Ford looks set to end production of its iconic Fiesta model with an announcement due within days. The popular 'super-mini' first marketed in 1976 will end production as early as next year, reports the BBC.
Ford is reported to be talking to manufacturers, staff and car dealers this week ahead of the formal announcement. The Sun says the move comes as Ford switches to all electric vehicles and it has no plans for an electric version of the Fiesta.
A spokesman for Ford said that it was "accelerating our efforts to go all in on electrification" but said the company does not comment on speculation.
The first Ford Fiesta was made in Dagenham but is currently built in Germany. The smaller, affordable car was created by the US car giant to target the UK market.
It was designed to be fuel efficient during the oil crisis of the 1970s. More than 20 million Ford Fiestas have been sold worldwide. The seventh generation of the Fiesta was launched in 2017.
The Fiesta will be overtaken by the Ford Puma, while Ford is also to discontinue the Focus.
The Fiesta has already been withdrawn from North America, South America, Australasia, and Asia, according to Ford, due to the popularity of SUVs, and pickup trucks.
