When word leaked out that the Ford Motor Company was planning to release a new small car the sages of the motor world began to nod their heads wisely and make the usual prophecies.

It faces tough competition
Ford directors, they told us, were obviously suffering from delusions of grandeur, or perhaps, senile decay. It was pointed out that the small car class, which in Australia takes in every car under £1,000, was the most crowded of all. Apart from Ford's own Anglia, there were the Volkswagen, Hillman, Morris Elite, Simca, Triumph Herald, Morris 850 and Renault Dauphine all trying to eke out an existence from the market for this type of car.

Our experts pointed out that there were some pretty good cars among that lot, cars which people tended to get so enthusiastic over that they formed a solid block which bought and bought again. I doubt if many of the keener types who own VW's or Morris 850's ever consider any other make in the same class when their current cars look like running out of breath even though they might buy a larger, more expensive car.

"Very ordinary" specifications
When it became known that the front wheel drive "Cardinal" which was being developed in the United States had been shelved as far as a general world-wide release was concerned and that the new car would be very ordinary in its general specifications, the disapproving nods became even more pronounced.

All this time Ford executives sat back with knowing smiles and said nothing - even to the point of disclaiming any such project. Then, late last month, Melbourne journalists were invited to Calder Raceway, 16 miles from the city, to see and drive the new Cortina.

At first sight the Cortina's lines are pleasing. Clean styling, with the front somewhat similar to the Consul Classic and at the rear a pair of just visible fins, gives a distinctive modern appearance.

The roofline finishes in the squared off "Thunderbird" line which is gradually becoming the done thing on all Ford cars throughout the world. Rear tail lights are huge, stainless steel rimmed circles which are divided into three segments for brake, parking and indicator lights. A fluted panel running down the side of the car helps relieve the slab-sided effect and adds strengthening to panels to stop fatigue and "drumming".

Motor puts out 48 b.h.p.
The car is powered by a stroked Anglia motor which has been enlarged to 1192 c.c. and now puts out 48 b.h.p. at 4,800 r.p.m. Power reaches the rear wheels through a four-speed all-synchromesh gearbox operated by a central floor mounted lever. Suspension at the front is by the well proven Ford McPherson system and at the rear by leaf springs and telescopic shock absorbers.

All in all, the Cortina is a simple car with, apart from the gearbox, no really new features and a marked similarity to other vehicles produced by Ford of England. Where then did the £16 million and four year's development it took to get the car on the road go?

Careful design is evident
A closer look reveals the answer. Although the Cortina is an ordinary type of car it has not been thrown together and each component is carefully planned. Its 21 cubic foot boot is by far the largest in its class and cunning use of the tail fins to raise the sides the sides of the boot enables the spare wheel to be tucked away at the side in an upright position where it is easy to get at and cannot interfere with luggage. Its long wheelbase (98 ins.) is again greater than most of its competitors and has enabled designers to put the passengers between the wheels without a space robbing wheel arch intruding into the front or rear seats. Due to this the car is a full five seater.

The Cortina is lighter than its opponents and we are told that a lot of research money went inot testing bodies which would stand up to severe punishment without being too heavy. At 1744 lbs. the Cortina's engine does not have to work too hard to produce both good performance and good petrol consumption.

Driving position is superb
Interior styling is quite good and the driving position is similar to the Anglia's although taller drivers will find a little more room to expand. In my opinion this position is one of the best to be found on any small car today. The driver can sit back and drive "straight-arm" without adopting any torturous positions or fearing loss of control during fast motoring over winding roads. Instruments only run to a speedometer, mileage recorder and fuel gauge - the usual idiot lights are left to cope with any other problems that might arise.

Lights, indicators and horn are operated by a series of switches located on a thick "stalk" which projects to the right of the two-spoked dished steering wheel.

Fast laps at Calder
After inspecting the car we were invited to climb behind the steering wheel and do our best or worst on the Calder circuit. Most of us quickly proceeded to do both and came to an immediate conclusion - this is probably one of the most forgiving cars on the market.

Handling is good, although some suspension modifications would be needed before the car could be entered in competition. Driven hard through corners the Cortina showed a tendancy to oversteer and would slowly allow the tail to drift out if a corner was attacked too fast. So slowly did the tail slide that it was possible to try several different techniques - more or less power and more or less lock - before eventually straightening out. At no time did the tail break away viscously.

This, in my opinion, is a big safety factor. Long before any serious trouble starts the car signals to the driver that perhaps he is taking the wrong line or is going, perhaps, a wee bit too fast. He then has ample time to do something about it.

Brakes will not fade
The brakes have a lining area of 100 square inches and this seems ample. Despite heavy punishment from the group of enthusiastic journalists who drove the car hard on the Calder circuit which is getting itself a name for being hard on brakes, no fade was experienced. The rear springs did have a tendancy to "wind up" and send a heavy judder through the car if the brakes were applied too heavily but this could easily be avoided.

There was no opportunity to take any accurate acceleration figures but I would say that Ford's figure of 26 seconds from standstill to 60 m.p.h. would be pretty close to the mark and again ahead of most of the opposition.

Light, positive gearbox
The gearbox was light and positive and the synchro fast enough for normal use although it could be beaten by extremely fast changes. Ratios are wider spaced than we would have liked but then I suppose everybody isn't an enthusiast.

Our knowledgeable sages are still not too sure about the Cortina's future in Australia but at least they admit its specifications offer plenty of competition for its opponents. For myself, I think it is an ordinary car for an ordinary price (about £950) which has been built with particular care and which does a better than average job.

Engine:
Four-cylinder overhead valve.
Bore: 3.1875 ins. Stroke: 2.290 ins.
Capacity: 1197.8 c.c.
Compression Ratio: 8.7 to 1.
Three-bearing hollow cast crankshaft. Fully machined combustion chambers. Separate inlet and exhaust ports to each cylinder. Three point rubber suspension of engine and gearbox.
B.H.P. (Gross) 53.0 @ 4800; (Nett) 48.5 @ 4800.
Torque lbs.ft. (Gross) 66.5 @ 2700; (Nett) 63.0 @ 2700.

Transmission:
Clutch - single dry plate. Hydraulic operation from pedal to heavy-duty ball bearing thrust release. Remote control floor gear change. Four forward speeds and reverse with synchromesh on all forward gears.
Gearbox Ratios: 1st, 3.543; 2nd, 2.396; 3rd, 1.412; Top, 1.000; Reverse, 3.963.
Rear axle ratio: 4.125 to 1.

Front Suspension:
Independent by directly operated coil springs mounted on telescopic shock absorbers.

Rear Suspension:
Semi-elliptic springs with telescopic shock absorbers.

Brakes:
Hydraulic. Front: 8.0 x 1.75 ins. Rear: 8.0 x 1.50 ins. Two leading shoe on front, leading and trailing rear. Total lining area 81.68 sq. ins.

Steering:
Recirculating ball type. Ratio 15.1 to 1.

Tyres:
5.20 x 13.

Instruments:
Speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge, ignition and main beam warning lights, temperature and oil pressure warning lights. Direction indicator tell-tale lights.

Dimensions:
Overall Length: 168.31 ins.
Width: 62.50 ins.
Height: (Unladen): 56.65 ins.
Wheelbase: 98.00 ins.
Track: Front, 49.50 ins. Rear, 49.50 ins.
Ground Clearance (Rear Axle): 6.40 ins.
Turning Circle: 34.67 ft.
Kerb Weight: 1,775 lb.
Tank Capacity: 8 gals.