The Mk2 Cortina debuted at the 1966 London Motor Show, with Ford’s marketing emphasising a Swinging London image. The 1600E evolved from Dagenham’s logical desire to create a flagship version for the professional driver who demanded performance, comfort and a fair degree of verve in their car. Ford’s management evidently thought such a driver would require less performance than the Lotus Cortina, but more social distinction than a Cortina Super could hope to offer. Since January 1965, the company had used the Executive brand for their flagship saloons, commencing with a lavishly appointed version of the Mk3 Zodiac, followed in 1966 by the Mk4 Zodiac Executive.
October 1967 saw the debut of the Cortina 1600E and surprisingly, Walter Hayes, the company’s head of public relations, was apparentlywheels. The 1599cc engine was the same as the GT and, above all, the 1600E was a marketing-led product.’
