The Ford Taunus 12 M is a range of large family saloons/sedans that were produced by Ford Germany between 1966 and 1970. There were two different engine sizes in the 12M. Two larger engines were available in the otherwise very similar Ford Taunus 15 M. From the outside the 15M was differentiated by its grill and rectangular headlights from the 12M which had round front lights.[1] A complicating feature was the availability, at extra cost, of one of the larger engines from the 15M in the 12M.
It was first shown in September 1966. In August 1967 the model's first and most significant facelift was marked by the removal of the “Taunus” name, and after this the cars were known simply as the Ford 12 M and the Ford 15 M.
The Taunus 12M name had been applied to the car's predecessor and the 15M name had also been used until 1959 for an earlier model. This is why the 12M and 15M models introduced in 1966 are usually identified, in retrospect, as the Ford Taunus P6. It was the sixth 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 6 (P6) or the Ford (Taunus) P6.
Between September 1966 and August 1970 when it was replaced 668,187 Ford (Taunus) P6s were produced.[1] This was uncannily close to the 672,695 units of the predecessor model produced between 1962 and 1966.[1] The Taunus P6 used different names for different engine sized cars, and it is recorded that approximately 385,000 of those produced were the (mostly smaller-engined) 12Ms while the larger-engined 15Ms accounted for approximately 285,000.
Evolutionary design
The rear light clusters on the 12M took the form of an extended lozenge. The rear light clusters on the 15M were rectangular.The Ford 15M Rallye Sport (RS), especially in its coupe form, acquired something approaching cult status among a determined body of enthusiasts.Ford 12M: what the driver saw in 1967.
The Ford Taunus P6 inherited its wheelbase from the previous model but the new body was nevertheless longer and wider, though lower. This reflected the design trends evident throughout western Europe at the time. The car also inherited the V4 engine and front-wheel drive configuration which in 1960 had marked out its predecessor as an innovator. However, the P6 came with a choice of four different engine sizes whereas P4 buyers had been obliged to choose between just two.
The 12M and 15M shared the same body, but the front grill and headlamp treatments differed as did the rear light clusters. The rear light clusters on the 12M, reminiscent of those of the previous model, took the form of an extended lozenge. The rear light clusters on the 15M were rectangular.
Engines
As on the previous Taunus 12M, the engine was front-mounted and drove the front wheels. In France and Britain this layout was beginning to gain wider acceptance thanks to cars such as the Peugeot 204 and the Morris 1100, but in Germany, apart from pioneering models from the by now relatively low volume Auto Union brands that had introduced front wheel drive in the 1930s and applied it ever since, the Ford Taunus 12M/15M was still regarded as idiosyncratic in using this configuration.
Between 1967 and 1968 the entry level Ford Taunus 12M was offered with the 1183cm³ V4 engine that had powered its predecessor and for which a maximum power output of 45 PS/hp at 5,000rpm was claimed.
Most 12Ms were sold with a newly introduced 1305cm³ V4 version of the same engine, but bored out by an additional 4mm (0.2in). This unit was offered at launch and throughout the model life. Two different versions promised different levels of power, at either 50 or 53 PS/hp. The more powerful of these two was only offered between 1967 and 1968. The two engines were designated as “LC” and “HC” engines, which was short for “Low Compression” and “High Compression”. The oil companies were at the time introducing to German motorists “super” grade higher octane fuels at correspondingly higher prices, which encouraged car manufacturers to offer improved performance versions of cars using higher compression ratios than had hitherto been usual.
The next engine up, available as an optional extra on the 12M, and the standard engine on the 15M, was of 1498cc. It shared the same 58.86mm (2.3in) stroke length of both the smaller engines fitted in the 12M, but for this application the bore was increased to 90mm (3.5in).
In 1967, a year after the model's introduction, a 1699cc engine became available for the faster Ford 15Ms. This larger V4 engine had first appeared in 1964 in the larger Ford Taunus 17M. Unlike the less powerful units used in most 12Ms and 15Ms, these 1699cc units were available only with the relatively high 9:1 compression ration, and all required to be fuelled with “super” grade high octane petrol/gasoline.
Body
A P6 15m Turnier
The body was an all-steel monocoque structure, following what had by now become a universal pattern among the larger European auto-makers. The choices were broadly the same as for the previous model: Most buyers chose between the two-door and four-door saloon/sedan. A three-door station wagon ("Turnier") was also produced as was a two-door coupé, similar to the two-door sedan/saloon up to waist level, but with a shortened roof line and an increased rake for the back window, restricting severely the available headroom for those sitting in the back of the car. But there was an absentee: the P6 was the first post war Ford Taunus design for which the company offered no coach-built cabriolet version.
A feature of the body that was loudly proclaimed in Ford's advertising was its interior roominess, reflected in its generous exterior dimensions. The car was marketed and, with its less powerful versions, priced, squarely against the Volkswagen and the Opel Kadett. Opel had noticed Fords getting larger, and the new Kadett B which appeared in 1965 was 100–200mm (3.9–7.9in) longer (depending on body type) than the Kadett A. However, the Ford (Taunus) P6 which appeared in 1966 was 200–300mm (7.9–11.8in) longer even than the new Kadett.
Running gear
In most important respects, the underpinnings of Taunus P6 followed those of the previous model. A four-speed all-synchromesh manual gear box, which in the previous model had been an option, was now a standard feature, however. The gear box was controlled with a column-mounted lever, which was by now mainstream in Germany. However, from February 1968 it became possible, at extra cost, to specify a floor-mounted gear change lever between the (for these models) individual front seats. For the range topping Ford Taunus 15M RS introduced in March 1968 the floor-mounted gear change was a standard feature.
Also inherited from the previous model was the combination of disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. September 1967 saw the introduction of twin braking circuits as an additional safety feature, and in February 1968 servo-assistance for the braking system was introduced as an option on most models and included in the price for the more expensive versions of the car.
The front suspension geometry was developed from that of the Ford P4 and again incorporated MacPherson struts which combined with the class leading width of the car's 1,321mm (52.0in) track encouraged the manufacturer to promote the car's handling and cornering qualities. Telescopic dampers also improved the suspension of the wheels at the back of the car where the steel beam axle and the semi-elliptical leaf springs would have been familiar to drivers of earlier Taunus models.
Facelifts and upgrades
The Ford (Taunus) P6 seems to have undergone a far more extensive collection of upgrades during its four years in production than earlier Ford Taunus models. This may well have reflected the increasing competitiveness of the German auto-market which grew considerably, though not without reversals, through the 1960s.
The first and most extensive facelift came after just a year. Advertising of the time highlights a long list of improvements covering matters such as instrumentation and upholstery, although many of these, with the benefit of five decades of hindsight, appear very trivial. Following the annual summer vacation shut-down the cars that came of the production line from September 1967 nevertheless appeared with restyled grills and dashboards. Many mainstream cars had by now accumulated long lists of optional extras, and on the Taunus P6 there was a resorting of which items of extra equipment came at extra cost and which were included in the price of the various versions of the car. The “Taunus” name was removed: from now on the Ford Taunus 12M was sold as the Ford 12M, and the name of the 15M was similarly diminished.
At this point the 6 volt electrical system was upgraded to a (since 1966 available as an optional extra) 12 volt system, reflecting the progressively greater demands placed upon the electrical systems from the growing complexity of componentry which had already persuaded most of the Ford's competitors to take this step many years earlier. Though it probably figured in Ford's thinking that, except on cars exported to the US, Volkswagen themselves continued to offer some models with only 6-volt electrical systems until 1972.
The upgraded cars for September 1967 also featured fuels tanks enlarged from 38 litres to 45 litres, which will presumably have marginally reduced luggage capacity, since the fuel tank was positioned on the right side of the boot/trunk, under the rear right-hand wing. The increase in fuel tank size applied to the saloons/sedans and the coupés but was not extended to the “Turnier” station wagon versions of the cars,
The engine cooling system was also modified for the September 1967 upgrade, and no longer incorporated an expansion tank. Autumn 1967 also saw the unveiling of the Ford 15M Rallye Sport generally referred to as the 15M RS. This model, especially in its coupe form, quickly acquired something approaching cult status among a determined body of enthusiasts. However, the 15M RS was itself upgraded in the Spring of 1968, which was when a floor-mounted gear change became standard equipment on this model.
Subsequent facelifts seem to have been restricted to rearranging the number of dials on the dashboard and reconfiguring the options list.
Commercial
In a static market the P6's achievement in matching its predecessor's annual volumes would have been counted a success, but the German auto-market was growing at this time. After 1962 small passenger car makers in Germany had to confront not merely the Volkswagen, but also the Opel Kadett. Between 1966 and 1970 Ford produced 668,187[1] of their P6 model, which equated to a rate of approximately 167,000 cars per year. Between 1965 and 1973 Opel produced 2,691,300 Opel Kadett Bs[1] which equated to a rate of approximately 336,500 cars per year. Both cars were comfortably outsold on the domestic market by the Volkswagen Beetle according to the official statistics published monthly by Auto, Motor und Sport, and at this stage the Beetle still appeared unstoppable in key export markets.
Replacement
The Ford (Taunus) P6 failed to keep pace with the growth in the German auto-market which appears to have contributed to a major rethink. In 1970 Ford ceased to manufacture front-wheel drive cars, and would stick to the tried and tested and (it was said at the time) cheaper and simpler rear wheel drive configuration until the arrival in 1976 of the Ford Fiesta.
The 12M/15M was effectively replaced by two models, one of them smaller and one of them a little larger. The car having by now grown so much larger than principal domestic market competitors, no attempt was made, when replacing it, to persist with a Taunus in the small car class. Instead, Ford adapted the British Ford Escort design for production, from 1970, at a purpose built plant at Saarlouis. The Escort of this time succeeded instantly in Britain as a worthy successor to the smaller Ford Anglia. In Germany it was substantially smaller than any Ford offered in recent years, and it faced the market dominance of Opel and Volkswagen. The 1968 Escort offered cramped cabin space to challenge the Volkswagen owner's experiences, but without the Volkswagen's compensating virtues, and the Escort would have to wait until the launch of its next generation before it would begin to win a reasonable level of market acceptance in Germany.
At the upper end of the range the P6's replacement fared better at once, as the Taunus name returned and the Ford (Taunus) P6 was replaced by the rearwheel drive Ford Taunus TC. This shared the basic footprint and simplified architecture (though not at this stage most of its engines) with the British Ford Cortina Mark III. The Taunus TC would sell strongly against Opel’s Ascona, and was also helped in shared European export markets by the Cortina's supply problems resulting from lengthy strikes at Dagenham. The Taunus TC was produced at an annualised rate well ahead of the rates achieved by the Taunus P6.
Related Research Articles
The Ford Taunus is a family car that was sold by Ford Germany throughout Europe. Models from 1970 onward were built on the same basic construction as the Ford Cortina MkIII in the United Kingdom, and later on, the two car models were essentially the same, differing almost only in the placement of the steering wheel. The model line was named after the Taunus mountain range in Germany, and was first made in 1939, and continued through several versions until 1994.
The Opel Kadett is a small family car produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel from 1936 until 1940 and then from 1962 until 1991, when it was succeeded by the Opel Astra.
The Opel Ascona is a large family car that was produced by the German automaker Opel from 1970 to 1988. It was produced in three separate generations, beginning with rear-wheel-drive and ending up as a front-wheel drive J-car derivative.
Economy car is a term mostly used in the United States for cars designed for low-cost purchase and operation. Typical economy cars are small, lightweight, and inexpensive to both produce and purchase. Stringent design constraints generally force economy car manufacturers to be inventive. Many innovations in automobile design were originally developed for economy cars, such as the Ford Model T and the Austin Mini.
The Opel Olympia is a compact car by German automaker Opel, then part of G.M., from 1935 to 1940, and after World War II continued from 1947 to 1953. It was one of the world's first mass-produced cars with a unitary body structure, after the 1934 Citroën Traction Avant; and it was a mass-production success, made in six-figure numbers. Opel achieved this even before the war, all while Hitler promised Germany a "Volkswagen" - a 'People's car', which didn't materialize until 1946. From 1967-1970 the Olympia badge was briefly reused on a later car.
The Opel Olympia Rekord was a two-door family car which replaced the Opel Olympia in March 1953. Innovations included the strikingly modern Ponton format body-work incorporating numerous styling features from the United States and large amounts of chrome decoration both on the outside and on the inside.
The automotive industry in Germany is one of the largest employers in the world, with a labor force of over 857,336 (2016) working in the industry.
The Opel Kadett C is a small family car which was produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel from 1973 to 1979. The Kadett C, which was the third generation of the Opel Kadett, was released in August 1973, and was Opel's version of the General Motors' "T-Car". It was the last small Opel to feature rear-wheel drive, and remained in production at Opel's Bochum plant until July 1979, by which time Opel had produced 1,701,076. Of these, 52% had been exported outside West Germany, most of them to markets in other parts of western Europe. In other world markets however, various badge engineered versions of the Kadett C remained in production as late as the mid 1990s under other GM brand names.
The Ford Taunus G93A is a small family car that was produced by Ford Germany between 1939 and 1942 in succession to the Ford Eifel. It was the first car developed at Cologne by Ford Germany which previously had built cars originated by Ford businesses in the US or the UK. Production began on 30 April 1939, with the first car exhibited to the public in June 1939, less than six months before the outbreak of war in Europe.
The Ford Taunus P1 is a small family car which was produced by Ford Germany from 1952 until 1962. It was marketed as the Ford Taunus 12M, and, between 1955 and 1959, as the larger-engined Ford Taunus 15M. The company produced a succession of Ford Taunus 12M models until 1970, as the name was applied to a succession of similarly sized cars, but the first Taunus 12M models, based on the company's Taunus Project 1 (P1), remained in production only until 1962. In that year the Taunus P1 series was replaced by the Taunus P4 series.
The Ford Taunus 17 M is a middle sized family saloon/sedan that was produced by Ford Germany between September 1960 and August 1964. 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 1960 is usually identified, in retrospect, as the Ford Taunus P3. It was the third 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 3 (P3) or the Ford Taunus P3.
The Ford Taunus 12 M is a small family car that was produced by Ford Germany between September 1962 and August 1966.
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" version followed in January 1965 with coupé bodied cars coming along some time later.
The Ford P7 is a range of large family saloons/sedans produced by Ford Germany between autumn 1967 and December 1971. The P7 was marketed as the Ford 17M, Ford 20M and Ford 26M.
The Opel Rekord Series A is an executive car introduced in March 1963, by Opel as a replacement for the Opel Rekord P2. It was fractionally shorter but also wider than its predecessor with a wheelbase approximately 10 cm longer.
The Opel Rekord Series B is an executive car that was introduced in August 1965, by Opel as a replacement for the Opel Rekord Series A. The Rekord B shared the wheelbase and 1696mm width of its predecessor, but the front and rear panels were restyled in order effectively to differentiate the new model. The big news was under the bonnet/hood, however.
The Opel Rekord Series C is an executive car that was introduced in August 1966, by Opel as a replacement for the short-lived Opel Rekord Series B. It was slightly larger all round than its predecessor, from which it inherited most of its engines. It continued in production until replaced by the Opel Rekord Series D at the end of 1971.
The Ford Taunus TC is a range of large family cars that were built by Ford Germany from 1970 until 1982. The Taunus TC was based on the same basic construction as the Ford UK's Cortina range, with the "TC" badge standing for Taunus Cortina.
The Opel Kadett was reintroduced by Opel in 1962, with deliveries beginning on 2 October, a little more than 22 years after the original model was discontinued in May 1940. Like the original Kadett, the new car was a small family car, although it was now available in 2-door saloon, 3-door Car-A-Van (estate) and coupé versions.
The Opel Kadett B is a car that was launched by Opel at the Frankfurt Motor Show in late summer 1965. The Kadett B was larger all-round than the Kadett A: 5% longer both overall and in terms of the wheelbase, 7% wider and 9% heavier, albeit 10 mm (0.39 in) lower in basic standard "Limousine" (sedan/saloon) form. Production ended in July 1973, with the successor model introduced a month later following the summer shut-down, in August.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
