Corgi VA06309.(D) Morris Marina 1300 in aqua blue

This item does not have a limited edition certificate included Roy Haynes was the product strategist behind the Cortina Mk2 and an experienced Ford cost cutter. He joined British Motor Holdings in 1966 as the director of styling and was amazed at how little money was being made. The Issigonis front wheel drive cars were technically advanced but were expensive to make and their warranty costs were huge. He, and engineering chief Harry Webster, proposed a simple Ford-like rear wheel drive car based on updated Morris Minor components which would sit above the 1100 range; this became ADO 28, the Marina. Development work started in 1968 with the initial plan being to create a floorplan and bulkhead, which could be used to spawn many different cars. Alas these plans, which included a beautiful MG badged Celica competitor, came to nothing, although when the Marina was launched in May 1971 the range did include a two-door coupe.