The Ford Taunus was a series of compact family cars introduced in 1939 by Ford of Germany. This European model was offered in a wide range of body styles over the course of its long production, with sedan, coupe, convertible, and station wagon variants among the most notable. While launched as a unique model, the Taunus became nearly identical to the British Ford Escort from 1970 onwards until the end of production in 1994.