While the Marmon-Herrington Mk IVF reconnaissance car owes little or nothing to the company whose name it bears, there is a kind of twisted logic behind the misnomer. In 1938 the South African government promoted the development of an indigenous armoured car with an order for two experimental types. This was increased to 22 when war broke out in September 1939 and, since South Africa had no automotive industry to speak of, the vehicle relied upon imported components and was based upon a Ford 3-ton truck chassis. It initially emerged as a front-engined 4x2 known as the Mk I Reconnaissance Car SA. Only 113 were manufactured before the Mk II version arrived featuring four-wheel drive using components imported from Marmon-Herrington of Indianapolis. Fewer than 1000 of these were manufactured in 1940/1 before the improved Mk III arrived with a shorter wheelbase but with the same front-engine configuration. The Mk III, of which 2630 were built, served in several theatres, particularly in North Africa as did the Mk II, but these early marks were both lightly armed and armoured; something more capable was needed.
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