After Honda, it is now the turn of Blue Oval to celebrate an anniversary. Not just another anniversary, but one which the company would be proud of and also that has a great significance to India. Let me break the secret without leaving any time for guesses. I am talking about the Ford Fiesta turning 35 and coincidentally reaching the 15 Million units sales milestone at the same time. Over the years, precisely from 1976 to 2011 and continuing, the Fiesta has set the Ford flag flying high with unprecedented popularity across the world, especially in Europe.
The Indian connection with the Fiesta started as early as 1999. The Ford Ikon, which became wildly popular in India as 'The Josh Machine' and which was Ford's first real success in India, was based on the Mk IV Fiesta. In fact, the front end was exactly similar to the Fiesta hatchback with only a boot added to increase its practicality and appeal in the Indian market. Then came the current Fiesta Classic sedan, which was loosely based on Mk V Fiesta hatchback, but Ford smartly disguised it as a distinct model.
The Figo, which turned around Ford's fortunes in India bringing in unprecedented volumes and popularity, was again based on the Mk V Fiesta and the similarity was pretty obvious to everybody. The current Mk VI Fiesta is a hugely-successful and best-selling model for Ford not only in Europe, but also in other significantly important markets like China and rest of Asia. The sedan variant has just been launched in India and it looks promising.
To celebrate the occasion, Ford has released a Press Note and a set of photos showing the various generations of the Fiesta.
ARTICLE & PICS SOURCE: Autoblog -- We Obsessively Cover The Auto Industry
Ford Fiesta Celebrates 35th Birthday with Refreshing Facelift; Popular Small Car Reaches 15 Million Production Mark
2011 marks 35 years since the 1976 launch of the Ford Fiesta – a car that has achieved iconic status in Europe and around the world
15 millionth Fiesta produced in July, with demand for the sixth generation model showing no signs of waning
Ford celebrates Fiesta landmarks with interior and exterior revisions and upgrades to keep the highly popular model on top of its game
COLOGNE, Germany, July 29, 2011 – The Ford Fiesta is celebrating two milestones in the summer of 2011, reaching its 35th birthday with a total of 15 million cars produced worldwide.
But despite turning 35, Fiesta is showing no signs of a mid-life crisis. In fact, it looks sharper than ever inside and out thanks to a refreshing facelift.
The Ford Fiesta reached the 15 million production landmark this month, a figure boosted by the popularity of the latest generation model. Ford has built a million of the current model since it debuted 28 months ago.
As Europe's best-selling small car in 2009, 2010 and on track to accomplish the same feat in 2011, the Fiesta is one of Ford's greatest success stories – appealing to several generations of drivers with its attractive styling, practicality, efficiency and performance.
"The Fiesta is a special car that has a special place in the hearts of European customers and car lovers around the world," said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. "It's a testament to the original Fiesta from 1976 and the engineers who have developed and improved the car through more than three decades that the Fiesta remains one of the world's most popular cars.
"Times and technologies have changed, but as long as the Fiesta continues to deliver the style, economy and performance elements that have been present from the very beginning, it will remain an enduring success."
"With 15 million sales worldwide, the customer response to the Fiesta as a small car package speaks for itself, and we hope the carefully selected upgrades to the current Fiesta will further improve its appeal to small car drivers across the globe."
The very first Fiesta was produced in Valencia, Spain, in 1976 as Ford's practical and economical response to a fuel crisis that was gripping the world, and it immediately tapped into a small car demand in Europe and around the world.
Valencia continues to build the current Fiesta production with Ford's manufacturing plant in Cologne, Germany, now producing the majority of new Fiestas. The Fiesta also is built in Nanjing, China, Rayong, Thailand, and Cuautitlàn, Mexico.
Thirty-five years, six generations and 15 million cars after its debut, the Fiesta continues to offer practicality, style and efficiency to car buyers of all ages.
31st July 2011, 07:33
