The M20 was an Armored Utility Car that was also known as an M20 Scout Car. It was a converted M8 without the revolving turret so there would be room for passenger seats, radio equipment, a Commanders table and the ring mounting for a .50 caliber heavy machine gun. The crew was also provided a bazooka for defense to help compensate for the lack of heavy armor. This configuration meant there was an open top but it did provide a certain amount of protection for the crew from small arms fire or shrapnel. The M20 had a top speed of 90km/h and was quite agile which made it well suited for forward reconnaissance work. The vehicle was also used as an APC and cargo carrier. The M20 started life in 1943 as the M10 Armored Utility Car but was changed to M20 so it wouldn’t be confused with the M10 TD. The M20 had a rather short production life from 1943 to 1944 but during this brief period Ford produced 3,680 units.
