Ford Cortina

This lovely model is quite unusual in the Dinky range. It is a model of the facelifted Ford Cortina. The original Consul Cortina was launched in I think 1962 and the Dinky followed in 1963. In 1964 Ford dropped the 'Consul' from the name and changed a number of features on the car, the most noticeable being a new front end treatment with a new grille and integrated indicator and side lights. On the original model the sidelights flashed in place of orange turn indicators.

In response Dinky came out with this model of the updated car. This was very unusual, in the past when a car had been changed by the maker the Dinky version carried on regardless - the Land Rover for instance was unchanged for about 25 years, the model being of a very early version that only lasted for the first few months of production. Corgi released their Cortina - an estate with wooden side panels, in 1966, two years later and it was a model of the older version. very odd.

However this is a very nice model, even if mine is a bit bashed. We have jewelled lamps back and front, number plates, opening doors, tipping seats, detailed dashboard. It really does have the lot. This is a serious and very successful attempt at showing they could do anything that Corgi could.