Ford Taunus P3 17M 

Production :	1960 to 1964
Class :	Motor car
Body versions :	Saloon,station wagon,convertible
Engines:	Gasoline: 1.5-1.75 liters (40-55 kW)
Length:	4452-4517 mm
Width:	1670 mm
Height:	1450-1490 mm
Wheelbase :	2630 mm
Curb weight:	940-1015 kg

The 1960 presented Taunus P3 or 17 M is a car of Ford Germany. By the designer Uwe Bahnsen .Less wind resistance and more interior space these were the tasks assigned by Ford of Germany for its body.

History 

With the new Taunus P3 Ford, the car had neither tail fins nor chrome trim and seemed more European again.It was also much more economical and functional than its predecessor: the modified body shape resulted in 20% lower fuel consumption at higher speeds, better acceleration and a higher top speed. The raised windscreen was heavily arched. The oval headlights resulted in low beam significantly better light distribution and intensity. Continuous longitudinal members of the all-steel body made them torsionally rigid, so that no reinforcements were required for the four-door design. In contrast, the retained 6 V on-board voltage was less advanced. To improve the ease of use, the first gear of the P3 was synchronized. The suspension with MacPherson struts and wishbones on the individually suspended front wheels and a rigid axle on leaf springs behind Ford had taken over without significant changes from the P2.

In addition to the sedan with two or four doors, there was the combination called Ford "Tournament" , initially with raised rear lights on the roof edge, later with attached to the fenders and finally with inserted into the fenders taillights. The wagon had reinforced rear springs and larger tires. You could temporarily choose from three different tailgates : the first is struck at the top of the roof, the second is attached to the left side door and the third is struck on the car floor, the rear window had to open the door  with a retracted crank . The range of new models feature
1.5 or 1.7 liter engines teamed with fully synchronized three-speed or four-speed gearboxes,  During the entire construction period, the buyer had the choice between three engines (1498, 1698 and 1758 cc) and a variety of color combinations of paint and interior. On request, the automatic clutch " Saxomat " was available for three-speed transmissions .

With this model, Ford was able to catch up with the registration numbers of Opel for a short time (number of built P3 669,731 units, including 86,010 station wagons). Even today, several hundred vehicles of this series are registered (mostly with vintage car approval).

In a very small number of about 150 pieces produced a convertible and a coupe variant. Some Taunus P3 were converted to pickup in South Africa and Greece .The Taunus P3, which was popularly known as "bathtub" because of its shape, is today regarded as a design milestone. He was replaced by the Taunus 17 M of the P5 series .