For many of us, buying a car is much more than just buying a simple means of transport. After all, the car was and remains to this day a "living" and "active" member of the Greek family. We spend a whole life with it, we share with it joys, sorrows, sorrows, failures and successes, living "next to" it many small or big everyday stories.
The protagonist in today's different story is Luke who, while passing outside an old car junkyard, suddenly and unexpectedly, was destined to meet love at first sight.
The object of his love was a green, crashed and abandoned 1981 Fiesta in a corner, but it managed to excite his imagination and from that moment onwards he became completely devoted to it and started a new interesting life full of excitement.
For all people, after all, behind every car purchase, there is always a love story - big or small. You see, the car, a symbol of our modern culture, was and remains to this day a "living" and "active" member of the Greek family. We spend a whole life with it, we share with it joys, sorrows, sorrows, failures and successes, living "next to" it many small or big everyday stories.
It all starts from the moment we dream that it becomes ours, that we drive it, that we take care of it.
Who, really, is there who doesn't remember their first car with nostalgia?
Luke, the protagonist of this different "Love Story", has a different story to tell us that seems like a dream and is definitely worth listening to. A story that is unique, but at the same time different from all the others.
The "Green Ford Fiesta" was built in March 1981 and was first registered in our country on 13 May of the same year. "Our" Luke bought it much later, in June 1999, from an old car yard, for the sum of 400,000 drachmas. The drive in the four-wheeled... love of our protagonist is provided by an advanced for its time 4-cylinder engine with a capacity of 1,117 cubic centimeters and a maximum power of 40 hp, which works with a manual gearbox with only 4 ratios. Other times, you see, not necessarily "inferior" to today's. After all, love... does not look back over the years!
The story of Luke's "Green Ford Fiesta"
Loukas is a young man with many "concerns" since he was a young child, who currently lives and works in Athens. His story with the "Green Ford Fiesta" started 20 years ago... or rather much older!
Luke's grandfather was the only one in the family who owned a car. Shortly before he passed away, Luke's grandfather decided that his car should either pass into the hands of his grandson - who was only 10 years old at the time - or be sold and his beloved grandson could use the money to buy his first car.
One day, on his way to school, the young and then student protagonist of our story found himself outside a large junkyard of old cars. That's when he ... fell in love! Luke was charmed at once by the green and battered, on one side, Ford Fiesta, abandoned in a corner, looking for someone's attention under the hot sun. This Fiesta was, after all, to become Luke's first car in 1999. Without a second thought, our protagonist decided to use his grandfather's inheritance to buy the "battered" Fiesta while making it his life's goal to restore it to its original condition.
The "rebirth" of the "Green Ford Fiesta" was done by Luke using original Ford parts, with a few exceptions that can be counted on the fingers of one hand: the right mirror, the passenger porthole, the tachometer and two switches on the dashboard (the left one to open the radiator fan and the right one for extra fog lights). The RS wheels came from the racing team that prepared the Group2 Ford Fiesta's of the era!
It took four whole years for the "active" and very much in love Luke of our story to make his Fiesta as good as new! "FiestakiasMarkone", as he was known on social media from the endless hours of searching the internet for authentic spare parts, after a lot of effort, and always with an abundance of love for the "Green Ford Fiesta", he finally did it!
Since then, the... reborn from the ashes of the Fiesta has faithfully accompanied its proud owner in every aspect of his social life. On his commutes to and from work, on walks with his girlfriend, and in the hours of relaxation with his friends. Everywhere and always, the "Green Ford Fiesta" was there, right beside him. And what he didn't do with it: they even watched the Acropolis Rally "together". But always with one... sacred and inviolable condition:
"My Fiesta will be driven by no one else, only me and God"!
For every golden rule there is an exception!
Luke stubbornly refused over the years to allow anyone to drive his beloved "Green Ford Fiesta" - a decision that often brought him into conflict with his dear friends who ardently wished to be behind the wheel. So Luke remained steadfast in his decision - but not anymore!
On the occasion of the visit of the six times WRC World Champion, Sebastien Ogier, to Greece, Loukas stepped back for the first time, handing over the wheel of his favourite car to one of the "gods" of World Motorsport.
In the end, Luke remained absolutely faithful to his decision:
"My Fiesta will be driven by no one else, just me and God"
Sebastien Ogier with co-driver Julien Ingrassia has won 6 consecutive WRC world titles. In fact, in 2017 and 2018 the duo won their world titles driving a Ford Fiesta WRC. The Frenchman is one of the "gods" of the World Rally Championship and is particularly loved by Greek spectators. He drove our green Ford Fiesta last summer during development testing of the Ford Fiesta WRC. The spin took place in August 2018, at the Karoutes special stage, where Ojieux was preparing the Ford Fiesta WRC on the tough Greek soil for the Turkish Rally. Ozilier managed to win his 6th consecutive world title in 2018, driving the M-Sport Ford Fiesta WRC.
