27 August 2002: Ford of Ireland has achieved a fine coup in the small car diesel stakes by selling 180 new Fiestas powered by the 1.4-litre TDCi diesel engine to Dublin City Council.

The 5-door cars - there is no van version - score on the 67mpg fuel efficiency of the diesel engine, and also on the soon to be important CO2 emissions matter, and for the council represent a reflection of a ‘green ethos’ it wants to be seen to cultivate.

The deal, probably worth around E2.7m after fleet discounts are taken into consideration, also enhances the image of diesel in a market segment where traditionally it has been in a minority position in Ireland.

At the European launch of the Fiesta earlier this year, Ford of Ireland MD Eddie Murphy was very clearly told by journalists that the diesel - developed as a joint venture between Ford and the Peugot-Citroen PSA Group - was the best engine in the car.

And exhortations to make it a competitive option in Ireland appear to have fallen on receptive ears, as the premium for the diesel in the Fiesta is only around E1,100 and it is available in the entry-level Finesse specification as well as the more expensive LX cars.

The Fiesta was quietly released into Irish showrooms in the middle of the summer, but a strong advertising campaign is now building up momentum under the theme ‘get out more’.