As Ford is celebrating the Fiesta’s 40th birthday, the hunt is on to find the Ireland’s oldest Fiesta. The original Fiesta was launched in the same year as Apple Computers and supersonic passenger flights on Concorde back in 1976.

At its launch, the Fiesta went on sale for the price of £2,365. 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 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.

“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.