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Ford Fiesta XR2 Cars

When Ford Fiesta of Europe began to design the car, the design proposals were named Iris, Beta, The Deutschlander (from Ford's Cologne studios), Mini-Mite, and the Blue Car (from Ghia). Codenames for the Ford Fiesta prototype included Torino, but it became Project Bobcat.

The shortlisted names for the new car designed by the project Bobcat team (headed by Mr Trevor Erskine) were Amigo, Bambi, Bebe, Bravo, Bolero, Cherie, Tempo, Chico, Ford Fiesta, Forito, Metro, Pony and Sierra. Despite more board votes for "Bravo", Henry Ford II personally overruled them and named the car "Fiesta". Several of the shortlisted names were later used on other cars, including "Sierra", which was introduced on the Cortina replacement in 1982, and Tempo which was used on a Ford small car in the United States market. Ironically the "Metro" nameplate was introduced by rival manufacturer British Leyland for the similar-sized Austin Metro in 1980.

The name Ford Fiesta belonged to General Motors at the time; however, it was freely given for Ford to use on their new B-class car. After years of speculation by the motoring press about Ford's new car, it was subject to a succession of carefully crafted press leaks from the end of 1975. A Ford Fiesta was on display at the Le Mans 24 Hour Race in June 1976, and the car was launched and on sale in France and Germany in September 1976: to the frustration of UK dealerships righthand drive versions only began to appear in the UK in January 1977.

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New Ford Fiesta XR2 Cars

Ford Fiesta XR2 Cars the early 1970s, European demand from consumers for small cars was rising. Even Ford's smallest model, the Escort, was a conventional front-engined, rear wheel drive Fiesta XR2 Cars. yet competitors were launching smaller, front wheel drive Fiesta XR2 Cars, like the Fiat 127 and the Peugeot 104. The effects of the 1973 energy crisis were also increasing demand for smaller Fiesta XR2 Cars. BMC (which had since merged into British Leyland) had entered the mini-car market with its Mini in 1959, while the Rootes Group had launched the ultimately less successful Hillman Imp in 1963, but times had moved on and people looking for small Fiesta XR2 Cars now wanted practical hatchbacks instead of conventional sedans. GM had entered the modern supermini market with its conventional Opel Kadett City/Vauxhall Chevette three-door hatchback twins early in 1975.

The original plans for the "Bobcat" was actually signed off by Henry Ford on 15 September 1972, more than a year before the Arab-Israeli War and the oil price surge that it triggered, so the project is best seen as a response to competitors than as a direct response to the oil crisis. The plans specified a desire that the new Ford Fiesta XR2 Cars cost US$100 less to produce than the Ford Escort. In addition, the car was to have a wheelbase longer than that of the Fiat 127, but with overall length shorter than that of Ford's Escort. The final proposal was put together by Tom Tjaarda at Ghia.

Bobcat was approved in autumn 1973, with Ford's engineering centres in Cologne and Dunton (Essex) collaborating. Customer clinics were held across Europe, targeting female buyers in particular.

Ford estimated that 500,000 Fiestas a year would be produced, and built an all-new factory near Valencia, Spain; a transaxle factory near Bordeaux, France; factory extensions for the assembly plants in Dagenham, Essex, and Saarlouis, Germany. Final assembly also took place in Valencia.