WHEN FORD ANNOUNCED IT WOULD be ceasing production of the Fiesta it felled one of the oldest family trees in the company's history. Announced in 1975, produced from 1976 and on sale in the UK from 1977, the Fiesta was Ford's first truly small car.
Slotting in below the Escort, the all-new front-wheel-drive hatchback was seen as a risk for the profit-hungry US giant. Forty-seven years and 22 million cars later, it's safe to say the Fiesta repaid that leap of faith by becoming one of the most successful models of all time.
It might have existed to provide Ford with an affordable, entry-level model, but no time was wasted in offering a sporting version, with the 1300 S arriving less than a year after the Fiesta was introduced. Boasting rampant 66bhp and 68lb ft of torque from its 1298cc pushrod Kent engine, Motor magazine described its performance as 'pleasantly brisk' despite it falling a little short of Ford's claimed top speed of 98mph and 0-60mph time of 10.7sec during a rigorous road test.
In a sign of things to come, Ford followed the S with the racy-looking Supersport, a limited run of 3000 cars built for the 1980 model year. Mechanically identical to the 1300 S, but bedecked in Series-X options, including wheel-arch extensions, small spoilers, cool decals and 13-inch RS four-spoke alloy wheels, it whetted the market's appetite for a hot series-production Fiesta.
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av Evo UK.
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Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av Evo UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Cupra Formentor Abt
It's farewell to the original Cupra Formentor with an Abt-tuned run-out package. It's a quietly excellent car; just a shame about the price...
Renault Sport Clio 200 Turbo
This misguided departure from the French brand's hot hatch heritage saw the Clio fall from grace
REBIRTH OF AN ICON
The Kalmar 9X9 is a modernday reinterpretation of Porsche's game-changing 959 supercar, with a carbon body and up to 917bhp. And evo is helping to develop it
Volkswagen Golf GTI
The underachieving Mk8 GTI gets a shot at redemption with the new, revised Mk8.5 version. Is it the leap forward it needs to be?
BEST BUYS
FAST FORDS FROM THE CORTINA TO THE ESCORT AND THE FIESTA, Ford is responsible for some of the most popular cars in British history. But alongside these everyday machines it has also produced a stream of desirable driver's cars.
HY AND DRY
The switch to electric power means an early exit for Hyundai N's brilliant ICE hot hatch duo. We go for a farewell drive in the 120 N
SEXY BEAST
The Vanquish name is back for Aston Martin's latest seriesproduction flagship, with a stunning new look and simply brutal performance from an 824bhp twin-turbo V12
THE JOY OF DRIVING
From mastering the everyday commute to unlocking the full potential of your performance car, our new series will help you become safer, more confident and ultimately more skilled behind the wheel
TINY DANCER
You haven't seen a Mini dance like this before, but then you haven't seen a Mini with a 4-litre M Power V8 under the bonnet and rear-wheel drive. Introducing Vini...
LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO
Grandaddy to the Temerario and the car that transformed Lamborghini was the brilliant, V10-engined Gallardo. We get reacquainted with a Lambo legend
