Meet The Owner – Emma Cater and Her Ford Fiesta Popular Mk. I

In the early 1980s, exotic forms of Fiesta, such as the Ghia and the XR2, were comparatively rare sights. These were the cars for sophisticates with an avocado bathroom suite and who even owned a Sony C7 video recorder. You were far more likely to encounter the Fiesta Popular on school runs and in Little Chef car parks – which is why Emma’s 1981 example is so appealing. In her words:

I actually found the advert for it on Car and Classic! So, I got it through private sale - the man who was selling it wanted to buy an F-150! It was delivered this Tuesday with absolutely nothing needing doing. I went straight out in it, and for only 957cc, it is very nippy, sitting happily at 50mph with four people in it!

Ford GB first started to use the Popular brand for the entry-level models with the 1953 103E, on which even direction indicators were an optional extra. Six years later, the 100E version offered a similar formula – four seats, straightforward engineering, limited interior fittings and a very low price. The last example left the Dagenham production line in 1962, but Ford revived the name for the bottom-of-the-range Escort Mk. II 13 years later.

The Escort Popular was so successful that a Fiesta version seemed inevitable. In late 1980, Ford treated ITV viewers to a commercial starring a young Jeff Rawle, who appeared very smug at owning a new Fiesta Popular -

Many observers asked the question: “How could Ford reduce the equipment levels of the already Spartan ‘Standard’ model to produce the even cheaper Popular for just £2,849?” The answer was - “With their usual flair.” Not only was it devoid of a passenger sun visor, and a dipping rear-view mirror there was neither a heated back screen nor a rear wiper.

Ford also ensured the Popular lacked a rear parcel shelf, reversing lights, and fresh air vents as part of a quest to keep it free from distractions. As for the windscreen washers, they were operated by a floor-mounted manual pump, and who needed reclining front seats and reversing lamps anyway?

And that was not all, as the brochure listed “diagonally split dual line braking system”, “self-adjusting clutch”, “Electric engine fan”, and, best of all, “Printed circuit instrument wiring” as decadent luxuries amongst its decadent luxuries. But the Popular cost more than £300 less than the Fiesta Standard. Fleet buyers and private motorists in the Mini 850 price bracket immediately took note. Autocar even regarded it as “a ‘singles car’ for dashing about town carrying one, sometimes two people with a certain cheeky style”.

The Fiesta Mk. II replaced the Mk. I in 1983 and many Populars consequently suffered customisation of varying degrees of dreadfulness. But, to quote Emma:

So many people have said how they appreciate the fact that it is almost completely original. It has been resprayed at some point in its life but remains its original colour of ‘Sunburst Red’. It is a lovely little car, and I would definitely recommend it to others if they were looking for a car which is fun to drive and easy to maintain and repair if need be. The original manual is still with the car and is an amazing resource to have when stuck in a cinch!

Emma also says,” Despite the fact that it is only the base model Popular, it fetches a great and really loving reaction from so many people!” But the reason is probably “because”.

With Thanks To: Emma Cater