Though American buyers may only have become acquainted with it more recently, the Ford Fiesta has been around, in some form or another, for a long time now. 40 years, to be exact. And that’s a milestone worth celebrating.
The original Fiesta launched in Spain way back in 1976, built in factories across Europe for the local market. It was offered exclusively in three-door form, and at just 3.5 meters (or 140 inches) long, it was barely any longer than today’s Smart Forfour.
Four decades later, we’re nearing the tail end of the sixth-generation Fiesta, which has bread hatchbacks with three or five doors and even a four-door sedan. It’s produced around the world at assembly plants from Europe to China and from Brazil to Russia.
Now growing a little long in the proverbial tooth, the current MkVI Fiesta has been on the market now for eight long years, and is slated to be replaced soon. But not before one last swan song.
Later this month at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Ford will showcase the new Fiesta ST200, boasting 197 horsepower to make it the most powerful Fiesta yet. This compared to the original MkI that offered engines ranging from 40 hp to as much as 90 in the 1.6 RS from 1980. We’re looking forward to seeing what the seventh-generation model has to offer.
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