O ne of the deadliest battles in the automotive world is the one that has raged in the fleet and family sector between Detroit arch rivals Ford and General Motors. And here in Britain, that fight has meant Ford versus Vauxhall – a that was ramped up post war by the launch of new, Americanthemed saloon car ranges.
To celebrate that battle, we’ve picked five of our favourite Ford versus Vauxhall battles in an effort to see which of these heavyweights comes out on top...
FORD Mk2 SERIES v VAUXHALL PA SERIES
The Ford versus Vauxhall wars really began in Britain in the early 1950s – with the Ford Consul and Zephyr facing off against Vauxhall’s Wyvern and Velox models. The 1950 Fords and 1951 Vauxhalls both brought Detroit style to Daventry, with Ponton styling, chrome, glitzy touches and options. Ford would build upon this success with the upmarket Zodiac, prompting Vauxhall to launch the Cresta as a plush Velox. But Ford stepped up further with the
Mk2 Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac models of 1956. These were completely restyled, taking cues from the Thunderbird and Fairlane models in America, and with enlarged engines. The Consul four became a 1703cc unit, while the Zephyr and Zodiac sixes would go to 2553cc. As well as the saloon there was a convertible bodied by Carbodies, and six-cylinder owners could enjoy an Abbot-bodied estate derivative too. Roofs were reprofiled for 1959 to create the longer-looking ‘Lowline’ models.
When buying these cars today, the primary thing to watch out for is corrosion – the first generation was Ford’s first monocoque body, and the second generation built upon its success before corrosion could really highlight any problem areas. Check the sills and bulkhead thoroughly, as well as the floor area. Chassis rails and jacking
