Ford Ramps Up Fiesta Production To Meet Strong Demand In Europe

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Ford Ramps Up Fiesta Production To Meet Strong Demand In Europe

21 Dec 2017, 16:49 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Industry

The seventh-generation or Mk8 Fiesta, whatever you want to call it, went official in November 2016. And if you were wondering if Ford made the all-new Fiesta an even better car than the previous model, your answer comes in the guise of a production boost at the European Fiesta’s plant.
30 photos Located in Cologne, Germany, the factory where the Euro-spec Fiesta is made benefits from extended shifts and new Saturday shifts to increase daily production to 1,500 cars. Otherwise put, an extra 100 vehicles are now rolling off the assembly line in Cologne on a daily basis. Increasing demand is what made Ford take this decision, and that’s good news considering subcompact hatchbacks are not as popular as they once were.
“The previous Fiesta was already a much-loved car, and if you add to that the many improvements offered with the new model, including our unique pedestrian detection system, this success is not altogether a surprise,” declared Roelant de Waard, vice president of marketing, sales & service at Ford of Europe. Considering the crossover-inspired Fiesta Active is planned to start production in 2018, demand is certain to increase even more.
Ford highlights that the Fiesta was the best-selling car in the United Kingdom in November 2017 (6,434 registrations) and the best-selling small car in Germany (4,660 registrations). Don’t know about you, but that’s saying a lot about how the Fiesta stacks up against the Volkswagen Polo and other bona fide rivals in the European subcompact hatchback segment.
Available with a choice of three- and four-cylinder engines, the Fiesta boasts 5 stars for safety from the Euro NCAP. Designated best supermini of the year by BBC Top Gear Magazine, the Fiesta lineup will soon welcome the ST.
In stark comparison to the preceding ST, the newcomer is equipped with the most powerful three-cylinder engine ever offered by Ford, packing 200 PS and 290 Nm (197 horsepower and 214 pound-feet from just 1.5 liters.