Reborn: Ford confirms plan to bring Fiesta small car back as a rally-bred EV
Just three years after it swung the axe on the Ford Fiesta, the Blue Oval has announced it wants to reintroduce a small ‘rally-bred’ all-electric hatch to its line-up by 2028.
Hotly tipped to revive the famous Fiesta nameplate that was killed off after 47 continuous years in production, the new small EV is just one of five new models the US car-making giant is readying for Europe, all of which are due to launch by 2029.
Catering to enthusiasts, Ford says the new hatch will feature both a distinct design and the firm’s ‘signature driving dynamics’ that will inject “race-to-road” capabilities into the B-segment.
READ MORE: Ford confirms cheap Tesla Model 3 and Model Y rivals – plus sub-$45K electric ute
READ MORE: Electric utes won’t work without battery breakthrough: Ford global boss delivers his verdict during Aussie visit
READ MORE: Ford teases radical $40,000 mid-size electric ute: Designed to smash the BYD Shark 6 and Toyota HiLux EV for range and efficiency
It’s thought the latter could see Ford Performance spin off either a hot ST version or even a full-fat Fiesta R.
Both would rival the latest Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI and the rumoured Clubsport or Polo R, which is believed to be in the works.
The hot hatch linkage for Fiesta makes sense as it was Ford’s weapon of choice in the World Rally Championship from 2011 until its demise in 2021
Designed, developed and built in Europe, the other cars under development by Ford include two electric vehicles – a Puma-replacing SUV and a small van that will be called the Transit City.
The final two vehicles will both be ‘multi-energy’ hybrids and are tipped to include a rugged baby Bronco to fight the inbound Mercedes ‘baby G-Class’, plus potentially a European version of the Ranger Super Duty with a 4500kg tow rating and a two-tonne payload.
There’s no word on what platform the new family of vehicles will be based on, but it has been reported the deal Ford inked with Renault could provide access to the Renault 5’s AmpR platform, powertrains and battery tech.
If true, the new arrangement would mirror what Ford already does in Europe with its Explorer and Capri EVs, which are both heavily based on the Volkswagen ID.4 but come with different bodywork and a unique suspension tune.
