FORD Zodiac 1962-1966 Photos, engines & full specs

Ford decided to change its European strategy and allowed a size increase for the Zodiac, while the Consul was kept in the mid-size range.

It was a good time for Ford of Europe and for the Ford UK in particular. The Zodiac MK3 was designed by the same man who drew the lines of the Edsel, which was a total failure on the U.S. market. He was exiled in the U.K. and made the successful Cortina and the Zodiac before returning to the U.S. to make the Econoline vans.

After it failed to design the Edsel in the U.S., Roy Brown calmed down and designed more conventional grilles for the blue-oval brand. The Zodiac was available with four or six-cylinder engines. The smaller ones featured a complete chromed grille with vertical slats, while the six-cylinder versions featured a split design.

Inside, Roy Brown installed a straight dashboard with a lower rim and a flat panel between the top and the bottom. A linear speedometer and a few extra gauges were placed in front of the driver. The steering wheel sported two V-shaped spokes. Thanks to the big wheelbase, the Zodiac was comfortable enough for up to six passengers if the car was fitted with a front bench instead of two bucket-seats. Ford U.K. thought that a big trunk would help the sales, and the designer installed one of the biggest luggage compartments in the segment. For those who asked for more, the carmaker offered a station-wagon based on the same Zodiac.

Under the hood, Ford installed a 1.7-liter carried over from the MkII and a new, 2.6-liter inline-six engine paired to a four-speed manual with the gear-lever mounted on the steering column.