Ford MEB

Ford's new electric car models Explorer and Capri are built on the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform. Ford MEB.

Ford and Volkswagen tie up

Posted 25/03/2023 by Terje Bjørnstad

Ford Europe has big ambitions for electric cars. By 2030, they will only offer electric vehicles in Europe. The production plant in Cologne will be converted into something they call an Electrification Center . Production of the Fiesta has already stopped there – and if I'm not mistaken, production of the Focus will be moved by the end of the year.

Another Explorer?

When Ford unveiled the first of its new electric cars this week, they showed us what they're up to. But it didn't just give answers – it also gave more question marks.

One might wonder why Ford is creating a new Explorer, when they already have a model with the same name in their model range - and neither of the two models have anything in common. I am also surprised that the new model should be so close to the Mustang Mach-E in terms of size, features and price. I also can't find any external features of the new Explorer that highlight it compared to the Volkswagen group's own MEB-based models such as the Volkswagen ID.4, Skoda Enyaq and Audi Q4 e-tron, although it's probably a matter of taste and comfort.

I think Ford would have been better served by developing a more popular model that could appeal to Ford's existing markets on the continent and in the UK. Here at home, the new Explorer can probably have a fair chance as a cabin car. We obviously can't get enough of square SUVs with heavy batteries. In addition, many customers will probably choose Ford based on previous brand loyalty and good experiences with Ford dealers.

Square steering wheel and adjustable screen

The launch of the new Explorer did not give very much concrete information about the MEB platform, although everyone knows that it is er there and offers range, charging and engine power on par with the best on the market. Also, the platform may receive further improvements as it nears production.

What else is worth noting about the new Explorer?

A square steering wheel and an adjustable screen. I think many people will welcome the latter. It's actually a good idea. Watch the demo!

Too early to draw conclusions

When I express skepticism about Ford's new electric car, it is primarily because I do not see any significant advantages, compared to both Ford's own Mustang Mach-E and the Volkswagen Group's own MEB models. Surely Ford could have come up with something better than an adjustable screen? But let me also add that the car is hardly fully developed. It may be that Ford has an ace up its sleeve when the cars go into production.

You can reserve the new Ford Explorer right now. It is completely without obligation. Your reservation will be an option to be among the first to book when bookings open.

Ford.no

A marriage of convenience

The collaboration between Volkswagen and Ford does not involve any ownership in each other's companies. It is about a kind of marriage of convenience that both benefit from. The two companies have collaborated in the past, including on the Ford Galaxy and Volkswagen Sharan models. Today's collaboration was formalized in 2019 and includes several key models.

Volkswagen Amarok and Ford Ranger

The new Volkswagen Amarok is now produced together with the Ford Ranger at Fords Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, South Africa. The two brands use their own engines.

Ford Connect and Volkswagen Caddy

The new Ford Tourneo Connect (7-seater) is produced together with the Volkswagen Caddy at Volkswagen's production facility in Poznań, Poland. Soon the Transit Connect will also share production with the Volkswagen Caddy. Ford uses its own engines.

New Ford models based on MEB

From the second half of this year, production of the new Ford Explorer based on Volkswagen's MEB platform will start at Ford's own plant in Cologne. The first cars will be delivered at the beginning of 2024. During 2024, Ford will also launch another new electric car model, also based on the MEB platform. It is likely that Ford can get batteries supplied from Volkswagen's new production facility PowerCo with production starting in 2025.

Volkswagen T7 and Ford Transit Custom

From 7, the new Volkswagen Transporter T2024 will be produced at Ford's Otosan factory in Turkey together with the Ford Transit Custom. It is not known whether the Transporter will continue to use the Volkswagen Group's own engines or the same as the Transit Custom, which includes electric and hybrid drivetrains.

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Ford MEB — Mustang Mach-E's little brother

The fiesta is over

Posted 30/10/2022 by Terje Bjørnstad

It wasn't the first, but it was the first car to open people's eyes to a new small car class. A class that may now disappear when new electric cars make their entrance.

Shall release production capacity

Ford has announced that the Fiesta will be withdrawn from the model program during 2023. In Norway, the Fiesta has been off the price lists for more than two years. In Germany, cars are now only delivered from stock. Fiesta is produced in both Cologne and Valencia. Ford wants to free up production capacity for its new all-electric SUV, which will be built on Volkswagen's MEB platform - the same platform used in the ID.4, among other things. The demise of the Fiesta not only marks a distinction between thermal cars and electric cars, but also a transition to less diversity in the car market. Will Ford's new electric car be number 6 or 7 built on the same platform? It's not Ford's fault - those are the cars people want.

Is the party over? - or is it now starting?

Not first in the class

The new small car class was invented several years before Ford entered the field. The pioneers in the class were the Renault 5 and the Fiat 127. They were built according to the same concept, but Latin cars never quite reached home in the north. Therefore, it was to be Ford that made people open their eyes to the small car class.

A party in everyday life?

The name "Fiesta" gives associations to something festive. When the first cars rolled out in 1976, it was like a breath of fresh air – at least to my young eyes. In 1981, Ford even launched the campaign model Fiesta Festival with fresh decor. I got to study the car up close at my local Ford dealer. Although the Fiesta was a small revolution compared to the Escort and Taunus of the 70s, it was a true Ford in both engineering and design. The rack-and-pinion steering was direct, so was the clutch - and the 1,1 liter seemed nimble. On the road it was a bit bumpy, but no more than you had to accept on a 3,5 meter car.

Produced for 7 generations

The first four generations retained the small car's shape and style. As the Fiesta grew larger and more similar to the Ford Focus, one would think that the void left by the early Fiesta models would be filled by the Ford Ka. The first Ka cars were then also produced together with the Fiesta mk4 in Spain, but the Ka did not appeal to everyone. It was a car you either loved or hated.

Model history

1976 Fiesta mk1 – The original.
1981 Mk1 facelift – Minor changes.
1983 Mk2 – Half a generation.
1989 Mk3 – An all-new model.
1995 Mk4 – Half a fishmouth generation.
1999 Mk4 facelift – the fish mouth disappeared.
2002 Mk5 – An all-new model.
2005 Mk5 facelift
2008 Mk6 – An all-new model.
2017 Mk7 - Ford Focus "light"
2023 Production of the Fiesta ends

The good, bad and ugly?

At the car fairs, older cars driven by grandmothers often appear. An old Fiesta gives a lot of nostalgia, but is unlikely to become a classic. The exception is the Fiesta XR2, XR2i and ST. From 1981 you could get the mk1 as the XR2, later also in the mk2. The model got round headlights with additional lights in the grill, wider fenders, fatter trim and wheels, 1,6 liter engine with Weber carburettor with an output of 82 HP. Also worth mentioning are the Fiesta mk3 RS1800 and RS Turbo. The Fiesta ST (pictured) also has a 1,6-litre engine – with a standard output of 182 HP.

I have no basis for singling out a bad Fiesta model, but I dare to single out the one I like the least. The Mk4 is more of a facelift of the Mk3 than a new generation. The exterior changes were reminiscent of the facelift on the 1995 model of the Scorpio. In retrospect, the Scorpio with its fish mouth has been voted one of the world's ugliest cars, and I think the fish mouth looked just as bad on the Fiesta. Too bad, because under the skin the Fiesta Mk4 was a good car with new 1,25 and 1,4 liter Zetec engines.

Ford Fiesta Flair mk4. Photo: Ford/FavCars.com

Ford Fiesta mk4 phase 2 with neater lines and no fish mouth. There are still many Fiesta mk4s rolling around on the roads down here.

I remember the mk3 well as a rental car for a few weeks in the early 90s. It had a standard 1,1 liter engine with power steering (optional). I don't know if it was the servo that stole power, but there wasn't as much pep in the engine as I remember from the mk1. But it was exceptionally easy to drive, lay well on the road, had plenty of space and was easy to park.

Fiesta memories

Seen in today's eyes, the Fiesta mk1 was probably not much of a car, and at least not something you would want to get into an accident with. I have an over 40 year old memory of this car.

After a family party, I was the "dedicated driver" to drive everyone home in the middle of the night - in a 1981 Ford Fiesta 1.1. It was my brother-in-law, who owned the car, my sister, our grandmother, grandfather and my little brother who was 12 years old. He had to sit huddled in the trunk. Where the country road went through a forest, I suddenly got an uneasy feeling. I felt that something was wrong. Even though we were driving at 80 km/h, I couldn't bring myself to touch the gas, so the car stopped by itself. "Why do you stop?", asked the entourage. Then I understood what was wrong. On the side of the road, we looked straight into the eyes of a large elk bull. Guardian angel or intuition? Fiesta against moose would be a bad idea anyway.

Feel free to post your own Fiesta memories in the comments section below. If the comment field does not appear, click on the title of the post.

About the pictures

The main image is based on a newspaper advertisement from December 1980 which has been colored digitally. The photo of the red Fiesta mk1 was taken outside Økern Bilauksjon when they were stationed at Fornebu. The car has now probably found new owners – hopefully someone who will take care of it. The gray car in profile is a mk2 with a rounded front. The car appears to be in daily operation and was photographed along the road at Ringebu. The newer Fiesta ST is pictured at Drammen Travbane on the occasion of an event from NMK Drammen where it is said to be a good Ford environment. Of the two photos of the mk4 Fiesta, one was downloaded from FavCars.com, while the other was taken recently in a park in Céret, France. The large picture of the Fiesta mk3 was taken in Perpignan on the occasion of a car meeting there. The assembly of the two Fiestas, formerly mk6 and mk5, together with the Mazda 2 has been done digitally. The newer blue car is downloaded from Depositphotos.com. It is a "mild hybrid" with a 1,0-litre engine of 155 HP.

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Mustang Mach-E's little brother

Posted 25/03/2021 by Terje Bjørnstad

There is a continuous line between the Ford Focus Electric and the Ford Mustang Mach-E – to the upcoming E-Transit. Ford's collaboration with Volkswagen, however, forms a completely new line in Ford's electric car initiative.

10 years ago, Ford's market share in passenger car sales was on par with Volkswagen and Toyota. In 2020, Volkswagen had 13,6% of the passenger car market while Toyota had 9,1% ( OFV.no ). Ford ended up with a market share of only 2,3%. Ford really needs a new electric car, like the Mustang Mach-E, to capture larger market shares. Production is running at full speed to meet demand in the US. 3700 cars were sold there in February. Soon cars can be delivered to Norway too.

Focus Electric

Historically, Ford has proven that they have mastered electric car technology. The Ford Focus Electric was never a bad electric car - but rarely came out particularly well in car tests. The concept was the same as the e-Golf. They took an existing fossil model and converted it to an electric car. Electric motor at the front and batteries located under the back seat and in the boot. Ford's biggest mistake was that they should have offered fast charging much earlier. It only came in 2017 together with an upgraded battery of 33,5 kwh. "Lack of fast charging" had followed the electric Focus for too long for the upgraded model to catch on.

Then Ford's electricity disappeared

It could seem as if the gentlemen in Ford's boardroom had decided to shelve further electric car investment. Perhaps they interpreted it as meaning that the world was not yet ready for electric cars? Sales of sedans had long been declining in the United States. Not because of a lack of electric car models, but because more and more people switched to pickups or SUVs. All in all, it was a fat one for Ford. But from 2017 market share started to fall in the US – not dramatically – but a steady decline of 1,1% over 12 quarters. The customer leak could be traced to Tesla.

The table for E-Transit

That Ford lost market share in the passenger car segment was not a disaster as long as sales of commercial vehicles held up well. And it has done so - both in the USA and in Norway. The Corona crisis has given good conditions for product distribution. In 2020, Ford finished as number 2 in the number of vans sold in Norway, only beaten by Volkswagen. Until next year (2022), the production of E-Transit starts simultaneously in the USA and Otosan, Turkey. The E-Transit will get a 76 kwh battery and powertrain from the Mustang Mach-E. In 2023, there will be an all-electric version of the F-150, also with drivelines from Mach-E.

A continuous line

There is a connection in Ford's electric car program from the Focus Electric to the Mach-E. The new powertrains, based on GE1 (Global Electrified 1), are actually a heavily modified version of the C2 platform from Focus Electric. GE1 appears to be a successful collaboration between Ford and the battery manufacturer LG Chem.

Why then has Ford entered into a strategic partnership with VAG?

The most obvious is that Volkswagen's MEB platform (Modularer E-Antriebs-Baukasten) is easier to adapt to smaller and lighter cars, such as the ID.3 and Focus - cars that will soon be in demand on the German home market. Another important factor is that Ford can gain access to the Volkswagen Group's battery production. Not only can this ensure access to battery cells, but also access to modern technology and production methods. In any case, production of Ford's new MEB-based electric car series will take place at the Ford Cologne Electrification Center and eventually also in Saarlouis, where the Focus Electric was once produced.

What Ford's MEB model will look like

Bilpressen has already made several sketches. Will it be a shortened version of today's Mustang Mach-E? Maybe it will look like the Ford Focus? Some have also made sketches based on the new Ford getting the same design language as Volkswagen's ID.3 and ID.4. Ford and Volkswagen have previously operated with "badging", where the same car model is produced as different brands. Will we get an ID.3 with the front of the Mustang Mach-E?

Terje's cars will be no worse than other car magazines. Our design of MEB-based Fords is based on Ford's European design language, - with a front à la Mustang Mach-E.