Ford Taunus P4
| Ford Taunus 12M | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ford Germany |
| Also called | Ford Taunus P4 Ford Cardinal |
| Production | 1962–1966 |
| Assembly | Cologne-Niehl, Germany Genk, Belgium |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Large family car (D) |
| Body style |
|
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1183 cc V4 1498 cc V4 |
| Transmission | 4-speed all-synchromesh manual with column-shift |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,527 mm (99.5 in) |
| Length | 4,248 mm (167.2 in) |
| Width | 1,594 mm (62.8 in) |
| Height | 1,458 mm (57.4 in) |
| Curb weight | 860–870 kg (1,896–1,918 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Ford Taunus 12M P1 |
| Successor | Ford (Taunus) 12M/15M P6 |
The Ford Taunus 12M is a small family car produced by Ford Germany from September 1962 to August 1966.: 374, 376
The Taunus 12M name had been used for the car's predecessor and would be used for subsequent Ford models, which is why the 12M introduced in 1962 is often retroactively identified as the Ford Taunus P4. It was the fourth newly-designed German Ford to be launched after the war and was known within the company as Ford Project 4 (P4) or the Ford Taunus P4. It was the first Ford with front-wheel drive.
The car was not designed by Ford of Germany but by its US parent company, and was to be built and sold in the US as the Ford Cardinal — an all-American competitor to the Volkswagen. US production plans were later cancelled, and in 1960 Ford of Germany received a modern, fully developed new design which they adapted for German conditions as a replacement for their own outdated Ford Taunus P1.