Britain's most popular car ‘may be reborn' as an EV after being discontinued two years ago
BRITAIN'S most beloved car "may be reborn" as an electric after being axed two years ago.
The iconic motor is getting a much-needed upgrade to fit in with the EV revolution.
Advertisement
3
Ford might be releasing an EV version of a popular model
Credit: Getty
3
The Ford Fiesta might be getting an electric makeover
Credit: Getty
3
Ford said more EV details are set to come this year
Credit: Alamy
The fan-favourite Ford Fiesta is set to return and this time it'll be decked out with a charging socket.
It was scrapped from production in July 2023, much to the dismay of loyal customers.
However, soon it might be re-introduced with the help of Volkswagen.
Both Ford and Volkswagen joined forces for a "very successful" first project, meaning more Ford EVs could be on the way.
Advertisement
Read more
The manufacturer made a deal with Volkswagen in 2020 to use the same electric car parts that VW uses in their ID.4 and ID.5
models
.
These cars are electric SUVs built on the same MEB platform, which essentially is the vehicle architecture, but designed for slightly different tastes.
With this deal, Ford was able to make two new electric cars — the Ford Explorer EV and the Ford Capri EV — using VW's electric system underneath but with Ford's own design.
This deal worked so well that there's talk that Ford might bring back other old models, like the Fiesta, using the same approach.
Advertisement
Most read in Motors
While nothing is set in stone, Volkswagen's head of sales and marketing Martin Sander, told
The sales boss said he did "not want to rule out that there are
future
opportunities here to share technology again."
Ford Recalls 148,000 Vehicles: Fire & Crash Risks Explained
This means a new wave of superminis could be on the cards.
The updated electric Fiesta would have a range of up to 280 miles and DC fast-charging speeds of 125kW.
Advertisement
Sander said the collaboration is "an opportunity for [VW] to scale even more than we can, on the basis of the size of our business."
While Ford hasn't confirmed any details on whether an EV Ford Fiesta might make an appearance, it said it would make investments where it sees.
The manufacturer revealed: "Ford is confident in its ability to compete in the right segments."
Ford's secretive California-based Skunkworks team, a small elusive group of engineers, is currently hard at work on a new affordable electric vehicle platform.
Advertisement
Last year the carmaker said: "We developed a super-talented skunkworks team to create a low-cost EV platform.
"It was a small group, small team, some of the best EV engineers in the world, and it was separate from the Ford mothership.
"It was a start-up."
However, the project seems to be zeroing in on a medium-sized pick-up as its first focus which doesn't appear to describe an EV Fiesta.
Advertisement
Ford said it would provide an update on electrification, technology, profitability and capital requirements in the first half of 2025.
Fiesta fans will have to sit with their fingers crossed in the meantime.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
McErlean and Treacy hoping to return to event Saturday after dramatic stage two at Rally Italia Sardegna
A dramatic and incident filled second stage of Rally Italia Sardegna, round six of the World Rally Championship, claimed the Irish crew of Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy along with their M-Sport Ford team mates Gregoire Munster/Louis Louka and Martins Sesks/Renars Francis leaving Jourdan Serderidis as the sole Ford competitor, but the Greek driver reported a broken suspension damper at the stage end. Meanwhile, French driver Sebastien Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) leads overnight 2.1s ahead of compatriot Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai i20 Rally1) with his Hyundai team mate Ott Tanak 5.2s further behind in third. It had begun well for Kilrea's McErlean and Killeagh's Treacy, who followed up their strong performance in the shakedown to post the sixth fastest time on SS1 - 5.4s behind rally leader Sebastien Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1). "It was okay. I don't think I took much out of the road, it cleaned a lot, I saw Ogier's time before the stage and do that third on the road is incredible. Still a lot more to go." Unfortunately, the "more" only lasted about 8.5km into the Telti-Calangianus-Berchidda 18.43 km stage when McErlean's Puma clipped a tree. "Small mistakes have big consequences, after a positive start we ran wide and damaged the rear suspension and couldn't continue." Aware of his team mates, he added, "Not a great stage for M-Sport. We knew it would be tough, but this is brutal." The Irish duo are hoping to return to the event today (Saturday) under Super Rally where they will have the extra challenge of sweeping the road. Meanwhile, Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux topped the time sheets after the opening loop of three stages 2.9s ahead of his team mate and reigning WR champion Thierry Neuville with Sebastien Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) seeking a record breaking fifth win on the event, 5.2s further behind in third. Championship leader Elfyn Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) was down in eighth place and 41.2s off the lead, principally due to the fact that he was running first on the road. On the repeat loop, Neuville regained the lead on SS4 only to retire on the next stage following an impact that damaged the suspension. Fourmaux was back in front once more followed by team mate Tanak - 1.2s behind with Ogier third before setting the best time on SS6 to lead overnight. There are six stages today and four on Sunday. Rally Italia Sardegna (Round 6, World Rally Championship) Olbia: 1. S. Ogier/V. Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 1h. 10m. 33.1s; 2. A. Fourmaux/A. Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+2.1s; 3. O. Tanak Ott/M. Jarveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+7.3s; 4. S. Pajari/M. Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+16.8s; 5. K. Rovanpera/J. Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+22.8s; 6. E. Evans/S. Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+1m. 09.8s; 7. T. Katsuta/A. Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+2m. 27.9s.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I own the ‘worst car in history' that's comically cheap from 80s but I LOVE it – I can't wait for its dramatic comeback
AN OWNER of a ridiculously cheap car from the 1980s considered to be the 'worst in history' says he actually loves it. The Yugo 45 was a small car that was built in the former Yugoslavia and picked up the unfortunate moniker over the years. Advertisement 8 Despite its faults Allan Smyes loves his Yugo 45 Credit: Allan Smyes 8 Allan hopes the car will make a successful comeback when the car gets relaunched Credit: Allan Smyes 8 Allan says the interior is like a Caramac bar Credit: Allan Smyes Allan Smyes, 50, picked up his model five years ago and is now hoping the vehicle will make a dramatic comeback as Yugo Automobile is set for a relaunch before the end of the decade. Allan, who lives just outside York, is the proud owner of a 1988 Zastava Yugo 45. The model was first available in 1981 and cost around £3,000 at the time. It's cheap price meant it undercut it main rivals like the Austin Mini Metro, Ford Fiesta and the Vauxhall Nova. Advertisement Read More in Motors It was known for its low quality construction, safety concerns and reliability issues, making it the cheapest car between 1981 and 1991. However, this affordability still did not enable the Yugo to become a successful or popular car for the long run. In the initial years it was available in the UK, Zastava sold around 3,000 models every year, going on to sell tens of thousands, largely due to the low cost. Around 794,428 Yugos in total were produced, but only a fraction of these were sold in Britain. Advertisement Most read in Motors By 2018, just 19 remained on the road, according to official registrations data. The car might not be such a rare sight on British roads for too much longer. Mike Brewer Predicts a £10,000 Future for the Audi TT The return of the vehicle comes as part of a project by Serbian university professor, Dr Alekasandar Bjelić, who hopes to bring the car back to the market for 2027. Dr Bjelić is linked to the automotive industry in Germany, and unveiled his 1:5-scale vision for what the Yugo could look like soon. Advertisement This new design for the Yugo was debuted at the Car Design Event 2025 in Munich. It included stylish compact car features such as slim LED lights on the front and rear, along with large alloy wheels. A fully working prototype of the new Yugo is expected to be shown at the Belgrade Expo in 2027. On top of that, Bjelić said it would be initially sold as an "affordable" two-door model, adding that there is potential for "different body versions" to follow. Advertisement Affordability of the new Yugo is hoped to be facilitated by introducing the vehicle a petrol engine, and choice of manual or automatic gearboxes. Yugo Automobile did add: "electrified versions are possible." 8 DVLA records show just seven remain on the road today Credit: Facebook / Carole Nash Inside Classics 8 Despite it's bad reputation it could be relaunched before the end of the decade Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd Advertisement 8 The Zastava Yugo 45 has been branded the 'worst car in history' Credit: Getty With this project, Yugo are teasing a "fun-to-drive car" that "meets all relevant safety standards," hinting it will use a shared platform borrowed from a "cooperation partner". Allan told 'Look at what Renault has done recently with the 5. Even when they've turned it electric it's been a huge success. Advertisement 'The new Yugo could do the same. It looks really quirky and will be totally different to the cars on the market at the moment.' Despite the car being branded as the 'worst car in history' Allan still believes the car can be a success. He said that if the vehicle manages to keep the same characteristics of the original then drivers will appreciate it as a cheap form of motoring, but added that will depend on just how well built it is. Allan added that the car manages to attract lots of attention whenever he goes out in it, which he admitted isn't that often. Advertisement He added that while you don't see them on the roads anymore, everyone still remembers them and wants to tell him about friends or family who owned one. Asked if the original Yugo warranted the dreadful reputation it had gained, he said that in the 1980s he probably would have agreed with that assessment but now that he was the owner of one he could appreciate it for what it is. He said that the car offered a no frills, basic form of transport and that people expected too much from them. Despite saying it was clunky and poorly built he said he still loved his model. Advertisement The interior décor of Allan's car is caramel with him saying it looked like a Caramac bar, adding it's 'glorious but in an awful way'. BADLY MADE The Yugo was notoriously badly made with the bodykit simply riveted onto the bottom of the bumper, meaning that it flaps around if its picking up speed. Not that it can go fast. Allan said it can reach 70mph at a push but it only has a four-speed gearbox. Although he added while it's comfortable doing 60mph it's best not to go much faster and warned you wouldn't want to hit anything. Advertisement UK imports of the car stopped in 1991 due to the start of the Yugoslav civil war, with dealers at the time offloading models for just £2,795, around £8,600 today. By then it had become renowned for being rudimentary, poorly engineered and ugly. Just how bad the car was, was outlined in the book "The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History' by Jason Vuic. He wrote: 'Six months after its American introduction in 1985, the Yugo had become a punch line; within a year, it was a staple of late-night comedy.' Advertisement Allan, who works in the motor trade buying and selling cars, is also a keen collector, preferring motors with a bit of a difference. Among his collection is a Skoda Estelle, a couple of Metros, two Rover 75s, a Talbot Alpine, a Peugeot 106, a Vauxhall Cavalier and a Citroen BX. In total, he said he had about 25 cars to his name but the Yugo remained one of his favourites. Thanks to its basic design, if anything goes wrong he can fix it himself and so far, it has been reliable. Advertisement 8 The Zastava Yugo is making a comeback with an 80s-inspired supermini Credit: Instagram 8 The company hopes to launch the new hatchback in 2027 Credit: Instagram
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
New fully-electric Renault 5 E-Tech is a welcome blast from the past and will be a massive hit
THIS is the new Renault 5 E-Tech — and this is exactly how you bring back an iconic car from the past. It looks simply incredible, especially in this fetching Pop Yellow colour, and it features loads of design cues from the original Renault 5. Advertisement 6 CHARGE TIMES: Rapid DC charging from 15-80 per cent takes the Renault 5 around 35 mins or up to 9 hours using a 7kW home charger Credit: RENAULT 6 BLAST FROM THE PAST: What was an air vent on the old Renault 5 turbo has now been turned into an LED battery level indicator Credit: Renault Such a welcome blast of nostalgia and unlike some manufacturers, yes Ford I'm looking at you, who have revived old models but created a version that bears very little resemblance to the car it's replacing. Renault have had the good sense to take everything that was good about the old model and re-imagine how it would be if made in the future. Pop princess Dua Lipa, who has a famous album called Future Nostalgia, has hits including the songs Electricity and Blow Your Mind, so I think Renault missed a trick not enlisting her to launch its new EV hatch. Yes, the new Renault 5 is fully electric, unlike the petrol-powered hatchback from the 70, 80s and 90s. Advertisement Key Facts: Renault 5 E-Tech Cost: From €25,995 Engine: 110kW electric motor Power: 150hp Torque: 245Nm 0-100kph: 8 seconds Top Speed: 150kph Battery: 52kWh lithium-ion Range: 410km Real world range: 356km Rivals: Peugeot E-208, MG4, Smart #1, Nissan Leaf But small electric cars are actually the sweet spot for an EV, not massive, super heavy, all-wheel drive SUVs. The new Renault 5 does tip the scales at 1,524kg, but that's not heavy for an EV, and it never feels overweight to drive. There are two battery sizes, 44kWh paired with a 120bhp electric motor and a 55kWh that I'm testing, which comes with a 150bhp motor. It's not crazy quick, 0-100kph takes eight seconds dead with a top speed of 150kph. Advertisement Most read in Motors But compare that to the 1.4-litre Renault 5 GT Turbo that produced 118bhp with a 0-100kph time of 7.5secs and it's not far off the iconic hot-hatch. And if that's not hot enough for you then Alpine is bringing out its version of the Renault 5 called the A290 — and its packing a 220bhp punch. But if you want supercar performance from a Renault 5 then the rear-wheel drive RS Turbo 3E that's built to drift is the one for you. It will produce 540bhp and 4,800Nm of torque and is rumoured to cost €150k. But back to the 5 E-Tech and as it has a wheel at every corner with short overhangs front and rear, it's really agile and handles like it's on rails. Advertisement 6 BOOT SIZE: Its boot is 326 litres and that rises to 1,106 litres with the rear seats down Credit: Jed Leicester 6 RETRO CABIN: Loads of hints to the old Renault 5 like the old-school graphics, logos and fabrics Credit: Renault There's virtually no body roll, the suspension is reasonably firm so the ride is more sporty than soft, but will still absorb bumps and road imperfections. Inside the 5 E-Tech's interior is another treat with lots of yellow trim and fabric and retro logos and graphics. Advertisement Then amazing figure—hugging seats, heated of course and not dissimilar to the original Renault 5 Turbo seats. The dash layout is brilliant with a series of toggle switches for the climate and dual screens, one for the driver and a central touchscreen infotainment system that runs Google operating system. There's four driving modes and everything changes to different colours with Sport turning red, and Sport mode really livens up the performance. But in contrast, Eco mode totally stunts the power output. Advertisement Read more on the Irish Sun Its boot is 326 litres and that rises to 1,106 litres with the rear seats folded down. It has a real-world range of 356km, fast charging from 15-80% takes 35mins or it's nine hours using a 7kW wallbox. 6 Alpine A290 image bank media Test-Drive, from October 25 to 27th 2024 at Mallorca, Spain - Photo Yannick Brossard / DPPI Credit: Alpine 6 RENAULT TURBO 3E: Crazy rear-wheel drive Turbo 3E is built to drift, it's dual in-wheel electric motors produce 540bhp and a crazy 4,800Nm of torque and it's made from aluminum with loads of cabon fibre parts Credit: Renault Advertisement
