FORD took a major step forward in 1950 with the launch of its Zephyr Six.
Up until then the company had produced mainly black, boxy cars with the top of the tree being occupied by the Pilot V8 which had one foot firmly into 1940s and was also mainly black.
But then along came the four-cylinder Consul which transformed the company overnight into a fashionable brand.
With the glamour and lines of 1950s USA the Consul was a hit and Ford wisely added a longer and more powerful six-cylinder to the line - the Zephyr Six.
It was the first Ford six and featured front bench seat that would seat three, a three-speed column gearchange and lots of power.
The 68bhp from the 2,262cc engine was fed through the rear wheels and wheelspin was common. Indeed some drivers liked to carry a bag of ballast in the boot to cope with the car's happy rear end.
With coil springs at the front and leaf springs at the rear, this was a handful of a car for its time and many chose to fit Firestone Town and Country chunky-grip tyres for extra adhesion.
In 1950 it would have set you back more than £600 and for this money you got 80-plus mph performance with 0-60mph acceleration at a then good, but now leisurely, 21 seconds.
The Zephyr Six soon started to clock-up victories in the motor sport arena, winning the 1953 Monte Carlo Rally.
The bodywork was remarkable in terms of style but it could rust with abandon. It was usually the bottoms of the doors that went first, the bubbled and raised edges spoiling the fine lines of the car's tumblehome.
But thanks to dedicated owners and lots of cash a few have made it to the present day.
They are a reminder of the heritage of a long line of powerful Fords that followed bearing the Consul, Zephyr and later Zodiac names.