And so, another ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle bows out as Ford will produce the last Fiesta at its Cologne, Germany, facility on 7 July 2023. The Fiesta, a stalwart in Ford’s stable, has been around for 47 years, spawning seven generations starting in the mid-’70s.
Ford’s decision to cull the Fiesta was necessary rather than a want, given the uptake of electrification and the collaboration with Volkswagen, signed in 2019.
According to Martin Saunder, general manager of Ford’s Model E electrification division in Europe, it was a business decision to convert the Cologne facility into the Blue Oval’s first high-volume EV (electric vehicle) production facility.
“We decided to build our first high-volume electric vehicle here in Cologne,” Sander revealed to AutoCar. “There comes the point where we need the space for construction, because we are turning the Fiesta plant into a fully battery-electric plant. This is why we had to make a decision that we have to stop Fiesta production.”
The Fiesta was discontinued from Ford South Africa’s portfolio in March 2022, and the Figo’s removal soon followed it.
SA and the Fiesta
Though the Fiesta first saw the light in 1976, it wasn’t until the fourth generation (global debut: 1995) that South Africans would get their first taste of the hatchback. The car arrived on local soil a few years later and won the 1998 South African Car of the Year competition.
In 2010, and now its fifth generation, Ford launched the spicy Fiesta ST, complete with a naturally aspirated 2,0-litre petrol engine, developing 110 kW and 190 N.m. A short-throw five-speed manual gearbox channelled power to the front wheels, ensuring plenty of thrills.
Though it never won the SA COTY title again, the Fiesta remained a local favourite. In the following generations, the car became roomier and more technologically advanced, and the safety features were at the forefront of its segment.
But it was in 2017 that Ford really turned it up. The automaker launched a special edition Fiesta ST 200, with only 160 units for the local market. And what a treat! The Fiesta ST200’s 1,6-litre turbocharged petrol engine produced 149 kW (200 hp) and 240 N.m, sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.
The CAR team summarised the ST200’s driving experience: “It’s still outrageous fun pointing Ford’s hottest Fiesta at a twisty road – even if the driving position is a touch too lofty – with the three-mode traction-control system effectively allowing the driver to determine the limit and the clever torque vectoring control helping to serve up heaps of front-end grip. In short, the fleet-of-foot Fiesta ST200 is an eminently difficult car to fluster, even at speed over bumpy surfaces.”
Related: Ford Fiesta range gets updated with bolder design and new powertrain
The Fiesta ST200 would be the last new Ford ST model in South Africa.
In 2018, South Africa received the then-new generation of Ford’s popular hatchback, but it was clear that change was in the air. Though other markets, like the UK, received updated and refreshed models, Ford SA did not, and the agreed-upon stock had to run its course, leading to the eventual removal in March of last year.
What’s next for Ford – globally and locally?
Ford is geared for an electric future. The American automotive giant already has several EVs in its portfolio, including the Mustang Mach E and F-150 Lightning, and plans to expand on that, thanks to the agreement with Volkswagen. Ford will produce its vehicles based on VW’s MEB platform – in other words, electric vehicles – at the Cologne plant, which includes three new EVs that it plans to sell in Europe from 2024 onwards.
“We will introduce three new exciting electric passenger vehicles and four new electric commercial vehicles in Europe by 2024. We plan to sell more than 600 000 electric vehicles in the region by 2026,” Saunder revealed to Auto Express.
However, Ford South Africa’s wait for its first EV continues. The Blue Oval is already producing VW’s Amarok alongside its Ranger at its Silverton facility in Pretoria, but there is yet to be an exact timeline for Ford-badged EVs. Talks of the Fiesta-based Puma arriving locally have been ongoing for a while, but even it is up in the air.
The Puma line-up also consists of an electric model.
Because Ford SA’s portfolio consists of light commercial vehicles (LCVs), an SUV, and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs), with just the Mustang as its passenger car, the Puma will fit the bill perfectly – perhaps even challenge the Ranger as Ford’s best-selling vehicle locally. However, given Ford SA’s position to be profitable rather than have a big slice of the market share pie, the automaker will likely continue with what’s currently available.
The Fiesta’s 17-month absence in the South African market is felt, and one can only hope that a successor, in any form, won’t arrive too late.
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