One Family, One Fiesta, 38 Years ...

Carlo Tedeschi and his wife Gianfranca see their small white car, bought 38 years ago, as their eighth child.


All of the Tedeschi children, whose ages range from 46 to 28, were taught to drive in the Fiesta, that Carlo bought new, from a dealership near their home in Sant’llario d’Enza, Reggio Emilia, in Italy.

“The Fiesta has been a big part of our family. Myself, and my two younger sisters not only learned to drive in the Fiesta, but were brought home from hospital in this car by my father,” youngest son Paolo, 34.

The Fiesta is the only car Carlo has ever bought new now has 245,000 kilometers on the clock, and was showing signs of wear and tear. So the family decided to restore the much-loved Fiesta to its former glory and classic car status.

“We knew it was his dream for the car to be like new again. It’s been there for weddings, holidays, it’s like another brother or sister. Everyone knows our car. We are the Fiesta family.”

To qualify for classic car status, and a special golden plaque, cars must feature only original parts. The stumbling block was the frayed seat fabric, unavailable in Italy. However, news of their mission reached German Fiesta enthusiasts, who launched an appeal and saved the day.

“She is a beautiful car again. I wish I could be restored so easily,” said Carlo.

 

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