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A good compromise - Ford 17 M 1.5 liter in the (historical) test

Name: Ford Taunus 17M 1,5 1965
Brand: Ford

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Created on January 5, 1965

Text:

Clauspeter Becker

Photos:

Ford/Werk

Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

Archiv

Ford/Werk

Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

Archiv

Ford Taunus 17M (1965) - beautifully staged

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Ford Taunus (1964) - from 1964 to 1967, the P5 was built in Cologne as the 17M and 20M

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Ford Taunus 17M (1965) - as a four-door sedan, redeemed in Belgium

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Ford Taunus 17M (1965) - with four doors

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - as a two-door sedan

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - as a two-door "coach" with fixed B-pillar

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - two-door sedan in two-tone paint finish

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - friendly face

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - in comparison with its predecessor 17M

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - less side inclination than its predecessor

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - soon neutral, then strong oversteer

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - Cockpit with sporty center shift

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Ford Taunus 20M (1965) - Cockpit of the automatic version with steering wheel selector lever and retrofitted transmission oil thermometer

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - ahead of a Citroën DS 19 Pallas during winter tests

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - during winter tests at the Lignières driving center

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - Cockpit with five round instruments and large ashtray

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Ford Taunus 20M TS (1965) - with individual seats and stick shift as standard

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Ford Taunus 20M (1965) - contemporary factory photo

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Ford Taunus 17M (1965) - wider and longer than its predecessor

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Ford Taunus 17M (1964) - collided with a bull in the streets of Pamplona

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Ford Taunus 20M TS Hardtop Coupé (1965) - Geneva Motor Show - Geneva Motor Show 1965

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Ford 17 M (1965) - with V4 engine with 70 hp and lateral mass balancer shaft - Geneva Motor Show 1965

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Ford Taunus 20M (1965) - the new two-liter V6 next to the V4 of the 17M

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Ford Taunus 17M (1965) - Headlights with a striking shape

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Summary

A mid-range car that is intended to appeal to a wide range of buyers can never please everyone. Some prefer it sporty, others prefer it comfortable. On top of that, it should be easy to handle in the city and comfortable on long journeys, as well as powerful and economical. And of course it also has to look good. The Ford Taunus P5 mastered this balancing act very well in 1965, as this historical test report shows. Even the much-maligned V4 engine came off surprisingly well.

This article contains the following chapters

Miraculous increase in performance
Noisy but economical
Three or four gears?
More comfort and safety
Pedal and tire pressure
Individual seats recommended
Middle class is a compromise class
Technical data and measured values

Estimated reading time: 25min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Ford's second reissue of its line of reason confronted us with a completely new reaction from German middle-class consumers. Faced with a new model that had previously been considered the epitome of automotive wish fulfillment, people asked: "Why?", "Why did a new model have to replace the car that paved the way to the top for the Cologne Ford works? Why did a car have to die that appeared to be technically superior to its direct competitors, that appealed well and caused little grief?" The model change raises many questions, they are asked everywhere - even within the Ford factories themselves - and this is a really nice posthumous compliment to the predecessor.

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