Ford Fiesta L MkI. Light brown version. Made in Valencia (Spain) in 1982, 4 cylinders, 1.598 cc, 84 hp, 170 km/h.
The Ford Fiesta is a supermini car marketed by Ford since 1976 over seven generations. Over the years, the Fiesta has mainly been developed and manufactured by Ford’s European operations, and has been positioned below the Escort (later the Focus).
Ford has sold over 22 million Fiestas since 1976, making it one of the best-selling Ford marques behind the Escort and the F-Series. It has been manufactured in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, Taiwan, China, India, Thailand, and South Africa.
The Fiesta is planned to be discontinued in June 2023, after 20 million units have been produced.
First generation (1976)
The Ford Fiesta Mk1 is the first generation of the Ford Fiesta supermini. Originally introduced in 1976, it was Ford Europe’s first multi-national front-wheel-drive automobile, and was available in both 3-door hatchback and panel van derivatives. In 1983, the Fiesta was updated, and the Fiesta Mk2 was introduced.
The car was initially available in Europe with the Valencia 957 cc (58.4 cu in) I4 (high compression and low compression options), and 1,117 cc (68.2 cu in) engines and in Base, Popular, L, GL (1978 onward), Ghia and S trim, as well as a van.
The U.S. Mark I Fiesta was built in Saarlouis and Cologne, Germany but to slightly different specifications; U.S. models were Base, Decor, Sport, and Ghia, the Ghia having the highest level of trim. These trim levels changed very little in the Fiesta’s three-year run in the US, from 1977 to 1980.
All U.S. models featured the more powerful 1,596 cc (97.4 cu in) engine, which was the older “Crossflow” version of the Kent engine.
Among the other changes required for the US market, the Fiesta was fitted with a catalytic converter and air pump to satisfy strict Californian emission regulations), energy-absorbing bumpers, side-marker lamps, round sealed-beam headlamps, improved crash dynamics and fuel system integrity as well as optional air conditioning (a/c was not available in Europe).
In the U.S. market, the Ford Escort replaced both the Fiesta and the compact Pinto in 1981.
