Inside fast Ford given to England squad during famous World Cup run & then bought by team’s star striker
FORD once gifted one of the greatest saloon cars to the entire England footie squad during a famous World Cup run.
From Gordon Banks in goal, to Geoff Hurst up front and Les Cocker on the backroom staff, everyone was given a classic Ford Cortina 1600E.
Thirty of the 1600E models were loaned to the players by Ford for the duration of the tournament.
It was an aspirational motor, which is why every player was happy to pick up their car at the Twin Towers togged out in their club colours.
The cool and stylish Cortina had flashy Rostyle wheels, an upmarket walnut dashboard, prestigious “Executive” badging, lower Lotus suspension and a rorty 1600cc engine.
They also stood out because on the front wings were the crossed flags of Mexico and the Union flag, not the Cross of St George.
On the doors was a logo that bore the legend “Chosen for England”.
And just four years after England’s win in the 1966 final, the squad featured in adverts beaming happily alongside the cars.
Now, one of the 30 classic motors – loaned to striker Francis (Franny) Lee – is set to go up for auction.
Interestingly, the footie star bought the car for a discount for his wife at the end of the loan period.
Lee once revealed: “This was a top car at the time. When the year was up I recall paying around £600-£700 for it.”
The historic Ford Cortina is now expected to fetch anywhere between £50,000 to £60,000.
It comes after a wealthy car enthusiast is selling off his collection of showroom-ready motors that have barely been driven.
The unnamed businessman amassed 26 modern classic cars that he’s bought from new or nearly new – but now all but five are set to go.
Worth an estimated £2million, the fleet of Porsches, Ferraris and Mercedes has been kept in a purpose-built, climate-controlled garage at his home in Lincolnshire.
Amazingly, hardly any of them have been driven and, with the vendor now suffering from ill health, they’re being sold off in mint condition – although he plans to keep his five most favourite cars.
Reportedly, the motors are to be auctioned in stages, with the first five going under the hammer on June 23.
They include a 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster that’s capable of 152 mph and has just 4,168 miles on the clock.
Back in December, a mysterious owner’s incredible collection of 56 Porsches – all painted white – sold for a staggering £24m.
For petrolheads looking for something a bit cheaper, a car expert has urged drivers to look out for five awesome convertibles priced at under £5,000 – including a “fun to drive” Toyota.
Meanwhile, a Ford Capri previously left untouched for 35 years has gone up for sale.
The classic motor, which is a firm favourite among enthusiasts, is finished in blue and has just 28,000 miles on the clock.
