MEXICO - The Tsuru sedan that has sold 2.4 million units will end production with a special commemorative Edition.

• Popular Nissan small car sold more than two million units in Mexico since 1984

Nissan confirmed today the end of production of the Nissan Tsuru in Mexico by May 2017. The popular Tsuru, with more than 2.4 million sales to date, has provided accessible, economical and dependable mobility for drivers across Mexico and other markets for more than three decades.

Tsuru has been an important product for Nissan to establish itself as one of the top investors and employers in Mexico. 

The company expects to continue its Mexican sales and production leadership despite ceasing production of the iconic sedan.

 "In the Mexican automotive industry, Tsuru is one of the top sales leaders," said Mayra Gonzalez, president and general director, Nissan Mexicana. "The majority of Mexicans have some history that binds us to the Nissan Tsuru. The sedan, which has a huge following, has provided families in Mexico high-quality, reliable and durable transportation since 1984."

Nissan also announced today a special commemorative version of the Nissan Tsuru will be sold beginning March 2017, with only 1,000 units available. The company will also continue to support Tsuru customers by offering service and parts for the repair and maintenance of its vehicles for the foreseeable future. 

Nissan confirmed that although no direct substitute for the Tsuru is planned, the company will direct customers toward models like the Nissan Versa, the industry's sales leader, as well as other models like Tiida, through their different available versions.

J.D. Power awarded Nissan Tsuru the highest level of customer satisfaction in its 2013 and 2014 Mexican Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study (MVOSS) that evaluated customer satisfaction in the subcompact category.

Nissan Mexico's overall production volume will not be affected by the Tsuru announcement due to production increases at the company's two Aguascalientes plants, including the recently introduced Nissan Kicks.

Additionally, the new Daimler and the Renault-Nissan Alliance joint-venture manufacturing complex, COMPAS (Cooperation Manufacturing Plant Aguascalientes), will start production in late 2017. The COMPAS plant will allow Nissan to surpass the 1 million manufacturing benchmark in Mexico before the end of the decade and, when it's at full capacity, the company will add an additional 3,600 employees to its 15,000 team members in Mexico.

IRELAND - Ford of Ireland is hoping to uncover Ireland's oldest Fiesta, do you know where one is ?

First introduced in 1976, Ireland and Europe’s favourite small car, the Ford Fiesta is celebrating 40 years. As part of the car’s 40 year celebrations, Ford in Ireland is hoping to uncover Ireland’s oldest Fiesta.

Launched in the same year as Apple Computers and supersonic passenger flights on Concorde, few could have predicted the Fiesta’s phenomenal success story.

“The Fiesta has had such a unique and exceptional heritage in Ireland”, commented Ciarán McMahon, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford in Ireland. 

“It has been part of the family for countless households down through the years and is the car that most of us actually learned to drive in – experiences like that build a unique and strong affinity”.

The Ford Fiesta has sold more than 17 million units around the world since its launch in 1976. In Ireland, some 180,000 Fiestas have been sold giving it a rightful claim to the country’s longest-standing and favourite small car.

“Fiesta succeeded in staying popular by changing with the times and always staying right up to date. The latest version is a testament to that – stylish, great driving dynamics, excellent fuel economy but as technologically advanced as models selling for a multiple of the price of the Fiesta. That is why the latest version of Fiesta has been the top-selling small car in Europe for the last four years and I am sure the next 40 years will be just as successful for Fiesta”.

“When you consider how Fiesta has changed over the years, with each version getting better and better, it is the essence of our recently launched ‘Unlearn Ford’ campaign which invites motorists to forget what they think they know about Ford and look at the company differently. 

Anyone who only knew the earlier versions of Fiesta will be astounded to experience the latest version which is as stylish and technologically advanced as any car on the road today”, concluded McMahon.

Back in 1976, the Fiesta went on sale for the price of £2,365 and as a quick flavour of how times have changed: your 1976 Fiesta came with options including a screw-off aerial. Today’s Fiesta is geared towards the ‘connected’ generation, with excellent connectivity to your smartphone and apps and replete with the latest voice control technologies.

In its search for Ireland’s oldest Fiesta, Ford is hoping that owners of early Fiestas will come forward and contact their local Ford Dealer. 

The owner of Ireland’s oldest Fiesta and their car will be guests of honour at a special celebratory event for 40 years of Fiesta that will take place in late September.

For details of your nearest Ford Dealer go to ford.ie and also keep an eye on the Ford Ireland Facebook page for regular updates on Fiesta 40 activity.

Ford celebrates 40 years of the iconic Fiesta with a Dagenham to Brighton cavalcade.

• Ford celebrates 40 years since the first Ford Fiesta rolled off the production line in Valencia, Spain
• Fiesta is the UK’s best-selling car of all time with sales of over four million
• In celebrating, Ford gathered 40 Fiestas from the last four decades for a Dagenham to Brighton cavalcade.
• The 40 Fiestas covered seven generations of Fiesta including the 1976 MkI, MkI-III XR2, MkII Popular and MkI Van

When Ford launched the Fiesta, 40 years ago in 1976; few could have predicted the phenomenal success story that was going to unfold over the coming decades.

In the 40 years from 1976-2016, Ford sold 4,339,149 Fiestas in the UK alone, with European Fiesta sales set to surpass 18 million before the end of this year. Over these four decades, more than one in every 20 cars sold in the UK was a Ford Fiesta!

In 2014, the Ford Fiesta became the UK’s best-selling car of all time, overtaking the Ford Escort. It is not only the best-selling car in the UK this year; it has been the UK’s most popular car every month for the last seven years.  

To celebrate this success, and the range of vehicles produced over the years, 40 of the nation’s favourite Fiestas travelled in convoy from the Ford Engine Plant in Dagenham to Brighton Race Course for the Kelsey Media organised, 2016 Ford Summer Festival – A celebration of all Ford models.

The Dagenham to Brighton drive was open to all Ford vehicles; each receiving a unique numbered plaque. Around 200 Fords took part with models ranging from Cortinas to Rangers, and to mark the occasion, numbers 1-40 were allocated to Fiestas from the past four decades.

The Ford Fiesta MkI began production in the all-new Valencia factory in 1976 and sales in the UK commenced in 1977. Production versions of the Ford Fiesta MkI took part in the Dagenham to Brighton drive on Saturday. Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, Andy Barratt, said, “The opportunity to have these wonderful heritage vehicles lined up next to our latest Fiestas, such as the ST200, is very rare and was fully appreciated by the Ford fans that made the 69-mile journey down to the festival.”

Also on display at Dagenham was a MkIV 1.4 Fiesta Ghia; the 10 millionth Ford vehicle produced at Dagenham as well as the MkVI World Rally Championship car. The Fiesta MkI owners club were also involved in the drive, bringing with thema variety of sport Fiesta models as well as a MkII Fiesta Popular and a MkI Fiesta Van. (Quote: Owners Club)

The chronological evolution of Fiesta was evident, from the early MkI to the latest MkVII, and the changes significant, both visually and technologically. External design changes have been accompanied by new technologies, safety features and increased levels of equipment, many of which are now standard on the latest Fiesta, including air-conditioning, electric windows, Easy Fuel, electrically-operated and heated door mirrors and power-assisted steering.  Today’s Fiesta, with a range of class-leading powertrains - including the multi-award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine,  can be ordered with heated seats, cruise control and integrated navigation system which can even include a rear-view camera.

1975

• Engine production begins at Valencia
• Fiesta name chosen personally by Henry Ford II for its alliteration with Ford, its spirit and its celebration of Ford’s new connection with Spain

1976

• Production of new Fiesta begins in Valencia, Spain in May. Fiesta initially available in 1.0-litre and 1.1-litre Ghia versions

1977

• UK sales of the Fiesta begin
• Export of Fiesta models for the US market begins

1979

• Millionth Fiesta built for worldwide sales.

1981

• Ford introduces the new Fiesta XR2 with a 1.6-litre engine, stiffer suspension, unique perforated alloy wheels and styling treatments, including available auxiliary driving lamps. The first 100mph Fiesta

1982

• Fiesta is best-selling car in its class in Britain and Germany for six years running

1983

• Aerodynamic new Fiesta MkII introduced. This new model was longer and more fuel efficient, available in 1.0-litre and 1.1-litre
• 1.3-litre model launched with a fifth gear
• Fiesta 1.6-litre diesel introduced. This overhead-cam, indirect injection engine would become a mainstay of the Ford line-up for more than a decade

1984

• XR2 MkII version of new Fiesta introduced with 1.6-litre, single-overhead-cam engine and 5-speed gearbox, plus low-profile tyres, improved suspension and brakes

1987

• Best sales year in Britain with 153,000 Fiestas sold

1989

• Fiesta MkIII launched with anti-lock brakes and lean-burn engines, in 1.0-litre and 1.1-litre versions. New Fiesta featured a longer and wider body shape and an increased wheelbase. It was available for the first time as a five-door model,
• Fiesta is first small car with ABS
• Fiesta MkIII adds 1.4-litre – the first Ford engine to meet pending European emissions standards due to take effect in 1996 – and 1.6-litre engine options
• Fiesta XR2i joins the range later in the year with new 1.6-litre twin cam engine and 5-speed gearbox as the range’s hot hatch.

1990

• Introduction of Fiesta RS Turbo at Turin Motor Show. Using the XR2i engine with an intercooled Garrett turbocharger, the Fiesta RS Turbo was 1.6 seconds quicker than XR2i to 100km/h (62mph)

1992

• Fiesta RS 1800 introduced. Powered by a 16-valve 1.8-litre engine with improved hot hatch handling, plus five-spoke alloy wheels and a body-colour spoiler
• Introduction of 1.8-litre, 16-valve Zetec engine

1993

• Driver airbag becomes standard

1996

• Introduction of the new Fiesta MkIV with all-new rounded, aerodynamic shape and oval grille. Available with 1.25-litre, 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre engines, plus a 1.8-litre diesel. Dual airbags standard

2001

• All-new Fiesta MkV introduced at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show
• Production begins in Cologne and Valencia of the new Ford Fiesta

2002

• All-new Ford Fiesta MkV launched initially in the five-door version with a new line-up of engines, including the new Duratec 1.3-litre and the 1.6-litre 16-valve Duratec petrol engines
• Fiesta three-door model and the range’s 1.4-litre Duratec petrol engine and new 1.4-litre Duratorq TDCi common rail diesel engine
• Durashift EST automatic shifting manual transmission introduced

2005

• 2.0-litre 150PS Fiesta ST launched as the first production offering of Ford Team RS. It was the most powerful Fiesta ever at the time.

2006

• Fiesta launched with voice activation and Bluetooth

2008

• All-new Fiesta MkVI unveiled at Geneva Motor Show
• MkVI Fiesta goes into production in Cologne, Germany, Valencia, Spain and Nanjing, China, with new 1.6-litre Duratec Ti-VCT petrol and sub-100g/km 1.6-litre Duratec diesel engines

2010

• Fiesta’s 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi engine sees power increase to 95PS and three petrol engine options benefit from CO₂ emission reductions

2012

• Introduction of the Fiesta MkVII, the first Fiesta to come with the three cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine. Launched with Ford’s MyKey technology that would become a mainstay in many future Ford vehicles

2013

• Fiesta ST launched with a 1.6-litre EcoBoost turbo engine that produces 182PS - Awarded Top Gear Car of the Year

2014   

• Fiesta Red/Black editions unveiled with 140PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine. More power-per-litre than a Bugatti Veyron
• Powershift launched
• Fiesta becomes best-selling vehicle ever in the UK, surpassing the  4,105,961 registrations achieved by the Ford Escort

2015   

• Best year for Fiesta sales since 1996 – selling more than 133,000.

2016   

• Fiesta ST200 launched with a specially developed 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine that delivers 200PS  - fastest-ever production Fiesta  
• Fiesta becomes best-selling car in the UK every month for seven years in a row
• Fiesta ST wins more than 10 key awards since launch in 2013, including What Car? ‘Best Hot Hatch’ for three years in a row

Nissan launches a special edition of the NOTE, the Black Edition gives it an aggressive more muscular look.

• New limited edition of the popular compact hatchback
• Desirable styling enhancements create a sophisticated new look
• Based on Acenta mid-grade for high level of standard equipment
• On sale now priced from £14,415 OTR

Striking contemporary design, a high standard specification and a touch of premium quality seamlessly blend together on a new special version of the Nissan Note – the Black Edition.

The most eye-catching enhancement is to the exterior of the popular compact (B-segment) hatchback. The addition of a Dynamic Styling Pack means sporty body-coloured bumpers front and rear, side skirts and black bezel headlights. A performance-oriented black spoiler at the top of the hatchback further enhances the look.

Other upgrades include 16-inch alloy wheels, smart new door handles and mirror covers, plus gloss inserts around the daytime running lights. There is a new high quality finish to the B and C-pillars, which frame the rear passenger door windows. As the car’s name implies, all these enhancements are finished in premium black.

The interior of the Note Black Edition has also been given a significant makeover. The centre console is finished in gloss black, with a black gear shift knob close by. Above, the black headliner adds a stand-out and sophisticated look. Electric rear windows are included and the NissanConnect touch-screen infotainment system is also available as an option.

The Nissan Note Black Edition comes in two striking body colours – a pearlescent Storm White or a metallic Pearl Black – and is based on the popular Acenta mid-grade trim level. That means air conditioning, a multi-function leather steering wheel and Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming included on every car.

They are in addition to the Note’s most appealing features – its spacious interior and modern, efficient engines. Black Edition models are available with a choice of two powerplants from the Note range – the 1.5-litre dCi 90 manual and 1.2-litre 80 manual.