Final farewell to Ford Fiesta as production ends after nearly five decades
7 July 2023, 17:56
The final ever Ford Fiesta - the UK's best selling car - was made on Friday.
Ford produced the final Fiesta at its factory in Cologne, Germany, before the site is modified to make more room for more electric vehicles.
The Fiesta was an instant hit when it was introduced in 1976 as it met the demand for smaller, more efficient cars. Ford said more than 22 million have been produced globally.
More Fiestas have been sold in the UK than any other car model, and it was the country's best-selling vehicle every year between 2009 and 2020.
It was still the 10th most popular new car last year, with more than 25,000 registered.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) figures show 1.5 million Fiestas were licensed for use on UK roads in 2022, ahead of all other models.
It has been reported that the final two Fiestas which roll off the assembly line on Friday will be kept by Ford. One will be retained in Germany, while the other will go to its UK heritage collection.
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Ford said in a statement: "At Ford in Europe, we are rapidly transitioning to an electric future.
"As part of this transition, production of the Fiesta in Cologne, Germany, will be discontinued on July 7, and a new era at the Cologne Electric Vehicle Centre will begin."
The end of production - announced in October last year - comes after Ford axed the Mondeo in 2021, while earlier this year it stopped making the S-Maxx and Galaxy people carriers.
Production of the Ford Focus will end in 2025.
Sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be banned in the UK from 2030.
