Ford · 1976–1983

Ford Fiesta Mk1

The Ford Fiesta Mk1 is the first generation of the Ford Fiesta supermini. It was introduced in 1976 as Ford Europe's first multi-national front-wheel-drive automobile, and was available in both 3-door hatchback and panel van derivatives. In 1983, the Fiesta was updated, and the Fiesta Mk2 was introduced.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Successor: Ford Fiesta Mk2

All Ford Fiesta data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years → + Compare

History

The Fiesta was developed under the project name "Bobcat" (not to be confused with the subsequent rebadged Mercury variant of the Ford Pinto) and approved by Henry Ford II in September 1972. Development targets indicated a production cost US$100 less than the Escort. The car was to have a wheelbase longer than the Fiat 127 (although shorter than some other rivals, like the Peugeot 104, Renault 5 and Volkswagen Polo), but with an overall length shorter than the Escort. The final proposal was developed by Tom Tjaarda at Ghia. The project was approved for production in December 1973, with Ford's engineering centres in Cologne and Dunton (Essex) collaborating. Ford estimated that 500,000 Fiestas a year would be produced, and built in all-new factory in Almussafes, Valencia, Spain; a trans-axle factory near Bordeaux, France, and factory extensions to the assembly plants in Dagenham, UK. Final assembly took place in both Valencia and Dagenham. Ford's plants in Dagenham, England, and Saarlouis and Cologne (from 1979) in Germany, also manufactured Fiestas. The motoring press had begun speculating about the existence of the Bobcat project since 1973, but it was not until December 1975 that Ford officially announced it as the Fiesta. A Fiesta was on display at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 1976, and a few rallys. The name Fiesta belonged to General Motors when the car was designed, as they had used the name for the Oldsmobile Fiesta in the 1950s; however, it was freely given for Ford to use on their new supermini. Ford's marketing team had preferred the name Bravo, but Henry Ford II vetoed it in favour of the Fiesta name. Mechanically, the Fiesta adopted the now industry-standard mechanical layout pioneered by Fiat with a transverse mounted engine coupled to an end-on four-speed

Model history

Although not the first Ford vehicle to feature front-wheel drive (the 1960s Taunus 12M produced by Ford of Germany laid claim to that title), the Fiesta is widely credited as being Ford's first globally successful front-wheel-drive model, and was the first front-wheel drive Ford car to feature a transverse engine layout. Pilot production began at Cologne in April 1976, with production starting in Valencia and Dagenham in October of that year. The Fiesta was officially launched in the UK on 2 February 1977, where it was available from £1,856 for the basic 950 cc-engined model. It was only the second hatchback supermini to have been built in the UK at this stage, being launched a year after the Vauxhall Chevette, but nearly a year before the launch of the Chrysler Sunbeam and four years before the Austin Metro. The millionth Fiesta was produced in 1979. The car was initially available in Europe with the Valencia 957 cc (58.4 cu in) I4 (high compression and low compression options), and 1,117 cc (68.2 cu in) engines and in Base, Popular, L, GL (1978 onward), Ghia and S trim, as well as a van. The U.S. Mark I Fiesta was built in Saarlouis and Cologne, Germany but to slightly different specifications; U.S. models were Base, Decor, Sport, and Ghia, the Ghia having the highest level of trim. These trim levels changed very little in the Fiesta's three-year run in the US, from 1977 to 1980. All U.S. models featured the more powerful 1,596 cc (97.4 cu in) engine, which was the older "Crossflow" version of the Kent engine. Among the other changes required for the US market, the Fiesta was fitted with a catalytic converter and air pump to satisfy strict Californian and Federal emission regulations, energy-absorbing bumpers, side-marker lamps, round sealed-beam headlamps, improved

Convertible conversions

=== Crayford === In 1981, coachbuilders Crayford developed a convertible version of the Fiesta, which was dubbed the Fiesta Fly. Designed by David McMullan, the Fiesta Fly had a permanently welded-shut boot, with a plastic sill fitted to prevent the car from needing to be repainted. The production history of the Fiesta Fly is not clear; but the common claim that only 20 or so cars were built is probably untrue; it is believed that this figure refers to the number built by Crayford, rather than the number built in total. What is known is that Dorset-based firm F. English Coachwork Division bought the rights to produce the Fiesta Fly sometime in 1982, and Autocar reported in September 1983 that about 100 Fiesta Fly conversions had been produced. It is believed that F. English built around 200 Fiesta Flys, with 83 known to survive. Crayford also reportedly built two Fiesta Flys based on the Mk2 Fiesta. It was also possible to purchase any production Fiesta model in Fiesta Fly form, not just the 1300 and XR2 models as often reported.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Ford Fiesta (first generation)

Production

June 1976 – August 1983

Model years

1977–1980 (North America)

Assembly

Spain: Almussafes (Ford Valencia), United Kingdom: Dagenham (Ford Dagenham), West Germany: Cologne (CB&A), West Germany: Saarlouis (SB&A)

Manufacturer

Ford Europe

Class

Supermini (B)

Body style

3-door hatchback, 3-door panel van

Platform

Ford B platform

Engine

957 cc Valencia I4, 1117 cc Valencia I4, 1298 cc Crossflow I4, 1597 cc Crossflow I4

Transmission

4-speed BC4 manual

Wheelbase

2286 mm

Length

3565 mm

Width

1567 mm

Height

1360 mm

Designer

Tom Tjaarda, Uwe Bahnsen

Successor

Ford Fiesta (second generation), Ford Escort (North America), Ford Festiva (North America)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19481222CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fiesta_(first_generation)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1364008555 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ford_Fiesta_MK1_front_20071023.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Rudolf Stricker · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

More from Ford