Ford (D) Taunus 12m 1200
(1952 - 1968)
Car articles about Ford (D) Taunus 12m 1200 by year
Reason had a long tradition at Ford: as early as 1936, the Eifel placed great emphasis on streamlining and economy. The Taunus P3 and Sierra followed this ideal and competed with their ancestor in 1984 to compare the generations. In the meantime, even the then brand-new model with the aero rear end is over 40 years old. Has the last sentence of this historical article come true?
Ford already had good sales figures in England at the beginning of the 1920s. The sale of US cars in Europe was therefore very lucrative. So the decision was made to open another production facility in Germany. Initially, cars were built in Berlin, but from the 1930s onwards, passenger cars were manufactured in Cologne. This article summarizes the beginnings of Ford in Germany with many historical pictures.
If you can't buy it, build it! Walt Hansgen was an ambitious amateur racing driver from New Jersey, USA, who wanted to buy the latest sports car from Europe, the Jaguar C-Type, in 1952. But none of the 7 examples brought to the USA were intended for Hansgen, so he built his own interpretation of the fastest racing sports car of his time.
The Ford Taunus 12 M, a child of a German-American marriage, really needs no introduction. It was comfortable, spacious and, with its pontoon shape, also stylish. Its big brother, the 15 M, offered all the best features of the 12 M, together with a more powerful engine and better equipment. However, it also inherited a few weaknesses from the 12 M. The magazine 'Motor-Rundschau' took a close look at the new 15 M in 1955. The value text of the test at that time is reproduced in full in this article, supplemented by many contemporary photographs and a sales brochure.
Anyone who had expected a fashionable body sensation from the 'new model' from the Cologne plant will be somewhat surprised to see the new Taunus 15 M, which uses the basic body shape of the 12 M. This dress was probably 'made to measure' from the outset. The success of the 12 M was based on the fact that it offered the driving comfort of a much more powerful car in the still 'small' 1200 class. Although the Ford people had gradually extracted 38 hp from the original Eifel engine, which allowed the car to travel 120 km/h, the car made it clear that it was actually 'destined for higher things'. When, at high speeds, the engine indicated that it was now giving enough, the driver and vehicle really began to feel at ease. The test report in Hobby magazine from 1955 shows interesting technical solutions and gives an impression of the Ford 15 M from the perspective of the time.
The "new" 1959 Ford 12 M was not really new, but it was so much improved that journalists were able to rediscover it and were convinced by the progress made. Of course, this Ford Taunus had long proven itself as a practical and spacious everyday car and even Willi Schmitz from krafthand could hardly find a fly in the ointment. This article reproduces the original wording of the test from back then and shows the Ford 12 M and its predecessor in historical photos.
The Ford Taunus 12 M of the 1960 model year, also known as the "Seitenstreifentaunus", was tested by the magazine 'hobby' in 1960 and described as the most dangerous competitor to the VW. The model upgrades were clearly appreciated. This report reproduces the re-edited original wording of the test report at the time and is illustrated with archive photos from the period and other photos of the various Taunus generations.
It was not a sports car, but a real workhorse. This was the verdict of the test drivers in 1960 after their trials with Ford 12M models with the head-controlled 1.5-liter engine in combination with a three- and four-speed gearbox. Fast enough, economical and well equipped for a manageable amount of money - that was definitely a statement at the beginning of the sixties. This article reproduces the original wording of the test report from back then and shows the Ford 12 M in many pictures.
Ford dances out of the trapeze! Performance and economy, won in the wind tunnel. This is how the test report of the magazine 'hobby' on the new Ford Taunus 17M began in 1960. Günther Gebhardt saw the new Taunus not just as a new car, but as the dawn of a new era in which fashionable design refinements would be sacrificed for aerodynamics and functionality. This article reproduces the original wording of the test report at the time and shows the Ford Taunus 17M in over 50 historical pictures as well as in the sales brochure of the time.
The new Ford Taunus 17M was a highly remarkable new car from Cologne, wrote Olaf von Fersen in his test in December 1960, after he had subjected the new car to extensive test drives. The Taunus was indeed refreshingly different. Not everything was perfect, but many things were at least significantly better than its predecessor. This article reproduces the original test report from 1960 and shows the rounded Ford Taunus 17M in many historical pictures and in the sales literature of the time.
In 1962, many people expected miracles from the Ford 12 M, precisely because the Americans had developed it. The magazine 'hobby' devoted itself to the newcomer and came to thoroughly positive conclusions, which resulted in the statement "even more car for the money". This report reproduces the original wording of the test report at the time. It is supplemented with historical illustrations and references to other reports on the 12 M.
At the beginning of the sixties, the growing middle class increasingly demanded practical and cost-effective methods of getting from A to B with the kids. This significant development prompted Ford to focus on rational production and maximizing the utility of its products. Production of the 12 M began in 1962. As an uncapricious rolling utility vehicle, it was not primarily intended to be an automotive delicacy. This article reproduces a test report from the fall of 1962 and shows the compact sedan in extensive photo and sales material from the past.
While the nature of the normal Ford Taunus 12 M was that of a mild, gentle breeze, the 12 M TS launched in 1962 behaved like a storm of medium hurricane force. Behind the inconspicuous model designation was a nippy compact in a Biedermann coat, which also showed the taillights to its larger Taunus relatives. Why the test car still amazed and what defects one had to be prepared for almost 60 years ago can be read in the historical test report from 1963 with a collection of pictures and sales literature from that time.
The predominant car on the roads of Germany, Austria and Switzerland in the early 1960s was the Volkswagen Beetle. Over the years, the Wolfsburg-based company had perfected it and made it better and more reliable step by step. However, a circle of competitors formed around Wolfsburg that were superior to the Beetle in terms of comfort, space, driving performance and economy ... and still lost out in the local market. This report characterizes the generation of thousands using the examples of the Austin Mini Cooper, DKW F12, Fiat 850, Ford Anglia, Morris 1100, Opel Kadett, Panhard PL17, Renault R8 and Simca 1000. The article is illustrated with over 120 archive photos and over a dozen original sales brochures.
The Taunus 12 M had been put into the nest of the Cologne Ford works by the big mother from Dearborn. In keeping with its origins, it was also very American in some respects, such as the suspension, steering and body size compared to other European small cars. But this also had its advantages. Because with the 1.5-liter engine, the 12 M suddenly belonged to the middle class - and was unrivalled in terms of price. This historical test report is dedicated to the big little Ford.
Surprisingly, the large V6 was quite similar in its characteristics to the small four-cylinder engines. Instead of drawing its power from the depths of its displacement, it also preferred to draw its power from the engine speed. However, as it harmonized excellently with the transmission, this was not seen as a disadvantage. The generally very conventional design of the car also had its advantages, as can be seen from this historical test report.
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.
With the Taunus 20M, Ford rounded off the mid-range model at the top - the "hardtop", pillarless coupé with the two-liter V6 engine is regarded as a delicacy of the model series. With 90 hp, it had a sporty engine at the time, and the classic, simple coupé shape is still appealing today. We were able to drive a 1966 model and test it in today's road traffic.
Current market prices for Ford (D) Taunus 12m 1200
2-Door Sedan, 39 PS, 1183 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 39 PS, 1183 cm3
2-Door Sedan, 45 PS, 1183 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 45 PS, 1183 cm3
2-Door Sedan, 38 PS, 1172 cm3
Station Wagon, 38 PS, 1172 cm3
2-Door Sedan, 38 PS, 1172 cm3
Station Wagon, 38 PS, 1172 cm3
2-Door Sedan, 54 PS, 1498 cm3
Station Wagon, 39 PS, 1183 cm3
2-Door Sedan, 50 PS, 1498 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 50 PS, 1498 cm3
2-Door Sedan, 54 PS, 1498 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 54 PS, 1498 cm3
2-Door Sedan, 65 PS, 1498 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 65 PS, 1498 cm3
Coupe, 65 PS, 1498 cm3
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Auctioned vehicles of Ford (D) Taunus 12m 1200
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford D Taunus 12m (P4) 1965 Sold Jack-Philippe Ruellan Automobiles de Collection & Automobilia (March 26, 2016) |
Taunus 12m (P4) | 1965 | Sold | Jack-Philippe Ruellan Automobiles de Collection & Automobilia (March 26, 2016) | |
| Ford D Taunus 17m (P2) 1958 Not Sold Auktionshaus Lippe Oldtimerauktion in Borken (November 5, 2016) |
Taunus 17m (P2) | 1958 | Not Sold | Auktionshaus Lippe Oldtimerauktion in Borken (November 5, 2016) | |
| Ford D Taunus 17m (P5) 1967 Not Sold ACA Kings Lynn Auction (August 22, 2015) |
Taunus 17m (P5) | 1967 | Not Sold | ACA Kings Lynn Auction (August 22, 2015) | |
| Ford D Taunus 17m (P3) 1961 Sold ACA Kings Lynn Auction (August 22, 2015) |
Taunus 17m (P3) | 1961 | Sold | ACA Kings Lynn Auction (August 22, 2015) | |
| Ford D Taunus 17m Super (P5) 1966 Sold Campen Randers Sale (November 13, 2016) |
Taunus 17m Super (P5) | 1966 | Sold | Campen Randers Sale (November 13, 2016) | |
| Ford D Taunus 15m 1957 Sold Artcurial Rétromobile 2015 (February 6, 2015) |
Taunus 15m | 1957 | Sold | Artcurial Rétromobile 2015 (February 6, 2015) | |
| Ford D Taunus Transit 1962 Sold Auctionata Berlin Sale (June 26, 2015) |
Taunus Transit | 1962 | Sold | Auctionata Berlin Sale (June 26, 2015) | |
| Ford D Taunus 20m (P5) 1967 Not Sold Anglia Car Auctions Kings Lynn Auction (November 7, 2015) |
Taunus 20m (P5) | 1967 | Not Sold | Anglia Car Auctions Kings Lynn Auction (November 7, 2015) | |
| Ford D Taunus 17m (P2) 1960 Sold Campen Randers (March 20, 2016) |
Taunus 17m (P2) | 1960 | Sold | Campen Randers (March 20, 2016) | |
| Ford D Taunus 17m (P5) 1968 Sold Campen Randers (June 26, 2016) |
Taunus 17m (P5) | 1968 | Sold | Campen Randers (June 26, 2016) |
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