The Ford Motor Company introduced its Ford De Luxe line in 1938 as an upscale alternative to bridge the gap between its base model (usually referred to as Standard) and Lincoln's luxury offerings.
The name "Deluxe" was first used in 1930 to designate a top-of-the-range version from the Model 40-B and the Model 45-B,
Then later the Ford De Luxe line was differentiated as a separate "brand within brand" with separate styling and pricing until 1940.
In 1939, Ford had five car lines:
Ford, De Luxe Ford, Mercury, Lincoln-Zephyr and Lincoln.
After the war, these lines were simplified to become Ford, Mercury and Lincoln.
This marketing approach was a response to the various brands of General Motors,
(Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevy),
and Chrysler brands (Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge and Plymouth).
The 1938 Ford De Luxes featured a steeper hood and an ornamental heart-shaped grille.
This look carried over to the standard line for 1939, with Ford De Luxes featuring V-shaped grilles with vertical bars.
The standard line again inherited the De Luxe look for 1940, this time with body-colored vertical bars.
The 1940 Ford De Luxe featured a three-piece grille with horizontal bars.
Info:
Price: 5000€
Power: 308hp
Max speed: 120km/h
