Don’t mention Z-Cars: Ford Zodiac Mk3 at 60

Six decades ago, a new Zodiac Mk3 symbolised middle-managerial prestige. It was the first British production Ford capable of more than 100mph, and David Keeping’s 1963 example is a reminder of a time when owning a car with no fewer than four headlights was a talking point at the local tennis club. 

Ford GB introduced the original six-cylinder Zephyr and its four-cylinder Consul stablemate in 1950, followed by the top-of-the-range Zephyr-Zodiac three years later. Six years later the replacement Mk2 (dubbed the “Three Graces” range) was launched, with a larger 1.7-litre engine for the Consul and a 2,553cc straight-six unit for the Zephyr and the Zodiac. 

The Mk3 debuted on 13 April 1962, its attractive new bodywork cloaking the same engines as its predecessor. Ford of Britain HQ at Dagenham originally commissioned the renowned Italian coachbuilder Pietro Frua to devise the Zephyr/Zodiac’s looks and Roy Brown, previously responsible for the Edsel, refined his ideas. 

The Mk3 also had a four-speed all-synchromesh gearchange on the steering column in place of its predecessor’s three-speed item, front disc brakes and, finally, electric wipers rather than the earlier vacuum-powered set-up. A further talking point was that Ford dispensed with the Consul badge for the four-cylinder entry-level version; the new Zephyr 4 was recognisable by its smaller radiator grille. 

With the aid of an enthusiastic vibraphone player, the sales film extolled the virtues of “a different class of motoring”. The Zephyr 6 sported a different nose treatment and would gain television fame later that year when the BBC used it for the second series of Z-Cars, which helped cement the Ford in the public’s affections. 

As for the ultimate version, Ford unveiled it in the Grosvenor House Hotel to emphasise its accessibly glamorous image with its six side windows. Autocar thought the latest Zodiac would attract an even wider public than its predecessor, while the sales copy reached a zenith of hyperbole. 

Here was “A milestone in motoring”, not to mention “a quality of luxury travel hitherto only by the owners of the world’s most expensive cars”. In other words, for only £1,070 15s 3d, a measure of social distinction could be yours. 

Meanwhile, a Ford press car driven by the doctor hero of the medical thriller 80,000 Suspects reinforced the Zodiac’s image as transport for the “professional classes”. 

The engine was slightly more potent than the Zephyr 6’s unit, so the flagship Mk3 was equally ideal for “Men who enjoy power”. They could also revel in a car with a heater, two-speed wipers, a cigar lighter, folding armrests fore and aft, plus a clock. For additional status, leather upholstery in place of the standard Cirrus 500 vinyl was another £33 13s 9d. 

When Keeping’s car left the factory, a well-heeled motorist might have considered a quartet of domestic competitors. Yet the Humber Hawk and the Austin A110 Westminster seemed statelier than the Zodiac (also, the former had only a four-cylinder engine) and the Standard Vanguard Luxury Six seemed redolent of National Service. The Zodiac’s closest rival was probably the Vauxhall Cresta PB, but while this had a low-key appearance the Zodiac revelled in its flamboyance, down to its canted tail fins.

However, the launch of the “Coke bottle”-styled Cresta PC at the 1965 London Motor Show made the Zodiac seem like a relic of the pre-Beatles era. The Mk4 replaced the Mk3 in early 1966 and by the following decade many examples had fallen prey to a combination of banger racing and rampant corrosion.

Keeping has been a Ford enthusiast since 1980 and owns a white Zephyr 6 as well as this Zodiac in Ambassador Blue. He explains: “I’ve owned it for only a year, but I had known about her for a decade; the previous owner gave me first refusal when he decided to sell it.” 

In terms of its road manners, Keeping reflects: “I personally like the four on the column [gearchange] and the Zodiac feels beautiful, smooth and responsive to drive. It has a useful amount of extra power compared with the Zephyr, although the radial-ply tyres make the steering feel heavy. 

“Best of all, everybody seems to love it – and, yes, I do hear the occasional Z-Cars remark.” 

And who would not be impressed by a motor car of “consummate elegance and freshness”?

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