It turns out that reports from earlier this week were true – Ford has officially confirmed the Fiesta will be discontinued in June 2023. One of the longest-running nameplates in the company’s portfolio will be replaced by an all-electric version of the Puma crossover, which will be produced in Cologne, Germany, starting next year. . The automaker releases a touching two-minute video (see below) to say goodbye to the Fiesta and also preview its zero-emission replacement.
The Fiesta has been on sale for 47 years over nine generations. Production is currently underway in Cologne and Ford says only the five-door version of the hatchback will continue to roll off the assembly line until next summer. All customer orders will be created and the manufacturer will keep the order book open until the remaining production volume is filled. The hot hatch Fiesta ST will also be discontinued in 2023.
The end of production of the Fiesta will also mark the end of production of internal combustion engines at one of Ford’s most important factories outside the United States. The Cologne plant will be converted into the Cologne Electrification Center, where the Puma EV will be produced from next year. Ford wants to reach 1.2 million electric vehicles produced at the plant in the next six years. Production of the company’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine, in turn, will be moved to the engine plant in Craiova, Romania.
The original Ford Fiesta was launched in 1976 and more than 18 million hatchbacks have been built and shipped worldwide since then. The Fiesta has been produced in at least 13 different countries around the world, including the UK, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and many more.
While it’s sad to see one of Ford’s key models leave the scene, the automaker believes the future belongs to electric mobility and wants to “go thorough” on electromobility “at an accelerated rate.” As a result, Ford will launch no less than three new pure electric passenger cars and four electric commercial vehicles on the Old continent by 2024.
Earlier this year, the automaker also discontinued the Mondeo, one of Europe’s most beloved D-segment models, but Ford said it will have at least one plug-in or fully electric model in every car segment on the continent from 2026. still being sold in China as a completely redesigned model, remains to be seen.
32 Photo
