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For a car that was conventional even when introduced,
the Cortina still has remarkably good road-manners 20 years on. To sample
again the delights of Mk.I motoring (I have owned two saloons and an
estate car myself) I persuaded Dave Dance, the Events Secretary of the
Mk.I Cortina Owners Club, to let me loose in his Mk.I GT. I sat down
in the driver's seat and immediately was most impressed by the aircraft-cockpit-like
display of instruments that was set out before me. Everything I could
possibly need to know! I adjusted the seat back (being somewhat taller
than Dave!) and reached for the gearlever, in the wrong place! Then
I realised why. Dave's GT has a remote gearlever whereas mine had the
long 'magic wand' direct action lever. With this problem overcome I
engaged first gear and moved off. Right away I was struck by just how
much power there was low down in the revs range. The steering was just
how I remembered the Mk.I's, neither too light or too heavy, with just
the right amount of 'feel' and a moderate, but certainly not excessive,
amount of free play. The brakes were superb, they pulled the car up
in a straight line despite the slippery road conditions (which would
probably have exaggerated any defects) and the whole car felt extremely
comfortable and much more modern than its years. Yes, I liked it!
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