The Ford model has all the time been uniquely and fascinatingly fractured.
Most know that it has lengthy had American, Australian, European and Brazilian divisions doing very various things with good offers of independence, and up to now there have been, in fact, British and German divisions (in truth, at one level, Brits may purchase a Ford from three separate companies).
But there are additionally obscurities, each current (Turkish lorry or Chinese Mondeo, anybody?) and previous (Italian Anglia or French V8 sports activities coupé?).
Wait, what? Yes, there was as soon as a Ford of France, providing the wealthy a coachbuilt, rally-winning magnificence.
Autocar Archive returns: 128 years of magazines available online
To correctly inform the story of our 27 June 1952 highway check automobile, although, we first should journey again to 1934.
Even with Dagenham just lately accomplished as Europe’s largest automobile manufacturing facility and equally trendy websites in Cork and Cologne, Ford was nonetheless not achieved increasing in Europe.
It had struggled in France of late, as a result of each the smallness of its manufacturing facility in Paris and massive new protectionist import taxes, however a chance to swiftly enhance issues got here within the type of the French producer Mathis, which was in monetary peril however had a big manufacturing facility down in Strasbourg.
The consequence was a three way partnership introduced in October 1934. Matford could be overseen by the US, not the UK, on the request of boss Maurice Dollfus, who made it fairly clear that he hadn’t loved reporting to baron Percival Perry.
Ford spent large on modernising Strasbourg and in 1935 launched the primary Matford, a saloon named after its house area of Alsace. Its chassis and three.6-litre V8 got here from the US; its physique, derived from the American Model 48, got here from revered elements provider Chausson; and its inside was model-unique.
It made an inauspicious begin, as a result of its robust energy (89bhp) and thus excessive tax score, however Matford rapidly saved the scenario after a yr by including a short-wheelbase mannequin with a 59bhp 2.2-litre V8.
