souls! Greatest episode ever
I love how everyone laughed when he said "its exciting stuff", then he delivered this.
I remember with love, my Ford Cortina V6 2.3 Ghia car, 'T' Reg and loved it, and this show brought back many happy memories of owning it. Happy days....
Man the camera work the editing
It's just perfect better then some movies
Absolutely love this show
I have been waiting to see this for years. I am from the Clarkson / May generation and every now and again I have asked other older men if they had a Cortina. My dad had one, I had one a generation later. The low and sleek look, with the large back end for the stuff that you have to carry around, which came in with the Mk 3 Cortina, is still here with the Czech-built Octavia I drive today.
LOL! Had a Cortina in the early 80s....second hand...in Norway! Loved it!
Richard thinks he has it bad, my dad had to come home to see my grandad pull up in a Lada 2107. (He still has it)
I love LADAS!!!
@Mata5 yes
Watched this so many times and will again, brings backs so many early car memories thankfully all ford 😀
That moment when Siegfried's Funeral March is used for introducing the city of Birmingham, and Austin Allegro...
I just think of Excalibur...
And Nimrod at the end
I love Cortinas - thank you, I'll just sit & watch.
This brought a tear for my old girl
A full house, fully modified, opening quarter light windowed little beast! I learned a lot from that wee car and still to this day, is one of the best cars I ever owned. Man the fun I had with her was off the scale and I wish I still had her now. I'm 63 and would buy one tomorrow, trouble is, I can't afford one now. I payed $1500 for her in 1976, now you might need $15000 for a good one and are as rear as chicken lips!
I grew up in a white 1969 Ford Cortina Deluxe four door with the 1100cc motor. Wonderful family car for the era although underpowered for such heavy chassis. My father kept it until 1980. Great memories.
1st car I legally owned was a 72 1.3 mk3 cortina. I was 18 in 1978 it had 185k on the clock, cost £185. 15 months of fun lol. Still remember the reg
Wish I never sold my cortina, thank you for the memory flash back.
LOL 😂🤣 Hammond Lost it....ha ha ha... love this...
Loved the MkIII GXL, That was a beautiful car.
My dad never had a Cortina, but he did have more than one Escort. My older brother had a MkII 1600E though, that was metallic purple, jacked up at the back with wide multi spoke wheels, and furry dice and seat covers. He later had a MkV 2.0 Ghia, and eventually a Sierra 1.8LX after the Cortina came to the end of its life.
My second car was my dads old Escort, after cutting my teeth with a Mini.
Fond memories.
I worked at Ford Research & Engineering (later called Product Development ) Centre at Dunton Essex right from leaving the Ford Apprentice Training School at Harold Hill in 1969, and retired many years later in 2004. Employees got anything up to 20 plus percent off new vehicles, so we all drove new Fords, and struggled to find our own car in the sea of identical vehicles at the end of the shift. To me, the MK1 Cortina was the best driving experience and produced the best memories. Mine was a GT model, but it had the 1600 crossflow engine. It still had a single downdraft Weber, but it had some cylinder head work, and had reasonable performance for its day. It stayed flat round corners, and I just plain loved that car. My brother had it after me, and he loved it as much as I did.
I always thought the MKII and MKIII Cortinas a bit wet. Especially the MKIII with its rubber mounted subframes front and rear. We had a line stopping event with the MKIII after it was discovered that it was possible for the front subframe to move all the forward, and the rear all the way back, and the prop-shaft could fall out of the gearbox! The fix was easy and obvious (in hindsight). we used voided bushes which were solid longitudinally, but open vertically, so they could flex up and down, but not forwards and backwards.
I live in New Zealand now, and drive Japanese cars, but I still have happy memories.
Glamorous Cortina". Not two words I thought I would ever hear together.
This reminds me of my dad moving up from a '69 Ford LTD to a '71 Mercury Marquis.... Brougham.
10:26 can someone tell what music is playin in background?
Had a Mk2 Cortina years ago, and it was a revelation after a bloody Hillman Minx.
Southern California 1968. My Dad drove home in a brand new Cortina Deluxe. It replaced our Edsel Wagon, but Dad still kept his '59 Peugeot. In 1980, the Cortina became mine. It was trashed & thrashed, but it was mine. Engine cut out at the slightest hint of dampness, and the brake went away in the wet, but I didn't know enough to care.
Lol! I also had a Ford Cortina 1600 in the 80s in Norway (a second hand...God knows what model)! Excellent car!!
Clarkson is so posh with his Rose style wheels, down
South we called the Rostyle. Great vid guys love it
....times when five (!) children where sitting in back of the car without seat belts. :) I remember jumping on rear seat while my grandpa driving his old Moskvich 412.
a Moskvich in Britain ? was he a communist party member?
😂😂theres a blast from the past a Moskvitch. I delivered one on a trailer using my mk1 1500 GT Cortina from bedfordshire to Wiltshire in the snow bloody thing weighed a ton.😞
@@gertvanderhorst2890 considering the name, he might be Lithuanian
That was amazingly entertaining and educational at the same time. We learnt a wonderful part of history. Bravo and thank you.
My Dad had a Cortina. Vancouver Canada early 70s. It was a 1966. One rainy December eve. a Dodge Dart ran a stop sign and Mom and Dad T-boned the Dart. The Cortina was put back together and lived on. My Mom had a scar on her leg where the heater vent knob tried to impale her for years.
The Cortina left its mark
My old man had a red F reg 1600E. It was fitted with a twin choke Weber.
Just found this video, brings back memories. I'm 62 now and my first car was a 2nd hand Cortina Mk1 1500cc which I think I paid £150 which was a lot as an Apprentice on £16 a week. Dark blue, 2 door - I loved that car. I put Rostyle wheels and 1/4 bumpers, sun strip, imitation sheepskin seat covers and a 12"aluminum / leather steering wheel. Nice. Always envied a guy up the road, Winston who had a Mk1 Lotus Cortina called Mr Shifter. Went like stink - you could always hear him coming. These were the days of the Chelsea Cruise, always up there. Went on to buy Rover V8 P5 Coupe - God that drunk the petrol and that when it was about £0.65 pence a GALLON.
for those of you who are searching for music at the beginning of the Ford movie it's this : Thomas Bergersen - Empire of Angles
My dad who owned a Volvo 240: *looks away nervously*
volvo 240s are cool especially if its a turbo brick
Owned a Mk I, 1300 (No chrome stripe), then a Mk III, 2000 GXL, an absolutely beautiful car., along with its extravagant trim, twin headlights and vinyl roof.
We all went thru the badge snobbery thing haha LOL this ia a truly hysterically brilliant episode
And of course, here in Australia we shoehorned in a 200 and then a 250 cubic inch straight six into the third generation Cortinas. I mean, the thing was a horsepower rocket ship. Also of course, it refused point blank to go around corners and laughed at you when you tried to use the brake pedal. But at a stoplight drag race...hooo boy!
Back in the days when you were shoe horning V6 engines into cortinas, I remember a savage Ford corsair we used to do drive byes to just look at it.Had loads of mk1 cortinas always welding, changing engines, gearboxes, diffs, in pursuit of speed.Dident have the 2 litre pinto at that point , probably wouldn't be alive now to be typing this.😂.Bloody great days how I miss my siblings and my best freind Tim Steele ❤
They were not a great deal better with that 2 litre lump either. I have had dozens of them.
Yep I had a TE Cortina with a 250 XFlow and one of the best upgrades I made to it is to install a Hoppers Stoppers brake upgrade, and it actually stopped good after that.
Cortina mk3 GXL twin headlights......best looking car ever to be built by Ford UK.
Love this episode. Easily my fav, for the lads and especially for the bullseye on Ford. Plus, a great tribute to my favorite Ford of all time, Sierra Cosworth
Our cars growing up in the early 2000's were a 2001 Black VW Cabrio and 1999 Green Chevrolet Suburban, but when I was really little I remember having a 1996 Red VW Jetta and 1995 Maroon Chevrolet Blazer
Mine was Astra1982 Cavalier 1992 then yes yes mpv a v reg zafira the old man still got it as well !!
When they speak about cars it's all gold
You can feel Clarkson and mays emotion
Memories well done on the Ford's.
Yes, but in 1982 they replaced the Cortina with the Sierra, and i belive, if memory serves, was quite successful too, both on AND off road...
Sierra was a nice car, but had a very low roof.
The Hammond part had me Crying😂😂😂😂😂😂
hammond reminds me the day my dad came back in a lada. but wow that allegro 🤣🤣
My first car was rusted hand painted 65 mk1 2 door. Loved that car. Broke down at least once a month. Brother in law helped me rebuild the motor and he put 3 sets of rings in upside down. Still ran but the exhaust was coming out the breather tube for the crankcase. Mum had a TE I had a TE, always wanted a TF with the 4.1. Those things hammered. Awesome cars. Just the TE was probably the worst around corners. and the 2L wasn't that powerful but it was a cortina so that made it ok
Favourite British Sports Car Ever. Period.
that 2 steps from hell background soundtrack= dope
I had an Australian 73 Cortina with a 4.1 litre big six. That thing flew LOL - Gobs of torque. The downside was that the big engine over the wheels made for heavy steering and understeer. Growing up I had a neighbour with a Lotus Cortina....sounded awesome
Man that GXL looks really good in green
My grandpa had a mk1 2 door, in maroon with the very rare option of a bench seat and column shift. Oh to have it now....he had fords as company cars from a popular in I guess the early 50s to a Sierra in 1984. Kept the Sierra on retirement and then had 2 rover 200s, an Alfa 155 and then a very early rover 75 until he couldn't drive any more. What a collection. I had the same sense of beaming pride, first with a pearlescent British racing green rover vitesse fastback on 17s and then when that was replaced with a range rover, but not just a base one, a 4.6hse with 18 inch Mondial alloys in a not very mid 90s silver. Wow the memories.
In Jeremy's voice: Well... when I say everyone... 11:09
Miss my 72 MK3 GT and one of the last 83 MK5 2.0L with a bit of work managed to get a 17.99 @ 77mph 1/4 max 182kph Cornering was outstanding on both
The only car my dad ever bought new was a red mk 3 cortina with a brown vinyl roof. He drove it under a chemical tanker on a foggy morning and survived. My first car was a red mk 4. It was also my first bank loan. £400. A knackered 1.3l. looked awesome with pin stripes and mud flaps.
My dad said that when he was in high school in New South Wales, ( AU ) around early 1980's, even his teacher had a Mk 3 Cortina and he loved the long bonnet on the front of it.
My dad had a savage cortina loved it ,if he had an allegro I would have called childline!!
Great review of a truely iconic car.
I love talking about childhood cars.
My Dad worked at Ford, Chrysler, and Jeep for a while so he'd bring home interesting cars and jeeps.
One time he brought home a diesel engine jeep that wasn't being sold in the us at the time, I felt so damn cool knowing no one else in the us could even get it yet without importing it. The jeep he worked the most on was the four door jeep, that thing was his baby at work.
As for cars we owned, it was a red 2006 mustang convertible with tan leather seats and interior.
Now, I've always wanted a DeLorian, but before I get one of those, I'm going to get one of these beauties... Once I get older and I don't cost so much on my Mom's insurance...