Last time the Fiesta was in the US was between 1978 and 1980, before it was replaced by the Escort. Not that long really for a car that has sold successfully in Europe for over thirty years. But things are about to change as Ford rolls out the Fiesta Movement and on the face of it, the response seems to be fairly positive. So does the Fiesta have the potential to become a truly global car?

The "Fiesta Movement" as Ford has branded the project, involves 100 drivers, selected from over 3,300 young drivers’, who will get a European built Fiesta to drive, for free, for six months. In return for the car the "agents" as Ford calls them, will be assigned monthly drives that take them to new places to meet new people and make video diaries of their experiences that will be posted on YouTube and other social media sites. This will hopefully create a buzz in the market demographic that Ford are targeting, so called "millennials" born between 1979 & 1985. A demographic that Ford says "Making up 28% of the driving age population, the potential size of the market serves as an opportunity for Ford to connect with a group that hasn't yet established brand loyalty and is very connected to the use of technology and social networking".

Alongside the 100 Fiesta’s earmarked for the Movement, Ford has also brought in a further 40 vehicles for use in marketing and to let journalists test drive. Feedback has so far been positive with many journalists seeming quite surprised at the build quality and the overall performance of the test cars. But why the surprise? The Fiesta is the second best selling car in Europe, it has made its mark where it counts, sales. Since the launch of the seventh generation Fiesta in August 2008, Ford has sold 118,000 units in Europe. Admittedly the North American Fiesta will be assembled in Mexico but it should still be similar to the test cars, cars with a proven track record.

The Fiesta’s being used for the US trial are all five door hatchbacks and at this moment in time it is unlikely that the three door variant will make its way over the pond, there is however a four door saloon being prepared for the 2010 launch. As of yet the exact specification of the US model has not yet been decided by Ford and it could well be influenced by the feedback that comes from their agents. Small changes will also have to be made to comply with American regulations. Engine types and sizes have also yet to be determined, but it would be nice if the clean diesel technology that is so popular in Europe could find its way into at least a couple of models.

So, with the Fiesta also enjoying success in China and Asia, a successful launch and sales pitch in America could make the Fiesta one of the first truly global cars. If this happened Ford could once again become the global player it once was.