Car enthusiast David G. Lennox remembers the success of Britain’s bestselling ever car, the Ford Fiesta, celebrates its legacy and ponders whether it might still yet return
I doubt anyone would ever have aspired to own a Ford Fiesta if they perhaps could have afforded say an Aston Martin DB5 instead, but between 1976 and 2023, 22 million of these mini-motors were produced and sold worldwide. Their success is thus undoubtable.
“Farewell Fiesta” declared Ford as these popular with “learner drivers” (the firm declared) cars were phased out in July that year, but even by July 2014 the vehicle had become the UK’s bestselling car of all-time with over 4.1 million sold.
Produced over the years in everywhere from the United Kingdom to Germany, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, Taiwan, China, India, Thailand and South Africa, the Fiesta was originally developed by Trevor Erskine and approved for development by Henry Ford II in 1972. It was primarily marketed as a rival to the Renault 5 rather than BMC’s Mini and became a key part of Ford’s plan to succeed in the “super-mini” segment.
Named “Fiesta” to celebrate the word meaning “party” in Spanish, this little minx of a motor also did well in the rallying world. First entered in the 1979 Monte Carlo Rally, “hot hatch” versions subsequently competed in everything from Rally Greece to The Fiesta Sporting Trophy and Rally Scotland.
Popular in all generations as a sedan delivery van, here is a 3-5 door car that crossed the boundaries from starter to courier cars that deservedly has gone down in history. It will not be remembered as a beauty in the league of say a Jaguar E-Type or Ferrari Testarossa, but the firm favourite of families that is the Ford Fiesta will forever be remembered as remarkably reliable.
Voom, voom and pip pip to the famously and fondly loved little hot hatch (even if it never quite lived up to the far punchier Peugeot 205 and the gloriously gung-ho Volkswagen Golf GTi), but as Motor1.com has asked, could this “historic name” return in 2026?
Don’t forget you can still Buycarparts for a Ford Fiesta also.
Fiesta Facts
- The supermini Ford Fiesta was produced for 47 years from 1976 to 2023 by the American manufacturer Ford and its subsidiary Ford Europe.
- Over 22 million examples were sold in total.
- The top three selling countries for the car were the United Kingdom (3.3 million cars in total), Germany (2.3 million cars in total) and Italy (1.9 million cars in total).
- Six successive versions were designed since the vehicle’s creation.
- The original MK1 entry-level model was powered by a 40bhp 1.0-litre Kent engine whilst the 53bhp 1.1-litre Ghia model was the top of the range.
- In October 2024, Pistonheads described the 1,497cc MK8 2013 Fiesta ST – which was the final example of that particular model – as “cheap, rapid and enormous fun.” They added: “After so long without a decent fast Fiesta, it was a welcome return… The nursery run looks set to get a whole lot more entertaining.”
- The Ford Fiesta WRC became M-Sport’s top specification rally car in 2017. It produced 380bhp and 450Nm of torque.
- Rally drivers who’ve driven Ford Fiestas have included Jarri-Matti Latvala, Mikko Hirvonen, Mads Østberg, Petter Solberg, Evgeny Novikov and Thierry Neuville.
- In 2009, the Ford Fiesta was named ‘Car of the Year’ by the British magazine What Car?
- In November 2010, the 2011 Ford Fiesta one of five finalists for Green Car Journal’s Green Car of the Year.
- In October 2022, Ford’s management announced the end of the Fiesta after the model’s sales figures fell below their break-even point, down 45% in 2021.
- According to Motor1.com, Ford is considering reviving the Fiesta in 2026. For them, Fernando Moreno claimed in September 2024: “Maybe there’s a glimmer of hope,” but added: “For the moment, that’s all we can tell you officially. However, based on this information, there’s been a lot of speculation of the return of the Ford Fiesta, which is only natural because it is a historic name, which would attract the attention of many potential customers.”
