Project Bobcat
Ford began work on the Fiesta project way back in 1972, with Henry Ford II setting out with an aim to build a small car for the world. It was codenamed Project Bobcat and although Ford was playing catch-up by the time it was launched in 1976, the timing was perfect.
Problems in the Middle East led to a huge increase in the price of petrol, resulting in a fall in demand for gas-guzzlers and inefficient vehicles. A new wave of smaller, more efficient cars entered the market, including the Volkswagen Polo, Fiat 127, Renault 5 and Vauxhall Chevette. Ford was under pressure to deliver its response, with the project approved in 1973.
The first Ford Fiesta rolled off the production line Saarlouis, Germany on May 11, 1976. In October 1976, the first Fiesta rolled off the Spanish production line, exactly 1,000 days after Ford had purchased the land.
The Mk1 Fiesta was introduced in 1.0-litre and 1.1-litre Ghia form and immediately struck a chord thanks to its low price, sharp looks and low running costs.
The Mk2 Ford Fiesta arrived in 1983 and picked up where the old car left off. It was more fuel-efficient and grown-up than before, with a diesel engine offered for the first time. Sporty versions came in the form of the XR2 and XR2i
In 1989, the Mk2 made way for the Mk3, which was the first small car to be fitted with ABS brakes.
Also in 1989, Ford launched the new XR2i, with a new 1.6-litre twin-cam engine, a five-speed gearbox, flared arches, body-coloured bumpers, unique suspension and performance tyres.
The first Ford Rallye Sport version arrived at the 1990 Turin Motor Show. It’s the Ford Fiesta RS Turbo, which added a Garrett turbocharger to the XR2i engine to shave around 1.6 seconds off the 0-62 time.
This is a 1990 Ford Fiesta S, from the days when red pinstripes, bumper overriders and grille-mounted spotlights ruled the streets.
The Ford Fiesta courier van was introduced in 1991, offering a cheap solution for light use and small businesses. Driver airbags became standard in the Fiesta in 1993.
Fiesta XR2i/RS Turbo/RS 1800
In 1992, the XR2i gained a new 1.8-litre 16-valve Zetec engine, which was later used in the new RS 1800, when it replaced the RS Turbo.
The Mk3 made way for the Mk4 in 1996, which added a new range of Zetec engines and standard-fit dual airbags. This was also the car that spawned the brilliant Ford Puma, along with the badge-engineered Mazda 121.
Ford unveiled the all-new Mk6 Fiesta at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show, initially as a five-door model. At launch, the engines were carried over from the Mk5, but renamed Duratec, as the Zetec name was being used to denote sportier versions.
In 2002, Ford unveiled the Rallye Concept at the Birmingham Motor Show and a year later, the Fiesta ST Cup was introduced in Germany. These laid the foundations for the first Fiesta ST, which arrived in 2005. With 150hp on tap, this was the most powerful Fiesta to date.
Here’s Nell McAndrew celebrating the Fiesta’s 30th anniversary in 2006. This was an altogether more mature Fiesta than before, with a range of new technology including voice activation and Bluetooth.
The seventh and current generation Fiesta was launched at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, with the Fiesta ECOnetic becoming Britain’s most fuel-efficient five-seat family car, with 76.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 98g/km.
A year later, in 2009, the Fiesta made its North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. By now it was a truly global car, with production in Germany, Spain and China.
In 2013, Ford launched one of the greatest hot hatches of all-time – the sublime Fiesta ST. Powered by a 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine, the 182hp ST took us all by surprise, raising the affordable hot hatch to new heights. It remains a performance hero and a bargain to boot.
And so to the present, with Ford unveiling a new Fiesta ST200 at the Geneva Motor Show. As for the future, Ford is likely to launch a new Mk8 Fiesta in 2017.
