stylistically the new car followed the 1930s fashion for streamlining, but with a north american flavour inspired by the lincoln-zephyr of the time. design work was carried out at the ford headquarters in detroit mainly between the then recently appointed chief of design e.t. "bob" gregorie and lincoln-mercury division manager edsel ford, the son of henry ford. the bodyshell was supplied from the berlin plant of pressed steel experts, ambi budd. like the eifel, the ford taunus came with rigid axles, but with the innovation of hydraulic brakes.