Fifty years ago, on September 21, 1962, Ford’s new Cortina was launched. Costing £573 for the standard 1200 saloon, it became an instant best-seller and enjoyed a 20-year career in which 4.3 million were produced. The last Cortina was assembled in July 1982, to be succeeded by the Sierra, by which time the entry-level model was priced at £4,515.
The Cortina was so successful and so different from other cars in the industry that in Britain it inspired what became known as ‘the Cortina class’. Along with the parallel success of the Escort from 1968, this helped Ford gain market leadership in Britain, which it has maintained for 35 consecutive years.
In 20 years, four generations of Cortina were launched – each selling more than a million around the world. When originally planned, Ford thought it could sell at least 100,000 Cortina models every year – yet more than 260,000 were sold in the first full sales year, 1963.
Veloce's Rod Grainger was invited to speak on The Jeremey Vine BBC Radio 2 show today to talk about Ford Cortina and DIY car maintenance.
Quick sale and a decent price ... are they what you want when selling your car? If so, following this guide should increase your chances of achieving that most satisfying of sales – one where you make good, honest money. Even if you are not planning to sell, this book shows you how to make your motor your treasured pride and glory again using simple techniques and expert skills developed over more than 20 years of trading Learn how to give your car a stunning makeover to transform its appearance and boost its sale value; how to brush and vacuum your car before a wet clean, making an amazing difference; how to carry out a full wash, and how to repair scratches, improve paintwork and bring an exceptional shine to your car. This is an indispensable and unique guide for anyone about to become a seller. More info.
A sell-out 146,000 motor sport enthusiasts and retro-fashion fans flocked to this weekend’s Goodwood Revival (14-16 September) to join in the fun and celebrations at the world’s largest historic motor race meeting.
Click images to view full size. More images from Goodwood Revival 2012 on the Veloce Facebook page
This year’s Revival offered visitors a truly unique opportunity to see a significant gathering of mythical pre-war Silver Arrows being demonstrated on track together at speed for the first time in more than 70 years. The sensational Auto Unions and Mercedes-Benz appeared alongside examples of the ERAs, Maseratis, Rileys and MGs.
The St. Moritz 1948 Winter Olympic-themed Credit Suisse Press Centre at Goodwood Motor Circuit welcomed some of the biggest names in historic racing on Friday for a Forum that debated whether the spirit of the sport is being challenged.
A capacity audience, featuring over 100 members of the media, listened in as Jochen Mass and Sir Stirling Moss were joined by Desiré Wilson, who remains the only female winner of an F1 race; Anthony Reid, former Japanese F3 Champion; Goodwood CEO Lord March; and Ben Cussons, Royal Automobile Club Motoring Committee Chairman, to consider the greatest threats to the future of historic racing.
With a few days to go until the 2012 Goodwood Revival gets underway (14-16 September) this hugely popular historic motor racing event has sold out on Saturday and Sunday, with no general admission tickets remaining for these days. A few tickets are still available for Friday, however, but are selling fast and will be available strictly on a first come, first served basis.
The seat-specific covered grandstands sold out many months ago, with only a few tickets for ‘roving’ grandstand access remaining. All camping slots were snapped-up weeks ago too, as was hospitality. All the stalls in the Revival Market retail area were sold by March this year, so the popularity of the Goodwood Revival is unquestionably growing!
With a record Revival attendance last year of 138,000, Lord March - the event’s founder – once again took the bold decision to cap advanced ticket sales for this year to ensure the Revival remains a comfortable and enjoyable experience for all Goodwood visitors, without too much crowding. The huge early demand for the Revival will ensure that those lucky enough to have tickets are set for a truly enjoyable and memorable weekend.
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This month we have Kevin Turner from London with his Suzuki SV650s. Kevin is the author of Veloce's book Bonjour! Is this Italy? – A hapless biker's guide to Europe which has recently picked up some excellent reviews. Please keep your entries coming in to prize@veloce.co.uk, and you never know, it could be YOU in this space next month!
A couple of years ago I managed to get sacked from a thoroughly dreadful job in financial journalism. With time to kill and a new Suzuki SV650s parked outside I decided to strap a tent to the back of the bike, pack some belongings and head off into the unknown (unknown to me that is; I’ll concede that mainland Europe may not hold quite the same mystique for most people). In a nutshell, I rode around for a bit, got quite lost then came home and wrote a book about it all.
Bonjour! Is this Italy? is essentially my guide to life on the road if you're a completely unprepared biker with no experience of such things. I didn't do too much homework before I left London; I didn't pack the things you're meant to pack (first-aid kit, puncture repair goo, decent maps) and I didn't know where I was going. I figured I'd let the journey unravel as I went along; hell, surely that's the point of a trip like this? To this day I don't know if I was right in that assumption, or whether I ruined a perfectly good holiday through laziness and stupidity.
I'd like to think my haphazard approach to touring captured the true essence of motorcycling; the freedom, the Easy Rider charm of life on the road; but it's also true that when every piece of clothing you own is drenched, it's dark and your tent has taken on the defining properties of a pond, those same notions of 'freedom' and 'escape' tend to sour a little. At such times I sought only the 'freedom' of opening a nice bottle of wine and watching Top Gear in a centrally heated house.
When I finally returned to the UK, after a month-long trip that had taken me through France, Italy, Austria, Belgium and Germany – where I had my first experience of the Nürburgring – I wasn’t sure I’d done enough to merit writing about my journey. But it’s surprising how much you learn about yourself, other people and your bike when you set off with no expectations, and become reliant on the kindness of strangers. Bonjour! Is this Italy? isn’t about an epic road trip — I’ve described it elsewhere as more Wind in the Willows than Long Way Round — but a story about a journey that anyone with a bike and a little free time can undertake. I make no apologies for that, and I hope very much that you enjoy it all the same. Kevin Turner, London.
Independent reviews
'I can't comment on (Turner's) skills in analysing the markets etc., but I can on his skill as a writer of a witty, humorous travel log and that is brilliant! From the beginning Turner has me smiling ... Well worth adding to the reading list ...' – inter-bike.co.uk
'Witty and self-deprecating tale of mishap ... Save yourself the inevitable loneliness, mind-numbing boredom and piles that are often part and parcel of a cross-continent 'adventure' and adopt Kevin's adventure instead.' – visordown.com
'Finally available in the US is one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. Bonjour! Is this Italy? by Kevin Turner was first released in the UK in May of 2012 to wide acclaim. It's basically the (very funny) story of a British slacker who lost his job and decided on pretty much a whim to tour Europe. But this isn't your typical dry, "do this, do that" touring guide by someone obsessed with covering all the details. Kevin Turner is like the rest of us (some of us, anyway) -- that is, unprepared, a bit foolish, highly optimistic and with a great sense of humor.' – webbikeworld.com
'From the first page to the last, this book gripped me... A highly recommended book that will keep you gripped this summer on the beach or a long haul flight.' – Burton Mail
Do you have an unusual car/motorcycle with a story to tell? We want to see it! Send photos & description to prize@veloce.co.uk We will pick one a month, and any we feature will win an Essential Buyer's Guide (worth £9.99 / $19.95) of your choice. Click below to browse the whole series.
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