Car & Classic, the biggest classic and niche vehicle marketplace in Europe, has reported a substantial increase in Ford Fiesta searches over the weekend when the last Fiesta rolled off the production line (7/9 July).
Car & Classic reveals that news of the last Ford Fiesta to leave the factory, as the model is officially discontinued, prompted a 206 per cent spike in searches on its online platform, compared to average Fiesta searches in the four weeks prior to the announcement. Within the model’s versions, the most interest was garnered by the Fiesta XR2 (up 107 per cent) and RS (up 52.1 per cent) in the days that followed the news compared to a week before.
“Even without taking into account the initial reaction to the news of the last Fiesta ever produced, interest in the model is strong overall, up 14 per cent in the period 9/16 July, compared to 25 June/2 July and ignoring the weekend of the announcement,” says Car & Classic Head of Editorial Dale Vinten. “It shows how the end of the line for a much-loved model in the UK may not necessarily mean the end of its presence on the roads. The classic (and modern classic) car community will ensure that we shall see Fiestas being driven for many years to come.”
Ford is still the most-searched brand on Car & Classic’s online platform, with the Escort, Capri and Cortina making up around 34 per cent of overall Ford searches whilst the Fiesta is currently responsible for 6 per cent.
The humble Fiesta’s resurgence may even have an impact on the model’s future values, but at the moment demand follows the same pattern to which most classic cars are sensitive: “low-mileage cars in good, unmolested conditions with a documented service history continue to be sought-after,” adds Vinten.
“The knowledge that you may be driving a car whose current production has stopped plays a part, but rare and restored classic models will also always command a premium: both these immaculate 1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport MkI and 1981 Ford Fiesta 1300 Supersport MkI sold for £15,500 and £17,750 in May and March this year respectively. The market will respond to the Fiesta demise milestone accordingly, perhaps – initially at least – with fewer Fiestas up for sale whilst owners re-evaluate the circumstances.”
Car & Classic typically lists around 30,000 vehicles at any one time, with a range of prices from “no-reserve” to £10 million.
