Production of the Ford Fiesta recently ended at the Cologne Assembly plant –Â now known as the Cologne Electric Vehicle Center – as the long-running subcompact has officially been discontinued, making way for the all-new Ford Explorer EV. However, the Fiesta remains a popular vehicle on the used market, dominating the sales charts in the UK in 2022 and through much of 2023 so far. Unfortunately for owners, the Ford Fiesta isn’t just popular with used vehicle shoppers, as it has also long been a favorite target of thieves – a trend that has recently reached a new fever pitch in certain parts of the UK, according to BBC News.
In Essex, police have issued a warning for residents after a whopping 100 Ford Fiesta models were stolen in the UK in the month of October alone, most of which were taken from the towns of Thurrock, Basildon, Rochford, and Southend. “This particular Ford model is being targeted by thieves across the county,” Essex Police said in a statement. “We are urging Fiesta owners to ensure they have adequate security on their vehicles. The thieves are believed to be stripping the cars suggesting they expect there could be a shortage of spares.”
Part of the blame for this surge in Ford Fiesta thefts is being blamed on the fact that the model has now been discontinued, coupled with the fact that parts are difficult to come by already. Additionally, it remains a hot entity on the used market as well, which doesn’t help matters. “I think it’s just Fiesta is very fashionable at the moment and will sell very easily on second hand market,” said Dale Browning, of the independent dealer called Fiesta Center.
Indeed, even though production of the Fiesta needed back in July, Ford sold more than 22 million units of that particular model over its decades in existence, but for many of those years, it remained atop the new vehicle sales charts as well, so there are plenty of examples out there ripe for the proverbial picking.
We’ll have more on the Fiesta soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Fiesta news and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
Always a wise business decision to stop production of the top vehicle in a sales segment. Mmm, I hope Ford doesn’t make too many of these decisions…
Firstly, the red car in the lead picture is not a Fiesta model that was ever sold in the UK, we never had a Fiesta with a boot (trunk).
Secondly, the areas highlighted are in Essex, the location of several Ford facilities, notably the Dagenham Plant and the Dunton Research Centre, and many places in the past, where Ford employees, retired Ford workers and their families live. This means there are a lot more Fords around due to staff and pensioner discounts, therefore the numbers stolen are less surprising.