Less than two years after its global rollout began in Europe, the Ford Fiesta is exceeding expectations – attracting a new breed of younger and more affluent customers to the Ford brand – and stands as the strongest proof yet that the One Ford plan is working.
The new Fiesta, produced in five plants in Europe, Asia and North America and sold globally in more than 100 markets, is expected to reach the 1 million sales mark in October.
“The Fiesta’s success shows the advantages of operating as One Ford and truly leveraging our scale and expertise,” said Alan Mulally, Ford president and CEO. “We worked together to design and build a great small car for the world – with leading quality, safety, fuel economy, smart design and value – and nearly a million customers have responded.”
Fiesta is the first vehicle built on Ford’s global B-platform. Ford is targeting 1.6 million annual sales from vehicles built on the global B platform in 2014.
“The efficiencies we gained by leveraging our global scale allowed us to deliver a new Fiesta that both exceeds customer expectations for small cars and contributes to a healthy and profitable growing Ford,” Mulally said.
By 2013, Ford will have reduced its core platforms to 12 from 25 in 2009. By then, more than 80 percent of its volume globally will be produced off those core platforms, up from about 50 percent in 2009.
Demographic data show the expressive new Fiesta sedans and hatchbacks are attracting younger, more affluent and more highly educated customers than the prior model Fiesta and other Ford products.
“Smart design and intuitive technology are highly valued in the global marketplace,” said Jim Farley, Ford group vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service. “Fiesta is proving that consumers don’t want a ‘dumb-downed’ small vehicle. Millennials are particularly interested in smart design, technology and high-end features, and they’re willing to invest in them.”
1 Million New Fiestas
The new Fiesta launched in Europe in October 2008. In 2009, Ford started producing and selling Fiesta in China and other Asian markets, Australia and South Africa. This summer, the Fiesta was introduced in North and South America and started to rollout across Southeast Asia in September.
Ford expects more than 1 million new Fiestas will be sold in its first two years in global markets. Through August 2010, regional sales tallies were:
- Europe – 810,000
- Asia Pacific Region – 120,000
- North America – 10,000
- Total – 940,000
