The secrets of the Ford used in ‘Harry Potter’: Wrecked 14 times, stolen once

It was 21 years ago, in November 2002, that ‘Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets’ was released — the second film in the franchise.

The screen adaptation of second story by the writer J.K. Rowling included several scenes featuring an unforgettable car for the legions of fans of the Harry Potter series. What model is it and what stories does it hide?

It is a Ford Anglia 105E, owned by the family of Ron Weasley, Harry Potter’s best friend. But it is not just any car: it has the ability to become invisible, its fuel is endless, it can fly and has the capacity to transport many passengers.

The Ford is the undisputed star of key scenes in the film: the arrival at Hogwarts and its boldness in the Forbidden Forest with the Whomping Willow.

Because they are action scenes, no fewer than 16 models of the car were used in the filming of the movie. Of these, 14 were wrecked.

The car used for the film was the last model of the Ford Anglia, from 1959 (it was produced until 1967). It is a British vehicle clearly influenced by American models, with prominent headlights and a sloping front end. It had a four-cylinder engine and reached 120 km/h (75 mph). Ford managed to sell more than one and a half million units of this model.

J.K. Rowling and the Ford Anglia 105E

As is common in books and movies, many of the scenes and characters have a double meaning, and things do not happen randomly. There are several theories about the turquoise car. Some point out that it was the first car owned by J.K. Rowling. Others say it was the car owned by Sean Harris, a close friend who reportedly helped her during the difficult times of her youth.

According to the news outlet Wales Online, Rowling said, “That turquoise and white car meant freedom and no more having to ask my father to give me lifts, which is the worst thing about living in the countryside when you are a teenager. Some of the happiest memories of my teenage years are zooming off into the darkness in Sean’s car.”

“Harry was rescued by that car, just as the car rescued me from my boredom,” she told the publication.

As if by magic, the car disappeared in 2005 from one of the filming studios (South West Film Studios, in St. Agnes). It was found months later, when the police received an anonymous call with its location. It is said that it was stolen after being towed from the site and that the thieves finally got rid of the car because they could not sell it.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition