by Clinton Deacon August 14, 2008 9:00 PM
Filed Under: American, Ford
Today the production commenced of the all-new Ford Fiesta, it marks an important time in the future of the Ford Motor Company heralding the new global small car era. The Cologne plant in Germany where 3.4 million Fiestas have already been produced is awarded the task of commencing the production and it is a task they have grabbed with open arms. You may remember a couple of weeks a go when we reported they had plastered 3000 meters worth of specially designed mesh over its walls to celebrate.
Later this year plants in Nanjing, China and Rayong, Thailand will begin production for the asian market. Starting from January 2009, the Valencia Assembly Plant in Spain will join and in early 2010, Ford’s Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico will begin producing for the US market.
“The all-new Fiesta is an outstanding symbol for our One Ford vision of a single, global company designing and building cars for customers around the world. Be proud of what you have achieved and be proud of your contribution to a model that will get the world talking.” said Alan Mullaly.
Within five years Ford expects to be selling over 1 million Fiesta's annually at which time it will already have been joined by their global C-segment model (the Focus) which it expects to surpass 2 million annual sales.
Production of all-new Ford Fiesta small car begins in Cologne, Germany
Developed from Ford’s global B-car platform, European-designed Fiesta signals heralds
new global small-car era for Ford
Production of Fiesta for North America will begin in early 2010 at Ford’s Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico
More than 5.3 million Fiestas have been produced in Cologne since 1979
COLOGNE, Aug. 14, 2008 – Ford Motor Company today began production of the all-new Ford Fiesta, the first in a portfolio of global small cars, at the Cologne Stamping and Assembly plant in Germany.
The next-generation Ford Fiesta was developed by the European arm of Ford’s global product development team to meet the demands and expectations of customers around the world.
The new small car represents the blueprint for future global product development efforts at Ford and will be tailored to meet customer preferences for interior features, exterior colors, body styles and other options in each region of the world. It will go on sale progressively between now and 2010, starting in Europe.
“Today we are celebrating the start of a new era for our fabulous Ford Motor Company,” Alan Mulally, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company, told employees in a taped video message at today’s ceremony in Cologne. “The all-new Fiesta is an outstanding symbol for our One Ford vision of a single, global company designing and building cars for customers around the world. Be proud of what you have achieved and be proud of your contribution to a model that will get the world talking.”
The Cologne plant is the first Ford assembly facility in the world to build the new global car. Production will start at Valencia Assembly Plant in Spain in January 2009.
In North America, the new subcompact will be offered in two models: the sporty European hatchback and the popular two-door sedan. The models will be produced at the company’s Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico in 2010. Retooling the plant from its current production of F-Series trucks to small car production will begin in December.
Fiesta production for the Asian market begins later this year in Nanjing, China and Rayong, Thailand.
Within five years, Ford expects to build about 1 million vehicles worldwide off the new global B-car platform along with nearly 2 million vehicles off the global C-car unit.
Ford invested 455 million euros (U.S. $718.4 million) to retool Cologne Assembly for Fiesta production. The plant’s 4,000 employees went through a total of 50,000 hours of extensive training on and off the assembly line. To ensure the vehicle meets stringent internal quality targets, a team of employees built and the car on the assembly line, stripped it down and built it again.
In 2008, Ford will manufacture 148,000 new Fiestas in Cologne. When operating at full capacity, a total of more than 1,900 Ford Fiestas and Fusions will be produced daily on three shifts at the Cologne plant.
“The Fiesta is special to us in Ford of Europe and to our customers,” said John Fleming, President and CEO, Ford of Europe. “Over the past 32 years it has consistently been at the top of the list of Europe’s best-selling cars.
“While appealing to existing customers, the new vehicle will attract a new generation of Fiesta owners with its dynamic, bold design and high manufacturing quality,” Fleming said. “I am confident that the all-new Fiesta will build on the success of its predecessor.”
Since the first Fiesta was launched in 1976, more 12 million have been sold, with over 400,000 customers in 2007 proving the enduring popularity of the model.
The new Fiesta’s dramatic exterior design and exciting interior styling are accentuated by bold colors and high quality materials throughout. The new vehicle extends the core Fiesta values of style, efficiency and driving quality.
A total of 410,900 Fiestas and Fusions were manufactured in Cologne in 2007. Approximately 85 percent of the vehicles produced in Cologne last year were exported to more than 50 countries.
Earlier this year, the Cologne plant began using renewable electricity generated by three hydro-power plants in Norway and Sweden, reducing the plant’s CO2 emissions by 190,000 tons a year. This initiative is part of the company’s overall commitment to further reduce the environmental footprint of its vehicles through their life cycle.
“We’re proud of the Cologne Assembly Plant and the vehicles produced here. Not only does the new Fiesta bring innovative design and engineering to the small car market, but it brings new manufacturing technologies as well,” said Jim Tetreault, vice president, Manufacturing, Ford of Europe.
“This new Fiesta is tough, strong, and safe due to the body construction technologies which allow us to build a lightweight, yet extremely strong body through the innovated use of high strength steel. It is also built with care, craftsmanship and precision by an efficient and dedicated workforce, which is second to none,” he said.
Wow! What quality linage a name like Fiesta carries. So much heritage to build off of... not. It's almost as infamous as Pinto. Keep up the great work Ford! I'm sure this time you'll redeem yourselves.
IT IS A GOOD CHOICE THAT THEY DIDN'T BRING IT TO SOUTH AFRICA. IT IS A GOOD MANAGEMENT CHOICE AND CLEARLY GOOD BUSINESS DECISION. ALL MANUFACTURERS CONSIDERING PRODUCTION SHOULDSTAY OUT OF SA!!! GO TO GERMANY AND CHINA WHERE PEOPLE ARE PRODUCTIVE, WHERE RESOURCES ARE STABLE AND WHERE THERE'S NO EXTRA BURDENSOME REGULATIONS. IN SA, THEY HAVE A LABOUR FORCE THAT STRIKES TWICE IN HALF A MONTH, POWER FAILURES, STIFF LABOUR LAWS, AND WAGE INCREASES THAT ARE DOUBLE DIGITS. YET THOSE PEOPLE STILL THINK THEY ARE GOLD, WAKE UP - YOU SNOOZE YOU LOOSE. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO ADVANTAGES OF PRODUCING IN SA. VW SHOULD BE THE NEXT TO SHIFT THEIR PRODUCTION ELSEWHERE
no front side markers! not even optional... volvo includes them for free on all models, BMW on some models... the EU should make them mandatory on all cars, and change the law for the rear ones to red!!!
why should the world all have to do what america does?? why dont you change it to wat the rest of the world has in america?? because as far as my knowledge goes it is only america who has rear red ones and side markers...
Actually the use of side marker lamps (which illuminate with the running lamps...not talking about side turn signal repeaters here) is one of the few US lighting laws that makes sense. They make a car more visible from the side at night, simple as that. Of course the rest of our lighting laws are ridiculous...such as red rear turn signals (that don't even have to be separate from the brake lamps), and now even BMW, Audi, MB and VW do it in the US. You would think the Germans would know better, or does someone in their US product planning depts think we want inferior lighting?
Have you ever been further than Mexico or Hawai or Canada? Other people in other countries have better things to do like doing things relevant to their OWN country rather than copy what Americans do - Has it ever crossed your mind that a legislator might not always be right? In any case Europeans have good taste and realise that bright orange can spoil the look of a car. I suppose you also want us (the rest or the world) to change our emissions laws to suit you. Would you like the British to drive on the right and for us to put extra cheese and cream and salt and sugar in all our foods as well?
...this fiesta is ford's new hope..it will sell like crazy in parts of asia, but it has to compete with the already well known honda jazz/fit...bring the kuga in asia!!
In response to tootall - The Ford Ka is still in production, I don't think the new one goes on sale until next year so I guess 2009 is the final production year of the current Mk1 Ka.
p.s. - I love the Fiesta! And I'm so glad it doesn't have cluttered orange sidelights on it :)
EXACTLY, WHY MUST THE REST OF THE WORLD CHANGE THEIR DESIGNS TO SUIT THOSE IRRITATING AMERICANS, AFTER ALL THEY ARE ACTUALLY IN SUCH A DECLINE THAT CHINA IS BECOMING BIGGER THAN THEM. IF THOSE AMERICANS DON'T LIKE IT, THEY CAN GO BUY SOMETHING ELSE, IN FACT THOSE SIDE LAMPS LOOK RIDICULOUS. DO THEY ALSO WANT TO HAVE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN THE SIDE WINDOWS AS STANDARD? UNLESS YOU ARE BLIND, YOU DON;T NEED THEM.
