Used cars

Fiesta’s badge bother?

Don’t panic! That’s the advice to Ford Fiesta owners worried about values going into meltdown if the badge is killed off

Auto Express Car Reviews

Will outgoing Fiesta face value slump?

30th May 2007

As we reported recently, bosses are thinking of dropping the Fiesta name when its replacement arrives in 2008. Yet experts say such a move is unlikely to prompt a huge fall in second-hand values of the current car.

Alan Senior is a director of VIP Trader Guide. He explained: “Any new model will have an effect on the used values of its predecessor, but a fresh name shouldn’t impact significantly on Fiesta prices.”

When Ford tried a similar move with the Focus in 1998, prices of the previous Escort took a hammering. But Senior feels this is unlikely to happen now, as the Fiesta is so popular. “The Escort had a poor reputation, and the Focus was a big improvement, so the name change wasn’t a factor,” he said.

Jeff Paterson from Glass’s Guide is less certain. “The Fiesta is an established brand, and if its replacement isn’t miles better, Ford could be shooting itself in the foot.”