Family favourites
October 2020 marked the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Ford Cortina Mark 3, presenting an opportunity for David Lynn to update his series to pursue every 1/43 scale diecast ever made of Ford’s popular family car.
We carried the ninth part of this series in the December 2020 issue. This latest update was too large for one article, so the Mk1 and Mk2 models appeared first – now we bring you the Mk3, Mk4 and Mk5 1/43 scale releases for the corresponding period, making this the tenth stage of my collecting odyssey.
The scope is 1/43 diecast and resin models, without venturing very far into models made with other materials. Again, it has been impractical to physically obtain examples of every recent release. The releases are discussed in Mark sequence.
CORTINA MK3
The Mk3 had the longest production run at six years of any Mark, but surprisingly, in the half century since launch, Corgi in various forms is the only model-maker to produce one in 1/43 with a 2-door GXL in the 1970s, a budget 1990s revival in its Motoring Memories series, and since 2000, a series of Vanguards 4-doors. As a footnote to earlier comments on the 1970 Corgi No 313 GXL 2-door, very early examples have a printing typo on the box stating "Whizzwhells" instead of Whizzwheels. This occurs on some mustard yellow promotional and normal blue examples, but was rapidly corrected.
Three Vanguards additions since last time all depict the range-topping 2000E that succeeded the GXL in the September 1973 mid-life range facelift, giving a titular nod back to the 1600E and marking the début of the rectangular headlights. No VA10312 shows HPU 981N, a 1975 automatic in Sahara Beige, with brown vinyl roof, in an edition of 1,000. With a beige interior, the livery is reminiscent of caramel shortbread and, for me, is perfectly attractive. However, shortly after its issue in 2017, an example appeared on ebay with the following comments: “I have corrected the front indicators as this model actually had orange behind a clear lens so shouldn't be bright orange and the wiper colour to silver (only the last all-black grille models had black wipers), and corrected the poor tail lamp colouring, for some reason Vanguards painted a black strip on the front and rear valances so I continued this onto the sills, and added some bling with different door mirrors and spot lamps. It has too much beige for my liking,
I was going to repaint the roof, but a simple interior change to black really improves the look.” So maybe I am too easily pleased.
VA10313 arrived in Purple Velvet with black vinyl roof and grey interior, from a December 1974 car (GRN 529N) in an edition of 1,300. It adds front spotlights, otherwise it is identical to VA10312, and one likeable detail in both cases is the presence of front and rear bumper under-riders, an accessory on the real car and an element Vanguards occasionally include. The Cloud Grey interior was a rare option compared to the usual black or tan, but shows how Vanguards has recently upped its game by including coloured highlights, with, in this case, brown emphases for the wood veneer door cappings and instrument panel. However this inadvertently highlights a fudge as a new and very different dashboard was fitted for the September 1973 facelift, and it is now clearer that the old style was carried through. Online forum mutterings claim that the Vanguards Mk4 interior is a straight swap to give the correct second style if anyone wants to test the idea. There is one unexpected goof with the small driver side shield moved from its correct position low behind the front arch to perch on the door. This affects the whole batch, and has not happened on other Vanguards Mk3s.
The third model number leaps to VA10317 (edition size 1,300), with no clue what happened to 10314/5/6. OYX 41R is an October 1976 car registered in the month of the Mk4 launch, and a special order from Ford Special Vehicle Operations of black body and vinyl roof with Cloud Grey interior, which was a very rare and possibly unique combination. It looks very distinctive with a subtle contrast between the gloss body and the matt effect on the roof, and the pale interior gives visual depth. The under-riders are omitted and, given the comments above about the home-modified VA10312 on ebay, it may be that black wipers and an all-black grille should be present. Whatever, it is a well presented and intriguing livery.
Another Mk3 was proposed for a 2015 Atlas Editions "Hot Hatches & Street Classics" partwork, using eight Vanguards castings. I scratched the surface of this story in the June 2017 issue with a description of the batch of 200-250 red Capri Mk3s discreetly mailed out to selected Atlas subscribers in England, as a market tester, with a leaflet describing the other intended models, all based on actual cars photographed at display events. The project was abandoned, and none of the proposed seven models ever emerged apart from mock-ups for the leaflet. This showed a yellow Mk3 GT with black vinyl roof, front fogs, sculpted steel wheels, ENR 863L plates and the correct GT grille, with a narrow single band grille instead of the GXL’s 3 bands. The irony, as explained in that article, was that the Capri sampler was made by IXO rather than Vanguards - it later appeared unchanged for another unbranded partwork in greater numbers, and
then received a left-hand-drive interior for a Solido budget issue.
As mentioned, the Mk3 Cortina was a sea-change from its predecessors that were entirely UK projects. Dearbon was pushing hard for a unified Ford Europe and gave Cologne the major responsibility for developing a shared mid-range product as the Taunus TC1, with British input to differentiate the Cortina restricted to revised bodywork and fitting the UK engine family. Subsequent Mk4/5 Cortinas were denied even these small distinctions so became pretty well identical to the Taunus TC2/3 ranges.
The comparison between the Mk3 and TC1 in their 1970 top-of-the-tree versions can be illustrated by two NEO resin Taunuses from 2011, shown against the Sapphire Blue colour match from VA10311. NEO’s GXL also appeared in dark metallic brown and bright green, and several years ago, Minichamps issued some lesser TC1s in 2-door saloon, coupé and Turnier estate body styles.
CORTINA MK4/ TAUNUS TC2
Back in the mists of time, when work started on this series, there was one solitary Mk4/TC2 model in 1/43 - a black Taunus Ghia from Universal Hobbies for a James Bond 007 partwork, but Vanguards came to the rescue with a series of Mk4 Cortinas that continues today. However, the field is still very sparse, with only NEO contributing some resin 2-door saloons and a pair of Turnier estates. This section is therefore predominantly another Vanguards discussion.
One endearing Vanguards tradition is its dedication to uncovering unusual incarnations, and VA11912 (edition size 1,200) delivers a Mk4 3.0 Savage conversion. Jeff Uren was a Ford loyalist, winning the 1959 BSCC in his own Zephyr Mk2 and driving works Zephyrs on, for instance, the 1959 Monte Carlo Rally (VA06108). He then engineered the Savage series of conversions in the 1960s, which famously dropped 3-litre Essex V6s into Mk2 Cortinas and Escorts. This continued into the Mk3 era but declined by the late 1970s, partly because Ford began offering larger engines itself. In Europe this reached 2.3 litres, but overseas extended further with South Africa, for instance, developing a 3.0 S (VA11911).Very few Mk4 Savages were built and UGM 830S may even have been unique - it featured in a 1979 Autocar roadtest based on a 2.3 S in Strato Silver with black vinyl roof receiving a 170bhp Essex V6 and wide Minilites among its upgrades, but then disappeared without trace.
The model looks suitably boyracer-ish with alloys, two sets of added front lights, appropriate black trim and inconspicuous grey seat panels, but is basically a rehash of the silver 2.0S (VA11902, PNO 548R) that Corgi coyly described as a squad car from a fictional TV series about the Flying Squad, presumably to avoid copyright fees for “The Sweeney”. This repetition prevents VA11912 being an essential buy, but in isolation it looks good.
VA11913 (edition size 1,100) shows a 1978 Mk4 2.0 GL in Diamond White, again with black vinyl roof, and breaks the preceding reliance on S and Ghia trims, but in practice is simply a Ghia minus wing plaques, so the difference is barely noticeable. XHB 607T belongs to the first owner’s granddaughter and is one of the most original Mk4 survivors. Despite this provenance and chromed door mirrors, the model is bland with a plain black interior.
VA11914 is a 1978 Mk4 2.3S in Signal Amber, with black vinyl roof and a much more vibrant prospect, including Orange Cadiz-striped seat panels to brighten the interior. ALY 331S was one of only 476 2.3 S models produced at Dagenham and, after restoration, is the only currently roadworthy example of two known survivors.
NEO recently revisited its dormant 2-door TC2 resin casting with 45139, which is described and badged as a 1976 Taunus Ghia 2.3 in a dull pale green, but as released has plain trim, steel wheels, but without a vinyl roof, Ghia front wing shields or side trim mouldings. The result is more like the low-range L trim, similar to both Turnier estates described previously and, coupled with a mediocre shape, looks a rapidly forgettable model onscreen that offers nothing to justify its premium pricing.
One Ford trait during the Mk4/TC2 phase was the extrovert colour choices for the S version, and some judicious selections from Vanguards and NEO can create an unusually eye-catching sub-set.
CORTINA MK5/TAUNUS TC3
Mk5 fans have to rely on Taunus TC3 models with only one serious choice, apart from an obscure Ukranian1990s resin or white metal model that barely left any trace - even the brand name is uncertain.
IXO produced a pale green Taunus 1.6 GL (CLC 203) about ten years ago, followed by a silver livery in its Junior range, with both being pretty good renditions. However the casting was mercilessly recycled, usually for obscure partworks with a fairly abysmal standard of finish. One exception was a red 2.0 GL for WhiteBox (WB032) which was a serious effort and a good looker in that colour. Three additions since last time include a black 2.0 GL for the “Cult Cars - Czechoslovakia” IXO/IST partwork, which is another cheaply finished example with over-shiny wheels and mediocre paint on mine, but looks OK if you don’t peer too closely. Another partwork followed in a “Police Cars of the World” series, depicting an Israeli police car in a garish black and white scheme with two roof mounted blue lights and loudspeaker. Mine has wobbly rear lights and fuzzy paint edges, but its notable feature is the rear badging that, despite a left-hand-drive interior, proclaims it as a Cortina 1.3 L, providing a unique opportunity to acquire a “proper” Cortina Mk5.
The final model is another Whitebox (WB200) of a 1982 Ford Taunus TC2 2.0 GL “Brillant” (the spelling is correct, with no second i) in dull metallic blue with faint red coachlines, black window trim and grille, and grey LHD interior. The Brillant was a 1982 run-out edition for Germany (2/4 door and estate) with enhanced paint and Ghia interior, similar to the Bravo for Belgium, XL for Austria etc., and the Cortina Crusader, but without the two-tone option. Released in an edition of 1,000, the bland colour isn’t particularly enthralling and, while the finish is better than bargain-basement, it has exaggerated black window paint and cheap shiny wheels.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
The 2016 instalments finished with an overview to highlight unfilled gaps and some favourite models discussed through the series. Nothing much from the last few years has changed those thoughts. I include my musings about the instalment published in the December issue here.
The first theme about obvious gaps with market appeal could be repeated almost word-for-word, as
there is still no current Lotus road car in cream with green stripe. Excellent models from Minichamps (Mk1a) and Classic Carlectables (Mk1b) are now virtually unobtainable, and no Mk2 road model has ever had such a scheme, despite featuring on about 80% of the real cars, although Oxford’s imminent convertible provides some succour. Other clear gaps are the iconic Mk2 1600E as explored above, and anything significant for the Mk5, although with the caveat that the real car had several minor shape differences from the Mk4, so the Vanguards casting for instance would not provide an easy transfer unless these minutiae were addressed.
One persistent frustration is regular failures to get the basic shapes right because, however much detail is added, if the shape’s wrong the model almost always looks wrong. NEO is the worst recent culprit with its distinctly wonky Taunus TC2s, and there are a few things awry with the IXO/Atlas Jim Clark Lotus Mk1 discussed in December.Vanguards has also lapsed despite the excellent Mk3 casting, as its Mk1b was a bodged carryover of a poor 1990s casting, and the Mk2 and Mk4 have niggling cabin errors.
Some errors are more amusing than serious, such as DetailCars’ 1990s model of Söderström’s 1966 RAC Rally Mk1b, which proudly claims on the display plinth that it is a “Cortina Louts GT”. A more bizarre sequence stems from an unexpected subtlety of the DetailCars range that provided alternative gear lever positions between long throw saloons and short shift Lotuses. Solido later reused this component set for a solitary saloon, but couldn’t decide which to adopt so fitted both, giving a Cortina with two gear levers. Cararama’s subsequent Mk1b range was a new casting, but otherwise very closely cloned from the Solido, so the doubled gear sticks reappeared.
Ignoring nostalgic preferences and allegiances, my highlights over the last half century are as follows...
Almost all period models fall down against modern standards, so fail to make the cut. The only exception is the metal Politoys Mk1a (No 507) where impressive 1960s engineering provides a full selection of opening features, and Corgi’s Mk1a Super estate earns a nod for being unusual and its intricate fake wood side trim.
The Mk1a/b ranges from Trofeu, Classic Carlectables from Australia, and Minichamps (Mk1a only) are all excellent contenders, with several road and exquisite race/rally liveries to choose from a rich menu. My highlights are probably Trofeu’s 1964 and 1967 East African Safari pair, the crash-damaged Jim Clark 1966 RAC Rally Lotus and the Classic Carlectables Mk1b GT500 in green and Lotus Mk1b road cars. Every Cortina collection also needs at least one of the red/gold Alan Mann cars.
The Mk2 is my favourite Cortina shape, so I like the Vanguards range despite its cabin quirks. Particular stand-outs from many excellent competition liveries include VA04113, Söderström’s white 1967 EAS GT and VA04115 Roger Clark’s white Lotus from the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. The Australian 4-door GTs from Trax/ Top Gear are also excellent and Oxford’s Crayford convertible is eagerly anticipated.
The real Mk3 looks too bloated and fussy to me, but translates well in miniature.Vanguards has emphasised fl ashier top-end versions, but my favourites are early releases in L trim - VA10300 in Sapphire Blue and VA10303 in Fern Green.
Among Mk4/5s and Taunus clones, the simple red Vanguards Cortina 1.6L (VA11903) and vibrant Signal Yellow 2.0S (VA11905) stand out for just looking right, while from IXO’s Taunus TC3 stable, the original silver/green release and the red Whitebox reissue are the picks. As a wild card, I’d add NEO’s Taunus TC2 Turnier estates, despite clumsy outlines.
That’s my list of the best miniature moments in 1/43, and no doubt other fans would make very different selections. The next commemorative milestone is the long haul until the Mk4’s half century in October 2026, and it is a safe bet that more than enough new Cortinas will emerge in those six years to justify another resumption.