The 1973 energy crisis gave birth to one of Britains best loved cars. NIGEL BURTON looks back on 30 years of the Ford Fiesta

POWER cuts, speed limits, petrol rationing and the three-day week. Anyone who lived through the 1973 energy crisis is unlikely to forget it.

In the UK, OPEC's decision not to ship oil to western Europe led to rampant inflation that sent the economy into a tailspin that lasted for a decade.

It also fuelled demand for small, fuel-efficient cars and led to an unprecedented rush of super-minis.

Ford had already spotted the emerging trend and work was well under way on a competitor for the Renault 5 and the Fiat 127.

Originally code-named Bobcat, when the wraps came off the company's billion-pound new baby in late 1975 it was branded Fiesta. When it went on sale in 1976 the smart new hatch was an immediate success.

The Fiesta was a new departure for Ford. It was the company's first truly successful front-wheel-drive model and first stab at a global car (there was an American version that led, indirectly, to US involvement in the Mark III Escort program).

The entry-level model featured then state-of-the-art extras such as a folding rear seat, rubber floor mats and two-speed windscreen wipers. Wealthier drivers opted for the Ghia version, which boasted unheardof luxuries like headrests, woodgrain trim and luxurious velour upholstery.

Fiesta broke new ground in other ways. The engineers paid special attention to crash behaviour. Their efforts won them a special award from the UK Design Council.

The millionth Fiesta hit the road in January 1979, just 32 months after launch, shattering previous production records.

Ford's plants in Dagenham, England, Valencia, Spain and Cologne, Germany, were used to manufacture Fiestas.

Since then a staggering 8.5 million Fiestas have so far been built (3.2m finding owners in the UK), with each new model offering motoring firsts. In 1984 it became the first small car with a diesel engine, in 1989 it was the first to come complete with ABS and in 1994 it was the first to offer a standard driver airbag.

But even that car was a world away from the 2006 model, which offers motorists high-tech technology like voice recognition, satellite navigation and MP3 capability.

With its redesigned exterior, full complement of engines and big-car features, the 2006 Fiesta is a worthy successor to the spirit of innovation that gave birth to the Mark One three decades earlier.

In fact, latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that almost one in four small-car buyers (8,495) choose a Ford Fiesta last month.

Steve Hood, Ford of Britain marketing director, said: "The popularity of the Fiesta is defined by its amazing sales success. "It has been in the topten British best-sellers since 1977, a feat unmatched by any other car."