Ford Fiesta manufacturing ending in 2023

The social gathering is over for Ford’s smallest automobile.

Ford will finish manufacturing of the Fiesta in June 2023 after 47 years and over 22 million models, and no electrical substitute is deliberate.

The corporate confirmed it would start manufacturing of a brand new mid-sized electrical crossover based mostly on Volkswagen’s MEB platform subsequent yr on the Fiesta’s plant in Cologne, Germany.

It launched a poignant video bidding farewell to the Fiesta however teasing the electrical SUVs that it’s introducing.

With Ford having discontinued the even smaller Ka in Europe and South America prior to now few years, that can go away the Puma crossover, in addition to the Escort (China) and Focus (Europe) small vehicles because the model’s entry-level fashions.

The Focus’ future is much from assured, nevertheless, with experiences Ford will finish manufacturing of its small automobile vary in 2025.

This information comes as Ford of Europe expands its electrical automobile vary, with two German-built crossovers based mostly on Volkswagen’s MEB platform within the works together with an electrical Puma to be inbuilt Romania.

The trio, due by 2024, will slot in beneath the Mustang Mach-E. Ford of Europe plans to promote solely electrical passenger vehicles from 2030.

Fiesta gross sales have trailed off just lately, whilst rivals just like the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208 proceed to carry out properly in Europe.

Regardless of being Britain’s best-selling automobile ever, with almost 5 million bought over 46 years, it didn’t characteristic within the prime 10 of gross sales there final yr – although the associated Puma did.

In Europe, Ford bought simply 150,067 Fiestas in 2020 and 86,385 Fiestas in 2021 based on Carsalesbase. It usually sells properly over 200,000 yearly, and prior to now decade has even been claimed the title of Europe’s best-selling automobile throughout a number of years.

The Fiesta has been in manufacturing since 1976 but it surely took till 2004 for Ford to introduce it domestically.

It changed the Ka right here, giving Ford a extra direct rival for the likes of the Mazda 2 and Volkswagen Polo.

Not like the Ka, a extra sensible five-door physique fashion was out there, whereas 2007 noticed the introduction of the new turbocharged 2.0-litre XR4.

The next era was probably the most world Fiesta but, returning to North America and being produced in quite a few nations together with Brazil, Germany, India, Mexico, Spain and Thailand. A sedan was additionally provided.

A sizzling model, now referred to as the ST domestically, returned in 2013. It continued to be sourced from Germany whilst Ford Australia switched to Thai sourcing for the remainder of the Fiesta vary.

With Thai Fiesta manufacturing ending, what would show to be the ultimate era belatedly arrived right here in 2020, however solely in German-built ST guise.

Although a facelifted mannequin was launched this yr, provide points in Europe noticed Ford Australia axe it — in addition to the Focus ST — simply months after launch.

The nice growth of the Fiesta worldwide below the Blue Oval model’s One Ford coverage proved short-lived. With the nameplate’s discontinuation in markets like North America and South America, the present era is now manufactured solely in Germany

It’s not the one heritage nameplate that Ford has placed on the chopping block in latest instances.

It confirmed final yr it was ending manufacturing of the Mondeo in Europe, although its Chinese language operations subsequently launched a brand new era for that market. It’s additionally bought because the Taurus within the Center East, dusting off one other just lately deceased heritage nameplate.

The defunct European Mondeo was one other world One Ford mannequin, with variations manufactured in China, Spain and the US (because the Fusion), and bought in markets internationally, together with Australia.

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