1980 Ford Cortina 1.6 L Saloon (Mk V) Cosmos Blue with Brown Savannah Cloth.

Within the narrative of post war British motoring, few cars capture the everyday elegance and social reach of the Cortina quite like the final-generation Mk V.

Introduced in 1979, the Mk V represented the culmination of nearly two decades of Cortina development by Ford a model refined rather than reinvented, offering improved corrosion protection, enhanced interior comfort and a poised, mature design that reflected the changing tastes of the early 1980s.

It was the last Cortina to be produced, closing a chapter that had begun in 1962 and cementing the model s place as one of Britain s most important family saloons.

This outstanding example was first registered on 11 January 1980 to Mr Kenneth Childs of Cambridge and remained in his sole ownership for an extraordinary 39 years.

During that time it covered just 61,000 miles, a figure that speaks to careful, respectful use rather than neglect.

In 2019, the ...