Ford boss hints at return of Fiesta as an electric model
The president of Ford in Europe has strongly hinted at the return of the popular Fiesta model, which was discontinued in 2023.
Jim Baumbick told the BBC he will have "news to share in the future" about the Fiesta brand, as the company announced plans to build seven new models in Europe, including a small electric hatchback, as part of a new strategy.
That car is already being referred to as the "electric Fiesta" in automotive circles.
Ford's new strategy, according to Baumbick, represents a return to the mass market in Europe, with the development of affordable cars.
He denied that the company's plans would be too little, too late to compete with Chinese brands, which have been rapidly building market share in Europe.
The new models will include three all-electric vehicles – the hatchback, a small SUV and an electric van called the Transit City.
The rest will be "multi-energy" vehicles, which can be built with a variety of powertrains, including different types of hybrids.
Asked directly about the potential return of the Fiesta nameplate, which was used on the company's small hatchbacks for 47 years, Baumbick stopped short of confirming the move outright – but offered a solid hint.
"I have nothing to share today," he said, "but I can assure you that there is no doubt in my mind.
"I know there's so much love for the Fiesta and the Fiesta name, and we'll have some news to share in the future."
Return to affordable cars
Back in the early 2020s, Ford saw a very different future for itself.
It discarded its best-known brands – the Mondeo and the Fiesta – as part of a move away from affordable, everyman cars, preferring to concentrate on more upmarket models.
At the same time, it set its sights on becoming an all-electric manufacturer by 2030.
However, by 2024 it had become clear that strategy was not working. The company announced thousands of job cuts in Europe, as weak demand for EVs and competition from Chinese brands took their toll.
Now its strategy has come full circle. The focus is back on building affordable vehicles, and while it is still investing in new EVs, it is also planning new hybrid models with internal combustion engines.
The reality, Baumbick explained, is that the drive towards electric vehicles has happened too quickly.
"I think the whole industry's been focused on that, but the reality is customers, real people are getting lost in the middle of this," he said.
Ford has called for legislators in Brussels and London to adjust their approach to electrification, to support and encourage electrified technologies such as plug-in hybrids and extended range electric vehicles as part of a "practical pathway" to an electric future.
One major question is whether the company's return to mainstream production has come too late. While Ford was attempting to move away from the mass market, Chinese firms such as BYD and Chery were moving in, and have now become a serious threat to established firms.
But Baumbick insisted Ford can still compete.
"Yes, there are a lot of Chinese firms that are actually flooding the market," he said.
"What's different about Ford is we've been here for 100 years, and I have one mission on this assignment, and that is to build a sustainably profitable business in Ford for the next 100 years."