Mk4 Zodiac Executive
The off the shelf personalised – if
you’ll accept the contradiction in terms- is gaining popularity on the British
motoring scene. Rootes joined the game with the Avenger, but the credit for
fully exploiting it must go to Ford with their Capri custom packed and E
versions of the MKlV, Corsair and Cortina. Only the MKlV E, however, gets the
full executive title. For 1846 pounds, the most expensive saloon in the Ford
line up, you’ll get a very fully equipped car that there is very little even
the most fanatical accessory enthusiast could add.
The MKlV range brought out in 1966
inherited only model names from its predecessor. It broke new ground for Ford
of Britain with all round independent suspension; their familiar MacPherson
struts at the front, semi – trailing arms with coil springs (ingeniously
mounted to accommodate fixed length drive shafts) at the rear. We said in our
road test of the Zodiac that the suspension had short comings when driving
quickly because the nose-heavy weight distribution and a high roll centre gave
too much weight transfer at the back and produced a jacking effect,
characteristic of swing axle geometry.
In October 1967 a MK two version was
announced incorporating, along with a number of other detail improvements,
larger wheels and modified suspension geometry with more negative camber at the
rear. Certainly the Zephyr V6 we tested in 1968 had much improved handling but
with the 2.5 litre V6 instead of the Zodiacs 3 litres, we thought it rather
gutless.
At the bottom of the range the MKlV is
virtually unrivalled in terms of metal – for – money, the 2 litre V4 Zephyr
selling for 1071 pounds. At the top the Executive faces direct competition from
the Austin 3 litre, Vauxhall Viscount and several continental imports. Rootes
have not had a car in this sector of the market since the demise of the larger
Humber’s and we wonder whether the MklV’s replacement will be such a large car.
Perhaps Ford’s product planners are too strongly influenced by the parent
company when the MKlV was conceived. Its size makes it rather unwieldy on our
crowded roads – the BLMC 1800 manages to package similar interior dimensions
into a smaller and more manageable car.
Never the less, Executive looks imposing
(or perhaps pretentious) with spacious accommodation; leather upholstery;
genuine wood cappings on the doors and instrument panel; and impressive array
of instruments and switches; a radio; sliding roof; heated rear window; and
wing mirrors- all in the standard specification.
The car behaves quite well but it still
has limitations when extended. Performance is a bit disappointing with a
maximum speed of only 95.4mph and 0-50mph in 9.3 s; the manual Zodiac recorded
102.5 mph and 7.5s respectively. Smooth automatic transmission is standard in
the Executive.
PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMY
The engine started promptly when cold.
Flooring the throttle and releasing it gently sets the automatic choke which
makes the engine idle at around 1200 rpm until normal running temperature has
been reached. The choke was reluctant to cut out on one of the two cars we
tried- the heater delivered warm air some time before the engine idle returned
to it’s normal 600-700rpm. However, a quick dab on the throttle after two or
three miles usually reduced the idling speed, suggesting some stickiness in the
linkage – a common problem.
The engine pulled without hesitation from
cold, but the first idle caused the car to creep rather quickly. With an 8.9:1
compression ratio we used four star fuel and could detect no pinking, though
the engine developed a curious "tinkle" when accelerating through
1500rpm. This was also apparent on the second Executive at 2000 rpm.
The 3 litre 60° V6 Essex engine is not
very highly stressed, producing 136bhp DIN at 4750 rpm and maximum torque of
181.5lb. at 3000 rpm. Above 500 rpm the engine becomes rough and obtrusively
noisy but as the automatic changes up at 4500-4900 on full throttle, you don’t
often notice this shortcoming. Using the selector to hold first and
intermediate gears at 5100 did not improve the acceleration times, so
presumably the engines breathing is none to efficient. Our maximum speed, timed
over a lap of the MIRA banked track, of 9505 is not very fast. Even downhill
the car would not exceed 100mph. (The MklV range suffers from a rather high
drag coefficient of 0.47, probably due to its slab front.) In compensation, the
maximum is reached fairly rapidly-witness our best maximile of 94.8 mph.
Acceleration from low speed is fairly
brisk, with a 0-50 mph time of 9.3s but, on the road, where acceleration from
50mph is useful for getting past a stream of traffic, the car has little in
reserve even when using the kickdown. Our 50-70 mph time of 9.4s compares
poorly with the 6.5s of the manual Zodiac in third gear. Most people, however,
will probably find the performance quite adequate and should obtain a fuel
consumption of 18-21 mpg.
TRANSMISSION.
The Executive uses the Borg Warner 35
three-speed gearbox and a torque converter, which allows an easy start on the 1
in 3 test hill. The stiff but well placed tunnel-mounted selector works in a
gate marked PRND 2 and 1. We would have preferred a more positive indication of
the selector position, particularly at night. Engaging D from the rest should
produce a barely discernible jolt, though the first Executive we tried gave a
pronounced lurch, particularly when the engine was cold and idling above it’s
normal speed. Smooth take- offs were also easier to achieve in the second
car-the throttle of the first was very sensitive in its initial movement, which
made creeping in traffic rather tricky. Once away, however, changes up the box,
even on full throttle, were commendably smooth on both cars. On part throttle
the changes came at around 25 and 35 mph, with foot floored at 37 and 62 mph
(4500 rpm). Some thought the kickdown too fierce-at any speed over 40 mph the
downward change into intermediate produced a jolt and the resulting roar from
the engine as the revs rose discouraged use of the kickdown. Around town, part
throttle downchanges were unpredictable; this was particularly noticeable on
right-angle turns when the gearbox would sometimes change in the middle of the
turn, at others as the car accelerated away. Using the manual over ride to
select a lower gear when, say, entering a round about, the downward change is
very smooth.
Most owners will probably be content to
leave the selector in D and let the automatic do the work smoothly and
unobtrusively on it’s own. The gearbox and the back axle were both quiet. An
optional 4 – speed manual transmission with overdrive costs 45 pounds less.
HANDLING AND BRAKES
Power steering ensures that the Executive
is light to manoeuvre but the gearing (4.2 turns from lock to lock) is too low.
One-and-a-half turns of the safety wheel are required to scribe a 50ft, circle
and this means a lot of wheel whirling around town. Even so, the steering is
fairly accurate and some resistance gives an impression of road feel. The steering
of one car had more resistance than the other, neither gave much increase in
effect as the cornering speed increased; this is usually a fair indication of
degree of feel given by a power steering system.
Wet or dry the Executive clings on
remarkably well, helped no doubt by it’s fat 185 x 15 Goodyear G800 tyres.
Unfortunately they squeal too readily and the body rolls a lot so brisk
cornering is discouraged. The car wallows on entering a tight corner, which is
rather uncomfortable for the passengers, but then stays on line with initial
understeer changing to a gentle tail slide on the limit. Lifting off in mid
corner had no dramatic effect on the car’s line so evidently the earlier
jacking effect has been eliminated by the revised rear suspension and larger
wheels. The noise-heavy weight distribution, 57/43 front/rear, still
exaggerates understeer but on main roads deceptively high average speeds are
easily maintained, with the car holding the chosen line through fast open
bends. Not the best of cars for quick town journeys, though, as its size and
ponderous behaviour are not conductive to quick lane changes. Pedal pressure
for the servo-assisted disc brakes (on all four wheels) rose from the 20 to
26lb. in our fade test. The servo is very sensitive so only a slight increase
in pressure can lock the wheels. With a delicate touch, though, the brakes are
very reassuring and we achieved 0.98 g with a pedal pressure of 80lb. The
under-facia pull-out handbrake would not hold the car on the 1 in 3 hill-possibly
with the handbrake better adjusted it would, since one wheel locked and slid
down the concrete surface of the hill, while the other rolled. The handbrakes
0.3-g could also probably be improved. A really good soaking in the water
splash had little effect on the brakes.
COMFORT AND CONTROLS.
For a large car weighing 27cwt we were
not very impressed with the low-speed ride, particularly over small bumps which
produced a jogging motion in the body reminiscent of scuttle shake. This
vibration is transmitted to the passengers through the seat rather than the
body. However The Executive floats over long wave length irregularities with
commendable ease, only a slight side to side motion of the bonnet and
occasional rolling of the body indicating the workings of the suspension.
The leather-covered seats came in for
unanimous criticism. They look impressive but offer no lateral support-perhaps
with the optional cloth covering they might hold the occupants better. Poor
support combined with lots of body roll means that passengers are thrown about
even at low cornering speeds. Armchair seats like this are not suitable for
cars, and the money spent on making them ‘look’ impressive would be better
spent providing them with more lateral and lumbar support.
Ample leg room front and rear means that
the chauffer-driven Executive will not be cramped, but because of the lack of
side support most front seat passengers preferred to have the seat well forward
so they could brace their feet against the bulkhead.
The driving position is good; it needs to
be with such a large bonnet. The steering wheel is adjustable for rake (there
is a locking lever to the right of the column under the dash board) but with
the wheel in it’s near vertical position there is not a lot of clearance between
the drivers thighs and the steering wheel rim. The organ throttle and large
brake pedal are well placed and come complete with unnecessary chrome
trimmings.
Minor control are not so well laid out;
their arrangement is probably more due to marketing requirements for an
impressive array of switches than to engineering/ergonomic considerations. With
the steering wheel in its straight ahead position the row of switches to its
right and below the facia are neatly obscured by the horizontal spoke, so to
operate the correct switch, the driver has to peer around the side of the
wheel. Most of the auxiliaries are controlled from this panel, including the
smeary two-speed wipers and electric washers, which on one of the cars we tried
were "dribblers" and on the other gave a useful jet of water. The
right hand stalk operates the horn, and flashes the lights. Unlike most other
current Fords the dipswitch is on the floor and this brings on all for
headlamps which can be supplemented by the auxiliary tungsten spot and fog
lamps (standard in the Executive specification); the auxiliaries are operated
by a single switch. With everything on there is a good spread of light.
Reversing lights are operated automatically by the gear selector. Rear
visibility however is not very good and the rear corners of the car cannot be
seen from the driving seat; blind rear three –quarters makes filtering into a
traffic stream rather fraught though this short coming is compensated for by
the wing mirrors which can be used truck-driver style for reversing. The
day/night interior mirror does not provide such good visibility due to its
rather odd shape.
As we have come to expect from the Ford
heating and ventilation are first rate. Different combinations of the
facia-mounted and easy to understand heater controls give cold, warm or hot air
to the feet, the same temperature variations to the screen, and whatever the
other settings variable amounts of cool air to the face from the well-sited
eyeball vents at the ends of the facia. A noisy two-speed fan supplements the
ram flow in traffic. A heated rear window (an alternator is fitted to cope with
the supply) ensures a clear rear window.
If engine noise at high revs is not one
of the Executives strong points then lack of road noise certainly is. There is
very little radial thump from the wide tyres and only subdued bangs from the
suspension over bad surfaces. This unfortunately tends to focus attention on
the excessive wind noise which comes from the guttering round the screen,
spoiling the otherwise extremely quiet and effortless high-speed cruising; some
instability in cross-winds mars high speed driving too
FITTING AND FURNITURE
The appointments of this big Ford are
fully in keeping with its title. The comprehensive array of instruments is well
sited in the driver’s line of vision; unfortunately the glasses are at such an
angle that the rear window is reflected in the face of the instruments, which
makes the accurate speedometer difficult to read. The matching tachometer is of
academic interest and most owners will find no use for it. None of our staff
liked the chrome surrounds to the instruments; others disliked the walnut facia
insert and door cappings though we appreciate that many people like this kind
of embellishment.
Mounted each side of the instrument panel
are two large knobs; that on the left is a cigar lighter, the other is a
rheostat for the instrument illumination which also operates the front interior
light. There are also courtesy switches on the front doors. The rear
compartment is lit by 2 small lights integral with the grab handles (with
magnifying inserts presumably for reading) which are operated by both curtesy
switches on the rear doors and small switches on the door pillars. Fumbly door
lock catches lie flush with the walnut cappings when depressed and lifting the
to unlock the doors is a nail-breaking exercise. All door locks can be child
proofed, however, and we liked the interior door handles which lie within
cavities in the door panel. The sliding steel roof, operated by a handle just
above the screen, is draught free and produced no internal buffeting provided
it was not fully opened. Even when ajar, however, it was not possible to listen
to the Ford radio, even with the balance control adjusted to give full volume
to the front speaker.
This is mounted on the front face of a
centre console, whose rear-hinged lid is difficult to open. Other stowage space
is provided by a large lockable drop-down glove locker and a map pocket to the
right of the driver’s feet. A shelf behind the rear seats can also accommodate
other items. Both the Executives we tried were finished in Aubergine-one had
colour-keyed trim, and the other the alternative black which we thought much
improved the cars interior. Full carpeting and door panels trimmed in a pale
shade of purple are not to our taste.
The inertia reel belts are easy to use
with the reservation that the short section tended to get lost behind the front
seats. The enormous carpeted illuminated boot took 13.1 cu, ft. of our test
luggage.
SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE
With such a long bonnet there is ample
space around the short V6 engine to give easy access to all routine service
points, though topping up the oil level is awkward due to the proximity of the
huge air cleaner to the filler cap. The release catch for the self- propping
bonnet is located above the driver’s right foot and when open the bonnet is
illuminated. The tool kit contains only a jack and a hub cap remover cum
wheelbrace-presumably Ford consider that owners of their status car have passed
the do-it-yourself stage. The jack works fairly well, but gives the uneasy
feeling that it is about to seize; when not ion use it is stowed above the
spare wheel at the front of the engine compartment. The Executive needs
servicing at 6000-mile intervals, or every 6 months, whichever comes first.