Clarkson has described it as "terrible", on the grounds of its similarity to the Ford Cortina in which he learned to drive.

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Earlier this year, Prof Shirley told MPs he was trying to run a Rolls-Royce service, but was being "funded at the level of a Ford Cortina".

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Mr. Brown was transferred to Ford's British operations, where he had success with the Cortina model, and then returned to a senior design position at Ford.

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