Designed by Pininfarina, the 404 was offered initially as a sedan, estate, and pickup. A convertible was added in 1962, and a coupé in 1963. The 404 was fitted with a 1.6 L petrol engine, with either a Solex carburetor or Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection or a 1.9 L diesel engine available as options. Introduced at the Paris Motor Show as an option was the inclusion of a 3-speed ZF automatic transmission, similar to the unit already offered on certain BMW models, as an alternative to the standard column-mounted manual unit.