Europe’s FORD will stop building the five-door Fiesta light car in Cologne, Germany from the middle of next year – 12 months earlier than originally planned.
Since the introduction of the first Ford Fiesta, more than 22 million iconic light vehicles have been built for customers in more than 50 countries.
As soon as Fiesta production ends, the model will be replaced by an all-electric light SUV based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform, shared with VW Group electric vehicles such as the VW ID. 3, Cupra Born, Skoda Enyaq and Audi Q4 e-Tron .
Speaking to German publication Automobilwoche, a Ford Europe source said the planned production shift will not affect staff qualifications at the Cologne plant, saying instead that there will be more jobs. than in Cologne when production of the new model began than at present. time.
The Fiesta, launched in Europe in 1976, is one of Ford’s most popular models, but has seen a drop in sales in recent years as buyers turned to full-size SUVs. as small as the Ford Puma.
Production of the three-door Fiesta was discontinued in mid-2022 amid declining sales.
Ford of Europe also confirmed that it will cease production of the S-Max and Galaxy engines in Valencia from next April as it works to accelerate efforts towards production of electric models. .
Blue Oval plans to only sell electric passenger vehicles in Europe by the end of the decade, and will stop offering internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in the EU by 2035.
To prepare, the manufacturer is increasing its investment in electric vehicle production in Cologne and has announced a new battery assembly facility that will start operating from 2024.
Going further, the company will produce its second small SUV – also based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform – in Cologne from 2024.
After switching to electric vehicle production, the Cologne facility is expected to produce 200,000 units per year.
(WS series) fifth generation Ford Fiesta sold in Australia since 2004 in three- and five-door hatch body styles on LX, Zetec, Ghia and performance-oriented XR4 (since 2007) guise.
Most are powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine while the sportier hatch on the XR4 makes 110kW / 190Nm Duratec 2.0-litre.
The sixth-generation Fiesta – initially produced in Europe and then Thailand – was sold domestically from 2008 and eventually came in a range of variants, including the critically acclaimed ST hot hatch. The second engine has a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 134kW/240Nm.
The seventh and final generation Fiesta has been on sale in the country since 2017, but only in ST form. The turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol model delivers 147kW/320Nm but discontinued in August 2022.
Ford Fiesta Global Timeline:
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Generation I (1976 – 1983)
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Generation II (1983 – 1989)
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Generation III (1989 – 1997)
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Generation IV (1995 – 2002)
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Generation V (2002 – 2014)
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Generation VI (2008 – 2019)
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Generation VII (2017 – 2023)
