FIESTA FACTS

Q: In another classic magazine I’ve been reading about the history of the Fiesta and different people say it’s either a copy of the VW Polo or a copy of the Fiat 127. Which do you reckon is right?

A: As you’ll read in this month’s piece on the history of the Fiesta, it’s often suggested that Ford simply copied the Polo but in reality the cars were launched so close to each other that this would in practice have been impossible. The Fiat though came out in 1971 and was offered as a hatchback from 1972, meaning that both VW and Ford most likely took inspiration from it. Tom Tjaarda’s full-size styling mock-up for the ‘Project Bobcat’ as it was known was in fact built up on a Fiat 127 base, which is how the rumour got started. In the archive pic here you can see both Fiat 127 and Honda Civic in the background while the Fiesta clay model is being made.