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Description

We are offering for sale a very rare Ford Consul Classic 315 in the De Luxe version, the top-of-the-line model.

The car is one of the few first registered in Italy in 1962, purchased new by a Turin enthusiast (it still retains its original black license plates from the first registration, the full-page registration document, and the very rare original Italian owner's manual). It has always been in the same family, with only one transfer of ownership, from the owner to his wife.

It is equipped with the original 1,340cc engine. Numerous maintenance work has been performed over time to keep the car in perfect mechanical condition. The following recent work has been performed: Reconditioning of the entire braking and clutch system, engine oil and filter change, new spark plug wires, topping up the transmission and differential oil, cleaning the carburetor, lubricating all grease points, replacement of the heating hoses, new battery, and a ministerial inspection. The car is ASI Gold Plate approved.

Model history and curiosity

The Ford Consul Classic 315 is a mid-range passenger car produced by Ford's British division between 1961 and 1963. It is a very distinctive model due to its short history and design influenced by American trends of the time: its most famous aesthetic feature is the "reverse" raked rear window, a very popular stylistic solution at the time, also present on the Ford Anglia of the same period, designed to increase interior space and give it a more original line, inspired by the large American sedans of the Ford group.
At its debut, it was equipped with a 1,340 cc 4-cylinder engine. From 1962, the displacement was increased to 1.5 liters, an engine that would later be used in other successful models, such as the famous Ford Cortina. For its time, it stood out for its adoption of modern technical solutions, including standard front disc brakes and dual headlights that gave it a more prestigious appearance.
It was available as both a 2-door and 4-door sedan, in "Standard" or "De Luxe" versions: the main difference between the two versions lay in the level of comfort and the interior and exterior finishes. The De Luxe version was the most luxurious variant and was distinguished externally by a five-star decoration on the grille and by significantly superior interior features. It included a windshield washer, cigarette lighter, variable dashboard lighting, and a lockable glove compartment as standard. It offered a full horn ring and more refined finishes for the door panels and dashboard. The standard version, on the other hand, was the "entry-level" version, more spartan and designed to keep the price competitive.
Despite being a technically capable car with an original design, production was discontinued in 1963. The main reasons were production costs, primarily because it was too expensive to produce compared to competing models and other options within the Ford range, which was streamlining production at the time, and market acceptance. The design with the sloping rear window, although attractive, quickly began to fall out of favor with the public as stylistic trends shifted toward more conventional lines.
Distribution in Italy was extremely limited, making it today an object of great curiosity for local collectors of the brand. Indeed, in the 1960s, Ford's British division did not have the same widespread distribution network or commercial aggressiveness enjoyed by, for example, Fiat or Ford itself, with models produced or assembled locally or in more closely related European markets. The Consul 315 was designed primarily for the British domestic market and for export to Commonwealth countries. In Italy, the few units that arrived were primarily the result of private imports or niche channels, not a large-scale sales strategy. Furthermore, its "outdated" design did not find favor with the Italian public, who preferred more classic lines or, conversely, the modern and functional design that was emerging in those years. Indeed, in Italian historical registers and sales portals, the Consul 315 appears to be an extremely rare car.
Today, the Ford Consul 315 is considered a rather rare piece of British automotive history and highly sought after by enthusiasts and Ford collectors, precisely because of its bold aesthetic, which makes it unmistakable at classic car rallies.

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