Where was the Ford Taunus sold?
Primarily in Europe, with Germany as the core market; the Taunus name was used for a range of mid-sized Ford cars produced for many Western European markets, and in the United Kingdom its platform was sold under the Cortina badge rather than as Taunus.
The Ford Taunus was a long-running European line built and marketed by Ford, evolving through several generations from the 1950s into the 1980s. While it never became a mainstream model lineup in North America, its influence extended across multiple European countries, where it served as the backbone of Ford’s mid-sized offerings and underpinned the UK-market Cortina in several generations.
Geographic footprint
Below is a snapshot of the major markets where Taunus-based models were sold, reflecting Ford’s European strategy and badge branding during the Taunus era.
- Germany (home market and a central hub for Taunus development)
- United Kingdom ( Taunus-derived Cortina models were marketed under a different name in the UK)
- Netherlands
- Belgium
- Luxembourg
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Sweden
- Norway
- Denmark
- Ireland
- Spain
- Portugal
In practice, the Taunus served as Ford’s European mid-sized platform across Western and Central Europe. Its legacy included direct Taunus badging in some markets and Cortina branding in the United Kingdom, with the core strategy rooted in continental Europe.
Branding and regional variations
Across different markets, Ford used the Taunus name for several generations of mid-sized cars, but regional branding varied. In the United Kingdom, the Taunus platform contributed to the development of the Ford Cortina, which carried its own badge while sharing engineering with Taunus-era designs. In other European markets, Taunus badging was more common on the locally sold models.
Summary
The Ford Taunus was principally a European phenomenon, anchored in Germany and extended to a broad swath of Western and Central Europe. It did not see significant US/Canada sales, and in the UK its technology underpinned the Cortina, illustrating how Ford used the Taunus platform to serve diverse regional markets.
Was the Taunus sold outside of Europe?
The Taunus was produced in Argentina from 1974 up until the end of 1984, when the production assembly was sold to Turkey to manufacture the Otosan Taunus.
Where was the Ford Taurus sold?
Production of the Taurus wagon was discontinued on December 8, 2004; sedan retail sales halted after a short 2006 model year, and the Taurus became sold exclusively to fleets in the United States, while still being sold to retail customers in Canada.
How many Ford Taunus were made?
If we leave aside the revived pre-war Buckel or 'humpback' model and the 1970-on TC-series Taunus/Cortina, a total of 4.36 million Taunuses were made, from the first properly post-war design, the G13 12M, through to the last of the 'M' series in '71. So they are a familiar part of the classic scenery in their homeland.
Where was the Ford Taunus manufactured?
| Ford Taunus TC | |
|---|---|
| Production | 1970–1982 (Europe) 1977–1983 (South Korea) 1974–1984 (Argentina) 1984–1994 (Turkey) |
| Assembly | Belgium: Genk South Korea: Ulsan (Hyundai) Argentina: General Pacheco Turkey: Istanbul (Ford Otosan) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Large family car (D) |
