1600E What is the modern equivalent?

[FakeConcern]

When I was in my teens a Cortina 1600E was considered the bees nees, one of my teachers had one in aubergine and everyone thought it was fantastic. Even after I could drive and had my own car (Mini) I really thought they were great.

What current car has the same cachet? Most new fords are thought to be Chavvy and BMW or Audi Nouveau Riche. I can't think of anything that is aspired to and admired by teenage boys and older drivers.

Thoughts?

[warren t claim]

Good question!

[FakeConcern]

Good question!

But, what is the answer?

[Jim Bell]

ST170?

 

Ebay listings seem to be posted by 50% teenagers and 50% men in their 50s.

[clayts450]

Probably something completely uninspirational like a Juke or something - white goods for the get now pay never brigade, young and old alike.

[FakeConcern]

ST170?

 

Ebay listings seem to be posted by 50% teenagers and 50% men in their 50s.

I like them, but most teenagers would not even see one

[FakeConcern]

Probably something completely uninspirational like a Juke or something - white goods for the get now pay never brigade, young and old alike.

Really?

[clayts450]

No.

[mercrocker]

I have no idea even what cars there are nowadays.....However, a bloke down the road has an Octavia vRS in that fetching blue colour and is always cleaning it.   He would, I am sure, have had an Amber Gold 1600E back in the day.

[HMC]

I don't think there's an answer. Brands mean very different things today and the aspirations of a "typical" buyer too. But for average jo public a new BMW 5 series would impress most and shove in someone's face that they have taste* and have done good. It's a common place brand with wide appeal with an executive image- which a 1600E had nailed back then- these days it's a German prestige brand all the way for most looking to make the same sort of impression.

[mk2_craig]

Its not quite the same thing but a current model Focus ST has a certain amount of presence, performance and (at a cost) equipment levels that echo what a 1600E was to the lesser Cortinas.

 

An Orion 1600E though, now that's the shite way to tart up a family saloon.

[FakeConcern]

Its not quite the same thing but a current model Focus ST has a certain amount of presence, performance and (at a cost) equipment levels that echo what a 1600E was to the lesser Cortinas.

 

An Orion 1600E though, now that's the shite way to tart up a family saloon.

Yeah but the 1600E wasn't sporty in the way an ST is, E for Executive!

Orion was much later (by then i had an XR3i!)

[mk2_craig]

Titanium X is probably closest then, impressive spec but nowt special externally. So not really the modern day 1600E (Though the 182 Ecoboost engine is v. nice )

[Tadhg Tiogar]

My oul man had a 1600E - XYV 281H - for a few years up to 1977; people kept trying to steal it.

 

Is there an equivalent of a sporting executive saloon that "everyone" wants nowadays? I'd be nominating something from BMW or Audi but everyone already seems to have one, so maybe an Alfa Giulia instead.

[FakeConcern]

 

Is there an equivalent of a sporting executive saloon that "everyone" wants nowadays?

That's the thing, it really was the car everyone wanted!

[Ghosty]

Golf R/ Audi S3 Sportback/Focus ST. probably.

[320touring]

The 1600e was grace and pace surely?

 

So no st/rs.

 

2.0 titanium.

[Lord Sterling]

I don't think there's an answer. Brands mean very different things today and the aspirations of a "typical" buyer too. But for average jo public a new BMW 5 series would impress most and shove in someone's face that they have taste* and have done good. It's a common place brand with wide appeal with an executive image- which a 1600E had nailed back then- these days it's a German prestige brand all the way for most looking to make the same sort of impression.

Agreed, except, a 3-series BMW or Audi A4 seems to be the choice for the young and old. Germanic cars have this so-called "prestige" about them, even when I say I have a 3 series, you can see the eyebrows raising, but the go back down when I say it's a 2003, which is considered "old".

 

Having worked in various places, people always talk about modern Audis like they're some sort of gift to the world of motoring and can you look like some high-flying unicorn or something.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

That's the thing, it really was the car everyone wanted!

....and badly enough to actually try to steal one. The oul fella saw it coming and had both an immobiliser and a Krooklok on his. The car still lost its rev counter and suffered a very bent steering wheel (he replaced it with an Astrali).

[mk2_craig]

Is there an equivalent of a sporting executive saloon that "everyone" wants nowadays? I'd be nominating something from BMW or Audi but everyone already seems to have one, so maybe an Alfa Giulia instead.

These look great.

 

 

But look how much. 42 motherfucking grand!! In a place where VAT is 5% as well. I'll have one at 18 months old for ten bags then.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

These look great.

IMG_20180506_125542.jpg

But look how much. 42 motherfucking grand!! In a place where VAT is 5% as well. I'll have one at 18 months old for ten bags then.

What did a 1600E cost new, ex-works/on-the-road, back in 1969/70? What was the average annual income back then?

 

Would be interesting to do the inflation calculations over the years.

[cort1977]

Interesting question.  As above the whole car market and society has changed so much that there isn't really a direct comparison.  When the 1600E was a thing 30 million people watched Morecambe and Wise at Christmas, society was more cohesive and choice was limited.  Now everyone can pick what to watch on Netflix, society is much more varied and cars are viewed as white goods by many.

 

Closest must be a BMW 3 series, although some can't stand the image it is a generally competent, fairly stylish, vaguely sporty saloon like the 1600E was back in the day.

[ChinaTom]

Something from Ford with Vignale on it I should think.

 

 

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[BorniteIdentity]

one of my teachers had one in aubergine and everyone thought it was fantastic.

 

Thoughts?

 

I parked next to one a couple of weeks ago, and I'm quietly confident the geezer in it was less than impressed with me.  

 

 

As others have said, I'm not sure there IS an equivalent anymore.  My children are all turned on by exotica and the older stuff, not cooking/hot versions of family cars - although a Mondeo ST would probably excite them.

[AMC Rebel]

I had a 1600E when I was in my twenties, it did get stolen but I got it back.

 

The engine etc was the same as the 1600GT

 

They were slow even by the standards of the time, but had just enough pretention to speed/sport with added luxury. What surprised me after having an Escort before was the rubbish steering and brakes.

 

Dunno about now, For universal aspirations probably some Audi BMW or Benz - actually that’s also probably accurate in terms of triumph of marketing over actual delivery like the 1600E.

[Sir Snipes]

Mondeo 2.5T in not Sport trim. I think they went into Ghias or Titaniums or something?

[Paul Dupart]

I don't think it has an equivalent these days, as it started a trend.  Prior to the 1600E, there were either saloon cars or sports cars.  The 1600E was maybe the first to put the two together?  Clever marketing by Ford, enabled the family man to have a bit of street cred.  Sports versions of the Viva (HB GT) did precede it by a few years but you never saw one, probably due to poor marketing.  Then the Avenger Tiger followed, by which time the Mk3 Cortina was out.  Over the next few years, performance family saloons all but killed the two door roadster market...

[DVee8]

If the 1600E was the aspiration in the 70's,the way car buying and design has moved on would a sporting SUV,as they seem to be called now be the equivalent.

 

Some thing like the Porsche Macan,Audi SQ5,BMW X6 ,X4 or  even a Ford Kuga ST-Line?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The 3 Series sort of took over the niche where the 1600E once sat. Ford never managed to recreate it for sure. But the 3 Series is a range, not one model. The Cortina Mark II is about as dull as  car gets but the E was just 'special'. It's a tough one as Ford really put a lot of thought into it, adding Lotus suspension so it handled nicely. 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

What did a 1600E cost new, ex-works/on-the-road, back in 1969/70? What was the average annual income back then?

 

Would be interesting to do the inflation calculations over the years.

 

 

 

£1500 was the average salary then give or take.

 

A 1600E was £1170 in 1970 before the Mark III arrived, or £18'000 today.

 

A Mercedes 220 was £2500 or £40'000 today.

 

A BMW 2000 saloon, £31'269 today.

 

A Jaguar 240 -  a 'fur coat and no knickers' special with Ambla trim - was £25'000 in late 1969.

 

And a Rover 2000 £26'000. 

 

So the 1600E was a very nice car for a lot less than other stuff. They looked good and the interior was glorious