Ford Taunus P5
| Ford Taunus 17M Ford Taunus 20M |
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|---|---|
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ford Germany |
| Also called | Ford Taunus P5 |
| Production | 1964–1967 |
| Assembly |
Cologne-Niehl, Germany Genk, Belgium Azambuja, Portugal |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Mid-size / Large family car (D) |
| Body style | 2-door or 4-door saloon 3-door or 5-door “Kombi” estate car 2-door coupé 2-door coach-built (Karl Deutsch cabriolet |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine |
1498 cc V4 cylinder water-cooled 1699 cc V4 cylinder water-cooled 1998 cc V6 cylinder water-cooled |
| Transmission | 3- or 4-speed all-synchromesh manual with column-mounted gear change lever automatic transmission optional from 1966 |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,705 mm (106.5 in) |
| Length | 4,585 mm (180.5 in) |
| Width | 1,715 mm (67.5 in) |
| Height | 1,480–1,500 mm (58.3–59.1 in) |
| Curb weight | 965–1,150 kg (2,127–2,535 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Ford Taunus 17M P3 |
| Successor | Ford 17M/20M P7 |
The Ford Taunus 17 M is a middle-weight family saloon/sedan that was produced by Ford Germany between 1964 and 1967. The entire range was first presented in September 1964 and volume production of the two and four door saloons/sedans began in November 1964. The "Turnier" (estate/station wagon) version followed in January 1965 with coupé bodied cars coming along some time later.
The Taunus 17M name had been applied to the car’s predecessor and it would apply also to subsequent Ford models which is why the 17M introduced in 1964 is usually identified, in retrospect, as the Ford Taunus P5. It was the fifth newly designed German Ford to be launched after the war and for this reason it was from inception known within the company as Ford Project 5 (P5) or the Ford Taunus P5.
The car was slightly larger in its overall exterior dimensions than its predecessor, but appeared in many respects to be a slightly toned down evolution from the more radical “Badewannetaunus” which it replaced. The big changes with the P5 were under the hood/bonnet where a broadened range of engines included, for the first time on a post-war German Ford, a V6 engine. The Ford Taunus P5, thus propelled, was West Germany’s least expensive 6-cylinder-engined car, and the “Turnier” estate version could be promoted as Germany’s first (and for some years only) six-cylinder station wagon.
The Taunus P5 came as a modern monocoque three-box design, not dissimilar from its predecessor, but more conservative. The design continued with its predecessor's still unusual avoidance of round headlamps. The rear panel might have been seen as following the silhouette of a bathtub, and there were those who applied the “Wanne” (Tub) soubriquet, reminiscent of the “Badewanne” soubriquet of the P3, but the P5 appeared to be more of a committee design, which may explain why the automotive press was by now losing its previous enthusiasm for promoting a new catchy nickname for each new Ford Taunus model launched.
All the four-cylinder cars were badged as Taunus 17Ms. All the six-cylinder cars in the range were badged as Taunus 20Ms. A feature of all the engines which marked them out as "modern" was the over-square cylinder dimensions.
The entry level Taunus 17M was fitted with the 1498 cc V4 engine first seen two years earlier in the “Cardinal” Taunus P4. The mainstream models were powered by a 1699 cc unit: this was now a newly developed V4 engine derived from the smaller 1498 cc unit with which it shared its 90 mm (3.5 in) bore, but the stroke was slightly lengthened. Claimed maximum power in 1964 for the two units was respectively 60 PS (44 kW; 59 hp) and 70 PS (51 kW; 69 hp), both at 4,500 rpm. A subsequently introduced version of the 1699 cc car came with a quoted power output of 75 PS (55 kW; 74 hp).
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Wikipedia