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EspañolFORD TAUNUS
:''Not to be confused with Ford Taurus''
'Ford Taunus' was a large family car sold by Ford in Germany. Some versions were similar to the Ford Cortina in the United Kingdom. The model line was named after the Taunus mountain range in Germany and was first made in 1939 and continued through several versions until 1982.
The original Taunus was a development of the Eifel and used the same 1172 cc four cylinder engine but in a longer chassis and a streamlined body. It was the first German Ford to have hydraulic brakes. Due to the war, production was interrupted from 1942 to 1948. 74,128 were made including estate cars and light vans.
From 1952 to 1968 all German Fords were called the Taunus, using the model names 12M, 15M, 17M, 20M, and 26M. The "M" is said to stand for "Meisterstück", in English "Masterpiece". Taunus was also sometimes adopted as the brand-name in export markets, particularly where British and North American Fords were also available.
The 12, 15 and 17M models had a straight-4, later ones a V4 engine. The 20 and 26M models had a V6 engine. The 12, 15, 17 etc. refer to the engine displacement; 1200, 1500, 1700 cc etc.
From 1962 to 1970, the smaller models 12M (P4) and 12M/15M (P6) had front wheel drive. All other models had rear wheel drive.
The following models were offered:
The first new German Ford after World War II. New pontoon body, similar in style to British Ford Zephyr. 12M maintains the old sidevalve engine of the Taunus, 15M uses a new and more powerful engine:
★ 12M: 1172 cc, 38 hp (28 kW), 112 km/h (70 mph)
★ 15M: 1498 cc, 55 hp (40 kW), 128 km/h (80 mph)
Not a new car, but a rework of the 1952 model. All cars are called 12M, though both engines are continued (the car with the bigger engine is called "Taunus 12M 1.5 litre").
Same size, but a completely new car. New body, new V4 engine, front wheel drive. The first Ford car with front wheel drive (second is Ford Corcel, third is Ford Fiesta). Engines:
★ 1.2 litre: 1183 cc, 40 hp (29 kW), 123 km/h (77 mph)
★ 1.5 litre: 1498 cc, 50, 55 or 65 hp (37, 40 or 48 kW), 135, 139 or 144 km/h (84, 87 or 90 mph)
New body, engines and platform are continued. Again, the car with the bigger engine is called '15M'. Engines:
★ 12M 1.2 litre: 1183 cc, 45 hp (33 kW), 125 km/h (78 mph)
★ 12M 1.3 litre: 1305 cc, 50 or 53 hp (37 or 39 kW), 130 or 134 km/h (81 or 84 mph)
★ 15M 1.5 litre: 1498 cc, 55 or 65 hp (40 or 47 kW), 136 or 145 km/h (85 or 90 mph)
★ 15M 1.7 litre: 1699 cc, 70 or 75 hp (51 or 55 kW), 153 or 158 km/h (95 or 98 mph)
In 1970, the P6 is replaced by the Taunus TC (see below).
Growing wealth in postwar Germany encourages Ford to offer a line of bigger and more expensive cars. Same size as British Consul Mk2, but a different car. Style similar to American 1956 Ford. The P2 uses a ohv engine with 1698 cc and 60 hp (44 kW). It can do 128 km/h (80 mph).
Completely new body in very modern style. Engine is now offered in three sizes:
★ 1.5 litre: 1498 cc, 55 hp (40 kW), 136 km/h (85 mph)
★ 1.7 litre: 1698 cc, 60 or 65 hp (44 or 48 kW), 138 or 140 km/h (86 or 88 mph)
★ 1.8 litre: 1758 cc, 70 or 75 hp (51 or 55 kW), 148 or 154 km/h (92 or 96 mph).
A very successful car.
New body, new engines. 17M now gets a V4 engine:
★ 1.5 litre: 1498 cc, 60 hp (44 kW), 140 km/h (88 mph)
★ 1.7 litre: 1699 cc, 65 or 70 hp (48 or 51 kW), 145 or 150 km/h (91 or 94 mph).
New 20M gets a V6 engine with 2.0 litres (1998 cc) and 85 or 90 hp (63 or 66 kW) with a top speed of 158 or 161 km/h (99 or 101 mph).
Again, a good selling car.
New body, engines and platform are continued. Very big, very boxy, very American. Not the car which European car buyers desire. A complete failure.
The engines of the 17M/20M P5 are continued with only one addition on the top end. It is the
★ 20M 2.3 litre: 2293 cc, 108 hp (79 kW), 170 km/h (106 mph).
Shrinking sales of the P7 are forcing Ford to offer a restyled car only one year later. Ford is so ashamed by the failure of the last year's model that the new car is again called 'P7'. Here, to avoid confusion, it is called 'P7.2', sometimes it is called 'P7b'. 26M, introduced in 1969, is the top of the line version with the biggest engine (2.6 litres) and the most luxurious trim level.
This is the last specifically German Ford. In early 1972, it is replaced by the new Consul and Granada.
In 1970 a new Taunus, the Taunus TC, was introduced, as a two- or four-door sedan, station wagon (or ''Turnier'') and coupé. It was very similar to the British Ford Cortina Mk III, having been developed under the auspices of Ford of Europe, and many components were identical (TC means "Taunus Cortina", to show the similarity of the cars). The 1976 Taunus and Cortina models were identical in all but name, 'Taunus' being the name used in left hand drive (LHD) markets, and 'Cortina' in right hand drive ones, although the Cortina name was used in LHD South Korea and Taiwan. The Mk III was also sold in Scandinavia, alongside the Taunus.
The Ford Taunus TC series was conceived in the late 1960s to be a "world car" alongside its technical sibling the Cortina Mk III, with construction and design work taking place on both sides of the Atlantic. As with the design of the first generation, it was done under the supervision of Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen, of former General Motors fame. The car is often nicknamed "Barock 2" (pointing back to the Taunus P2 series of the late 1950s, commonly known as the "Barock-Taunus") or "The Knudsen Nose" by its German owners because of the pointy hood scoop that, as the legend has it, was put there on direct order from Knudsen. Otherwise the major design work is rumoured to have been done by Italian car designer Luigi Colani, who also did design concepts for BMW's motorcycle division in the late 1970s.
As from the 1976 model year the Taunus and Cortina were essentially the same cars. The Taunus TC along with the Cortina Mk III and their successors have been produced in slightly updated forms in Europe, Argentina and Asia (some Cortinas were built under license by Korean automaker Hyundai) with the last Turkish Otosan-Taunus leaving the factory in the mid-nineties. However the major components remained basically the same through the entire production run only receiving minor body changes with the biggest re-engineering in the 1979 model year, which involved a facelift (identical to the Ford Cortina Mk5 update).
The 1979-82 series shared a good deal of its mechanics with the first generation Ford Sierra.
The Taunus and Cortina series are very easy to service and share a lot of mechanical components with the other European Ford cars of the period (excluding the Ford Fiesta), making them extremely easy to fix.
In 1982 production of the Taunus ceased in Europe, and was replaced by the Ford Sierra. Production continued in Argentina, where it also featured automatic transmission as optional,
which had a local coupé version until 1984, and Otosan in Turkey, where a restyled version of the last model continued in production until 1994.
★ Ford Cortina
★ Ford Sierra
★ List of Ford vehicles
★ Club Taunus in Argentina
★ Dutch Ford Taunus GT and Ford OSI page
★ Austrian Ford Taunus site (English language)
★ German Ford Taunus site
★ German Ford Taunus-Board (mainly German language, but also English and others)
★ German site for M-series 1952 - 1972
★ Swiss Ford Taunus site
★ Hungarian Ford Taunus site
'Ford Taunus' was a large family car sold by Ford in Germany. Some versions were similar to the Ford Cortina in the United Kingdom. The model line was named after the Taunus mountain range in Germany and was first made in 1939 and continued through several versions until 1982.
Taunus G73A/G93A (1939-1942)(1948-1952)
1949 Ford Taunus
The original Taunus was a development of the Eifel and used the same 1172 cc four cylinder engine but in a longer chassis and a streamlined body. It was the first German Ford to have hydraulic brakes. Due to the war, production was interrupted from 1942 to 1948. 74,128 were made including estate cars and light vans.
Taunus M-series (1952-1968)
From 1952 to 1968 all German Fords were called the Taunus, using the model names 12M, 15M, 17M, 20M, and 26M. The "M" is said to stand for "Meisterstück", in English "Masterpiece". Taunus was also sometimes adopted as the brand-name in export markets, particularly where British and North American Fords were also available.
The 12, 15 and 17M models had a straight-4, later ones a V4 engine. The 20 and 26M models had a V6 engine. The 12, 15, 17 etc. refer to the engine displacement; 1200, 1500, 1700 cc etc.
From 1962 to 1970, the smaller models 12M (P4) and 12M/15M (P6) had front wheel drive. All other models had rear wheel drive.
The following models were offered:
Smaller line: 12M, 15M
first generation 12M (G13) 1952-1959, 15M 1955-1959
Ford Taunus 12M 1952-1955
The first new German Ford after World War II. New pontoon body, similar in style to British Ford Zephyr. 12M maintains the old sidevalve engine of the Taunus, 15M uses a new and more powerful engine:
★ 12M: 1172 cc, 38 hp (28 kW), 112 km/h (70 mph)
★ 15M: 1498 cc, 55 hp (40 kW), 128 km/h (80 mph)
second generation 12M 1959-1962
Ford Taunus 12M 1959-1962
Not a new car, but a rework of the 1952 model. All cars are called 12M, though both engines are continued (the car with the bigger engine is called "Taunus 12M 1.5 litre").
third generation 12M (P4) 1962-1966
Ford Taunus 12M P4
Same size, but a completely new car. New body, new V4 engine, front wheel drive. The first Ford car with front wheel drive (second is Ford Corcel, third is Ford Fiesta). Engines:
★ 1.2 litre: 1183 cc, 40 hp (29 kW), 123 km/h (77 mph)
★ 1.5 litre: 1498 cc, 50, 55 or 65 hp (37, 40 or 48 kW), 135, 139 or 144 km/h (84, 87 or 90 mph)
fourth generation 12M (P6) 1966-1970, 15M (P6) 1966-1970
1969 Ford 12M P6
New body, engines and platform are continued. Again, the car with the bigger engine is called '15M'. Engines:
★ 12M 1.2 litre: 1183 cc, 45 hp (33 kW), 125 km/h (78 mph)
★ 12M 1.3 litre: 1305 cc, 50 or 53 hp (37 or 39 kW), 130 or 134 km/h (81 or 84 mph)
★ 15M 1.5 litre: 1498 cc, 55 or 65 hp (40 or 47 kW), 136 or 145 km/h (85 or 90 mph)
★ 15M 1.7 litre: 1699 cc, 70 or 75 hp (51 or 55 kW), 153 or 158 km/h (95 or 98 mph)
In 1970, the P6 is replaced by the Taunus TC (see below).
Bigger line: 17M, 20M, 26M
first generation 17M (P2) 1957-1960
Ford Taunus 17M P2
Growing wealth in postwar Germany encourages Ford to offer a line of bigger and more expensive cars. Same size as British Consul Mk2, but a different car. Style similar to American 1956 Ford. The P2 uses a ohv engine with 1698 cc and 60 hp (44 kW). It can do 128 km/h (80 mph).
second generation 17M (P3) 1960-1964
1961 Ford Taunus 17M P3
Completely new body in very modern style. Engine is now offered in three sizes:
★ 1.5 litre: 1498 cc, 55 hp (40 kW), 136 km/h (85 mph)
★ 1.7 litre: 1698 cc, 60 or 65 hp (44 or 48 kW), 138 or 140 km/h (86 or 88 mph)
★ 1.8 litre: 1758 cc, 70 or 75 hp (51 or 55 kW), 148 or 154 km/h (92 or 96 mph).
A very successful car.
third generation 17M (P5) 1964-1967, 20M (P5) 1964-1967
1966 Ford Taunus 20M P5
New body, new engines. 17M now gets a V4 engine:
★ 1.5 litre: 1498 cc, 60 hp (44 kW), 140 km/h (88 mph)
★ 1.7 litre: 1699 cc, 65 or 70 hp (48 or 51 kW), 145 or 150 km/h (91 or 94 mph).
New 20M gets a V6 engine with 2.0 litres (1998 cc) and 85 or 90 hp (63 or 66 kW) with a top speed of 158 or 161 km/h (99 or 101 mph).
Again, a good selling car.
fourth generation 17M (P7) 1967-1968, 20M (P7) 1967-1968
New body, engines and platform are continued. Very big, very boxy, very American. Not the car which European car buyers desire. A complete failure.
The engines of the 17M/20M P5 are continued with only one addition on the top end. It is the
★ 20M 2.3 litre: 2293 cc, 108 hp (79 kW), 170 km/h (106 mph).
fifth generation 17M (P7.2) 1968-1971, 20M (P7.2) 1968-1971, 26M 1969-1971
1969 Ford 20M XL P7.2
Shrinking sales of the P7 are forcing Ford to offer a restyled car only one year later. Ford is so ashamed by the failure of the last year's model that the new car is again called 'P7'. Here, to avoid confusion, it is called 'P7.2', sometimes it is called 'P7b'. 26M, introduced in 1969, is the top of the line version with the biggest engine (2.6 litres) and the most luxurious trim level.
This is the last specifically German Ford. In early 1972, it is replaced by the new Consul and Granada.
Taunus TC (1970-1976)
1974 Ford Taunus Coupé
In 1970 a new Taunus, the Taunus TC, was introduced, as a two- or four-door sedan, station wagon (or ''Turnier'') and coupé. It was very similar to the British Ford Cortina Mk III, having been developed under the auspices of Ford of Europe, and many components were identical (TC means "Taunus Cortina", to show the similarity of the cars). The 1976 Taunus and Cortina models were identical in all but name, 'Taunus' being the name used in left hand drive (LHD) markets, and 'Cortina' in right hand drive ones, although the Cortina name was used in LHD South Korea and Taiwan. The Mk III was also sold in Scandinavia, alongside the Taunus.
The Ford Taunus TC series was conceived in the late 1960s to be a "world car" alongside its technical sibling the Cortina Mk III, with construction and design work taking place on both sides of the Atlantic. As with the design of the first generation, it was done under the supervision of Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen, of former General Motors fame. The car is often nicknamed "Barock 2" (pointing back to the Taunus P2 series of the late 1950s, commonly known as the "Barock-Taunus") or "The Knudsen Nose" by its German owners because of the pointy hood scoop that, as the legend has it, was put there on direct order from Knudsen. Otherwise the major design work is rumoured to have been done by Italian car designer Luigi Colani, who also did design concepts for BMW's motorcycle division in the late 1970s.
Taunus Mk III (1976-1982/1994)
Ford Taunus 1979-1982
As from the 1976 model year the Taunus and Cortina were essentially the same cars. The Taunus TC along with the Cortina Mk III and their successors have been produced in slightly updated forms in Europe, Argentina and Asia (some Cortinas were built under license by Korean automaker Hyundai) with the last Turkish Otosan-Taunus leaving the factory in the mid-nineties. However the major components remained basically the same through the entire production run only receiving minor body changes with the biggest re-engineering in the 1979 model year, which involved a facelift (identical to the Ford Cortina Mk5 update).
The 1979-82 series shared a good deal of its mechanics with the first generation Ford Sierra.
The Taunus and Cortina series are very easy to service and share a lot of mechanical components with the other European Ford cars of the period (excluding the Ford Fiesta), making them extremely easy to fix.
In 1982 production of the Taunus ceased in Europe, and was replaced by the Ford Sierra. Production continued in Argentina, where it also featured automatic transmission as optional,
which had a local coupé version until 1984, and Otosan in Turkey, where a restyled version of the last model continued in production until 1994.
See also
★ Ford Cortina
★ Ford Sierra
★ List of Ford vehicles
External links
★ Club Taunus in Argentina
★ Dutch Ford Taunus GT and Ford OSI page
★ Austrian Ford Taunus site (English language)
★ German Ford Taunus site
★ German Ford Taunus-Board (mainly German language, but also English and others)
★ German site for M-series 1952 - 1972
★ Swiss Ford Taunus site
★ Hungarian Ford Taunus site
| 'Preceded by': Ford V8 G78 Ford Rheinland | 'Taunus 17M/20M/26M' (1957-1971) | 'Succeeded by': Ford Granada |
| 'Preceded by': Ford Eifel Ford Köln | 'Taunus G73A/G93A' (1939-1951) | 'Taunus 12M/15M' (1952-1970) | 'Ford Taunus' (1970-1982) | 'Succeeded by': Ford Sierra |
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