Cars launched in Britain in 1972
Although floundering after its peak 20-years earlier as Europe’s major post-war vehicle production force, Britain remained a strong contender on the world’s new car stage in 1972. British-built cars still accounted for the majority of UK new cars sales, although they were increasingly under threat from imports – especially the Japanese. British Leyland was still hanging on to its overall market lead, with other main UK contenders like Ford, Vauxhall and the ex-Rootes Chrysler Group snapping away at its heels, with Datsun, Fiat and Renault leading the import charge from overseas.
The major new ‘British’ new model for 1972 was the Ford Consul/Granada range, the Blue Oval’s top-line executive sector models. In truth, these were jointly developed by Ford’s colleagues in Germany, where the majority of these flashy new models were produced. The entry-level Consul and more up-market Granada jointly superseded both the ill-proportioned and unloved Zephyr/Zodiac MK IV range in the UK, plus the Cologne-built Ford Taunus 17M/20M in Germany and mainland Europe. The range-topping Granada in particular quickly found an place in the affections of successful British bank managers and CEOs, in addition to the lesser Consul appealing to the aspirational underworld fraternity, plus the cops that frequently chased them, dramatically crashing through piles of empty cardboard boxes on our TV screens with wild car chases in The Sweeney.
Ford’s main American rival – General Motors – introduced its own executive Granada competitor in 1972 too, the new ‘Transcontinental’ line of Vauxhall Victor FE models, joined by the more expensive six-cylinder Ventora and sportier VX4/90 models. Though pleasing on the eye, Vauxhall’s new range-topping models failed to make any noticeable dent in Granada sales, with these large Luton models revised as the VX range in 1976, soon being replaced in 1978 by the more successful Opel Rekord-derived Carlton.
British Leyland’s only new model news for 1972 was limited to a practical five-door Estate derivative of the then-recent Morris Marina, plus an unusual transversely-mounted six-cylinder motor for the ADO17 Austin-Morris 2200 ‘Landcrab’ 1800 range.
At the top of the vast BL model empire, the wonderful new V12 engine that Jaguar had previewed on the controversial E-type Series 3 in 1971 found its true fitting home in the widely-acclaimed Jaguar XJ12 (and its costlier badge-engineered Daimler Double Six twin) in 1972.
Chrysler’s new model news for 1972 was limited to Estate and performance-orientated Tiger versions of the popular Hillman Avenger, with the Tiger adding bold body stripes and a strong rear boot spoiler, plus welcome added power to the rear-wheel-drive four-door saloon.
Other new British cars introduced fifty years ago included the Jensen-Healey, an entry two-seat roadster launched by the prestigious West Bromwich sportscar maker to effectively replace the legendary Austin- Healey 3000, which sadly it failed to do, ultimately contributing to Jensen’s collapse four years later. In the specialist performance car field, Aston Martin successfully facelifted the previous DBS with a reworked single headlight front end to create the new, long-lived V8 (plus its forgotten six-cylinder Vantage sibling). Exclusive car maker Bristol took the opposite route, adding quad headlamps for the very first time to its desirable revamped 411 S3, and a brand new name to the British motoring scene appeared in the form of Panther West Winds Ltd. of Brooklands, launching an audacious modern Jaguar-powered twist on the classic pre-Jaguar SS100 with its extravagant and expensive retro Panther J72.