AFTER one year and more than 3,350 units sold, the Ford Fiesta celebrated its first anniversary in the Philippines with a whole-day Fiesta at the MC Home Depot in Bonifacio Global City on October 15.

Several tricked-out and tuned Fiestas went on display on the second floor of the MC Home Depot building where contests and concerts were held for owners of the latest cult car in the country.

Right smack in the middle of the floor was the Ken Block-inspired Fiesta. Block is the world-renowned stunt driver who is famous for executing near-impossible car maneuvers that have graced many TV commercials the world over and have even gone viral on YouTube.

Beside the stage was a white Fiesta upon which visitors could sign their names and write dedications to the new small vehicle that has become a favorite tuner car in the Philippines since it was launched a year ago in the local market.

The Fiesta is a subcompact car that has been going the rounds of car enthusiasts, winning awards like Best Sub-Compact in the 8th Car of the Year Awards and the 7th Annual C! Awards.  It has a 1.6-liter engine that throws out 120 ps of power and handles sharply and precisely.  In September, Ford claimed that the Fiesta achieved a record 23.663 km per liter in a fuel economy run.

Inside, the Fiesta is festooned with technology like voice recognition, Bluetooth, Powershift dual-clutch six-speed automatic transmission, hill-launch assist and electronic stability program.

The Fiesta accepts five persons comfortably, but four is the ideal number if occupants really want to make the experience really exciting. The rear cabin has ample leg room and the cargo bay can carry quite a lot.

The Fiesta party ended with an all-night concert with everyone staying until late watching performers move around the Fiestas.