One of the UK's all-time best-selling cars will be taken off the production line as early as next year.
BBC News reports that production on the Ford Fiesta – along with its bigger brother, the Focus - will be discontinued by 2025. Ford has announced there are no plans to create an electric version of its iconic people mover.
It is thought that a drop-off in sales, and a comparative rise in sales of bigger cars, are to blame.
The Ford Fiesta has been sold continuously in the UK since the first model rolled off the production line at the American car giant's Dagenham plant in 1977. Since then it has undergone several redesigns; more than four million of the superminis have been sold in the UK alone.
A spokesman for Ford told The Sun that it was "accelerating our efforts to go all in on electrification", and so the company is reviewing the portfolio of cars it has on offer. A further announcement is expected in the coming days as the manufacturer holds talks with dealers, suppliers and staff.
The Fiesta is currently manufactured in Germany after the Dagenham plant was closed in 2002 and in all over 20 million of the cars have been produced worldwide. The car was Ford's secret weapon for conquering the UK market following the 1973 oil crisis, and it was promoted as an efficient family car.
The car proved hugely successful in the UK and several variations were produced, including its XR and ST "hot hatches", and a total of seven "generations" of Fiesta were produced. But in recent years, Ford has moved towards producing bigger SUV-style crossover vehicles which now account for a huge chunk of the UK's car sales.
Trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reports that the Fiesta was the sixth best-selling car in the UK in September, shifting 4,570 units. However, its crossover sibling the Puma sold 5,799 and the dinky Kuga SUV sold 4,520.
The Fiesta doesn't even appear in the 2022 bestsellers list, which is dominated by the Vauxhall Corsa, the Ford Puma and the Nissan Qashqai. Ford has already withdrawn the Fiesta from overseas markets including the US, Australia and New Zealand, citing the popularity of bigger vehicles such as SUVs and pickup trucks.
And ahead of a Scottish ban on new petrol vehicles in 2032, as well as a wider push for electric cars, the manufacturer has been producing more environmentally friendly vehicles. It has already announced an electric version of its F-150 pickup, while its Mustang Mach-E SUV is already a common sight on Scottish roads.
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