On 24 May 1970 the Deutsche Bundesbahn decided to order three prototypes and ordered various German companies to build the trains. Linke-Hoffmann-Busch built six driving cars, designated as class 403.0, MBB built three coaches (class 404.0) and three dining cars (class 404.1). The bogies were built by MAN and the electric equipment was built by AEG, BBC and Siemens. All axles of the train were powered and the train featured a tilting mechanism as many new developments in the early 1970s, e.g. the British Advanced Passenger Train. With the twelve cars built three prototype electric multiple units consisting of 1 drivingcar + 1 coach + 1 diningcar + 1 drivingcar were formed: