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Ford Fiesta ‘Bravo’ – The Firm Family Favourite; Will It Return In 2026?

Ford Fiesta Bravo Farewell

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.

 

The Ford Fiesta was originally going to be called the ‘Bravo,’ but Henry Ford decided ‘Fiesta’ sounded better supposedly.
Ford did end up using the ‘Bravo’ description on a limited in the early 1980s, however.

Fiesta Facts

 

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