Was developed by Ford USA, but the management there had no faith that cars with a V4 engine and front-wheel drive would succeed there. The project was thus sent to Germany.
Created in the USA - but became too modern there
The P4 went on sale in 1962 as the first front-wheel drive Ford. It was available with a 1.2-liter or 1.5-liter engine – both V4.
The model was originally developed in the United States as the "Ford Cardinal" - a car that would be part of Ford's Falcon model program. When the project was completed, it was rejected by Ford's top management because they believed there was no market for such cars in the United States. The completed project was then offered to Ford in Cologne, which was in dire need of a successor to its first 12M (P1) which was starting to age.
The Germans put the "Ford Cardinal" into production – supposedly completely unchanged from the original American design. Rumor has it that Ford USA at some later date expressed a desire to offer the 12M in the United States, too. It never happened. Today, there is no trace of any Cardinal or 12M being found there.
Left a mark
The US-developed Ford P4 would in several ways leave its mark on the automotive industry here in Europe. It helped to make front-wheel drive more accepted and widespread among conservative car brands. Car brands such as Citroen, Saab and DKW dared to be ahead of their time in technology and design. Ford's new 12M had a conservative appearance, but V4 engines and front-wheel drive represented something new and modern. We would see more models with V4 engines from German and British Ford, as well as the Swedish Saab 96/95/Sonett.
Model program
The Ford P4 was available in the following body styles: 2- and 4-door sedan, 2-door coupé, 3-door station wagon and van without rear side windows. The equipment variants consisted of "standard" with a 1.2 liter engine and L and TS with a 1.5 engine.
Ford 12M Convertible
There was no convertible in the Ford 12M model range. Over the years, some cars have been converted to convertibles - a job that requires reinforcement of the body. The bodywork company Karl Deutsch was allowed to build new cars and is considered the most renowned convertible builder.
About the pictures
The beautiful, light blue car in the main picture was photographed at a meeting in Ford M Club. The red car with 4 doors is photographed at an Oslo Motor Show in Exporama outside Oslo. The image of a woman in a Taunus TS Coupé comes from a brochure image. The white convertible is pictured in a private garage in Oslo west.
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