Miguel Sánchez
If we approach motorsport from the perspective of fans, it is logical to pay great attention to sports cars. However, expanding the focus to the pure encyclopedic and historical record, it is absolutely necessary to remember those models based on the practicality and economy.
Furthermore, since the automobile was one of the consumer objects with the most impact during the 20th century, fuel economy and modesty in price stand out as two of the essential qualities in the sense of its democratization.
A league where Ford has always played excellently, being responsible for bringing private transportation closer to the popular classes with models as diverse as the Model T or the Fiesta. Two representative examples of the concept “global car"and therefore capable of successfully penetrating truly disparate markets thanks to their practical design in conjunction with manufacturing capable of being established in almost any country.
A character that in the case of the Fiesta is really visible not only because of its own concept - more specifically when we talk about its most basic versions– but also because of the historical context for which the brand designed it; something whose beginning we place in Spain in the mid-seventies.
THE FIRST REASON FOR THE ECONOMY OF THE FORD FIESTA
In 1973 the Oil Crisis broke out. A disruptive moment in the history of transportation due not only to scarcity - and therefore famine– of fossil fuels in the West, but especially because of the debate generated as a result of it in the automobile industry.
Not in vain, manufacturers - in full growth given the exponential increase in the mobile fleet since the end of the fifties - took immediate awareness on two issues. Namely, firstly the need to continue developing popular models with which to motorize the population - something that, in Europe, had already been very well understood for some time - and, above all, to provide them with motors efficient in their consumption.
What's more, this was even noticed in the most powerful ranges, with turbodiesel versions appearing from the top of the ranges - there is the Mercedes 300SD to prove it - they were soaking up the most basic ones, creating successful sales models such as the Renault 9 GTD; at that time the "Diesel for all"best-selling in Spain in 1984.
THE ROLE OF GEOGRAPHY
When developing a vehicle, the specifications set the parameters within which engineers and designers will have to operate. This is how things are with Ford towards him. Seafood dictated the need to create a low-cost vehicle really cheap cost both in its manufacture and in its use, thus adding options to be a sales success in countries where the most popular classes were still accessing motoring.
In this way, Ford set its sights on southern Europe, making it a logical idea to open a specific factory for the project on the coast of Spain. Specifically in Almussafes, a place where the state administration It deployed all kinds of economic and logistical facilities - a public highway was even built in anticipation of those facilities - in order to secure the investment promised by Ford.
With all this, the Ford Fiesta The BMW 1976 Series was launched in XNUMX with the idea of being a popular vehicle for developing markets. In addition, it was also designed to penetrate established markets as a second car for everyday urban use. As for the engines, they were in line with the utilitarian character with modest displacements that ranged from 957 cc to 1.117 cc and 1.298 cc during its first years.
FORD FIESTA 957 LOW COMPRESSION
At this point no one can doubt how, both by context and by design, the Ford Fiesta It stood out as one of the most economical vehicles of its time. What's more, in the case of the Spanish market this led it to be quite a sales success managing to be the best-selling car in both 1979 and 1980.
In short, an obvious example of how SEAT had to get used to a more competitive context, with very little left for it to PHASE I surpassed it after years of growing.
Likewise, the Ford Fiesta range wanted to redouble its commitment to economy by launching from the first moment a low compression version of the variant with a 957 cc engine. Suitable to work with 90 octane gasoline -available in Spanish gas stations almost at the same time as the launch of our protagonist-, it produced around 40 HP with an average consumption set at just over 6.5 liters.
Likewise, the gearbox received especially long gears; perfect for riding calmly on the flat although, evidently, these were responsible for converting the Ford Fiesta 957 Low Compression in a vehicle that was a bit special when it came to being driven; let's say that overtaking had to be planned in advance.
In short, go as relaxed and smooth as possible to, ultimately, accentuate even more the saving for which this utility vehicle was intended.
