Ford

Launched in March 1972, the Granada replaced both the British Ford Zephyr and the German P7-series, unifying Ford's British and German executive car lines into a single European model. It quickly gained popularity, especially among taxi operators, fleet buyers, and police forces. The first-generation Granada was produced between 1972 and 1976, initially built in both Ford's Cologne and Dagenham plants. From 1976 onward, production was centralized in Germany. The model range included a four-door saloon, a five-door estate, and a sleek two-door fastback coupé. In May 1973, a two-door saloon was added to the line-up.

The square, straight-lined Granada Mark II was introduced in August 1977. Although mechanically similar to its predecessor, it featured entirely new bodywork, reflecting Ford’s updated design language under the direction of Uwe Bahnsen. The coupé body style was dropped with the launch of this second generation. Despite competition from models like the Leyland Princess, Rover SD1 and Vauxhall Carlton, the Granada remained a strong seller in the UK, reaching its sales peak in 1979. The Mark II stayed in production until it was succeeded by the all-new Ford Scorpio in 1985.