The worldwide production of Ford Fiesta, a small car model from US automaker Ford, reached 15 million during the year which also saw the car marking its 35th anniversary.

Ford has built a million of the current model since it debuted 28 months ago.

As Europe’s best-selling small car in 2009, 2010 and on track to accomplish the same feat in 2011, the Fiesta is one of Ford’s greatest success stories – appealing to several generations of drivers with its attractive styling, practicality, efficiency and performance, a statement said.

“The Fiesta is a special car that has a special place in the hearts of European customers and car lovers around the world,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.

“It’s a testament to the original Fiesta from 1976 and the engineers who have developed and improved the car through more than three decades that the Fiesta remains one of the world’s most popular cars.”

“Times and technologies have changed, but as long as the Fiesta continues to deliver the style, economy and performance elements that have been present from the very beginning, it will remain an enduring success,” he added.

The very first Fiesta was produced in Valencia, Spain, in 1976 as Ford’s practical and economical response to a fuel crisis that was gripping the world, and it immediately tapped into a small car demand in Europe and around the world.

Valencia continues to build the current Fiesta production with Ford’s manufacturing plant in Cologne, Germany, now producing the majority of new Fiestas. The Fiesta also is built in Nanjing, China, Rayong, Thailand, and Cuautitlàn, Mexico. – TradeArabia News Service