Ford Zephyr: the six-cylinder Ford that policed Britain (1950-1972)
At a glance
- Years
- 1950-1972
- Body styles
- Four-door saloon (also estate and convertible on early cars)
- Drivetrain
- Front engine, rear-wheel drive
- Engines
- 2.3-2.6-litre straight-six (Mk1-3); 2.0 V4 and 2.5/3.0 V6 Essex (Mk4)
- Power
- Around 68 bhp (Mk1) up to around 144 bhp (Mk4 3.0 V6)
- Top speed
- Around 85-100 mph depending on model
- Trim levels
- Zephyr (Mk1-3); Zephyr 4 and Zephyr 6 (Mk4)
- Production
- The six-cylinder mid-range model of the Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac range built at Dagenham from 1950 to 1972
- Assembly
- Dagenham, Essex
- Designer
- Ford of Britain, with American styling influence
- Values
- Project around £2,500-£6,000; good £7,000-£13,000; excellent £14,000-£22,000 (finned Mk2 cars and convertibles lead)
- Place in the range
- The six-cylinder car between the four-cylinder Consul and the luxury Zodiac
- On screen
- The patrol car of the BBC police series Z-Cars
In the middle of Ford of Britain’s big-saloon range sat the Zephyr: the six-cylinder car that gave the family its performance. Above the four-cylinder Consul and below the luxury Zodiac, the Zephyr offered smooth six-cylinder power and real pace for the money, and it became one of the defining big Fords of the 1950s and 60s, on the road and, famously, on television.
For anyone wanting six-cylinder smoothness and space without paying flagship prices, the Zephyr remains the value choice of the range.
The six-cylinder middle ground
Ford’s big saloon was always a three-model family. The Consul was the four-cylinder base, the Zodiac the luxury flagship, and the Zephyr the six-cylinder car in between, the sweet spot of the range. It had the performance and refinement of the six without the cost and brightwork of the Zodiac, and it sold strongly to families and fleets alike.
By the standards of its day the Zephyr was genuinely quick, which gave it a sporting reputation out of keeping with its sensible image, and led to its most famous role.
The Z-Cars connection
From 1962 the BBC police drama Z-Cars made the big Fords part of British cultural life, using Zephyrs as its patrol cars. The show ran for years and cemented the Zephyr’s image as a fast, capable machine, which it genuinely was: real police forces used them for the same reason. That television fame is a large part of why the cars are remembered so warmly today.
A surprising competition record
The Zephyr’s pace was proved in period in the toughest events of the day. A works Mk1 won the Monte Carlo Rally outright in 1953, driven by Maurice Gatsonides, the Dutchman who later gave the world the Gatso speed camera. Two years later a Zephyr won the gruelling East African Safari, and the big sixes remained a respected sight in rallying and saloon racing through the 1950s. For a sensible family Ford it was quite a CV, and it is part of why the Zephyr, more than the Consul or the Zodiac, carries a sporting reputation to this day. A handful are still campaigned in historic rallying and racing now, usually to the delight of the crowd.
Four generations
The Zephyr changed completely over its life. The Mk1 (1951-56) was Ford’s first British six-cylinder unitary car. The Mk2 (1956-62), one of the Three Graces, is the flamboyant finned car with strong American influence. The Mk3 (1962-66) was a crisper, more modern shape. The Mk4 (1966-72) was a much larger car with new V4 and V6 Essex engines, independent rear suspension, the first on a British Ford, and was sold as the four-cylinder Zephyr 4 and six-cylinder Zephyr 6.
What it is like to own
The Zephyr is a comfortable, easy-going classic. The six-cylinder engines are torquey and unstressed, the cars are spacious and relaxed, and they were built in such numbers that the mechanicals are well understood and most service parts are available. Some trim for the rarer models takes more hunting.
To drive, these are soft, roomy cruisers rather than sharp handlers, exactly as intended. The six gives effortless performance for the era, and the cars make excellent, affordable big-saloon classics with genuine presence.
Survivors lean heavily towards the better-kept sixes, and the big-Ford clubs are strong: remanufactured mechanical parts are easy to find, and the shared Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac running gear means knowledge travels across the whole family. What takes patience is brightwork and interior trim for particular years and facelifts, so a complete, unmolested car is always the better buy than a cheap incomplete one, however tempting the price.
Buying guide: what to look for
Rust is the main concern across all four generations. Check the floors, sills and inner sills, the front and rear wings, the wheel arches, the boot floor and the door bottoms, and on the larger Mk4 the box sections and suspension mounting points. Two-tone and brightwork-heavy cars can hide corrosion behind trim, so inspect carefully.
Mechanically the six-cylinder engines and the running gear are durable; on the Mk4 check the V-engines and the independent rear suspension for wear. A sound, rust-free body and complete original trim are worth far more than low mileage.
Current value and where it sits
A project Zephyr sits broadly around £2,500 to £6,000, a good usable car around £7,000 to £13,000, and an excellent example around £14,000 to £22,000, with the finned Mk2 cars and early convertibles leading. For the size, the six-cylinder smoothness and the television fame, these are still affordable and characterful classics. For the wider period, see British classic cars of the 1950s and 1960s.
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