Ford introduced the second generation of the Cortina model in 1966, and it rocketed to the top of the sales chart faster than anyone else.
Finally, when the second generation of the Cortina stormed the dealers’ showrooms, the Austin was left in the rearview mirror. Ford was proud to defeat the small British carmaker that managed to stay ahead of them for a few years. But the second Cortina was truly an excellent blend. It was roomier than its predecessor and offered more comfort and more body versions than its British competitor.

When Roy Haynes designed the Cortina MK II, he might have peaked into Ford’s U.S. design department and got inspired by the Falcon. The new model was slightly shorter but wider than the Cortina MK I, and that led to a roomier interior and a bigger trunk. In the beginning, Ford offered the vehicle with only one bodywork option, but later on, it added the four-door sedan and the station wagon versions, which kept the Cortina MK II high on the sales chart.

Inside, the carmaker managed to introduce a higher-quality interior with better bucket seats and even a walnut trim on the dash panel for specific versions, such as the 1600 E-Executive launched at the Paris Motor Show. The new version was truly executive since it featured four doors and individual seats in the back, with a folding center armrest.

Under the hood, the Cortina received various engines, from the small 1.1-liter unit designed for Greece to a mighty 3.0-liter V-6 installed in South America. Lotus helped develop a new sporty version that was sold in Europe as the Cortina Twin-Cam.