Fiesta deliveries delayed up to 2 weeks; Ford blames storm-damaged rail lines
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Key railroads in northern Mexico were severely damaged by Hurricane Alex on June 30 and later by Tropical Storm Bonnie, said Angie Kozleski, a Ford spokeswoman.
Pictures of the storm damage are posted on Ford's Fiesta page on Facebook.
“We do ship a significant amount of vehicles via railroad, but that doesn't mean we aren't shipping at all,” said Kozleski. “We just have to reroute it and that takes time.”
Ford started building the Fiesta in early May at its plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico, near Mexico City.
The entry-level Fiesta, with estimated gas mileage of 29 in the city and 40 on the highway, is new to the Ford lineup and it has been a highly anticipated vehicle by dealers and consumers.
Many dealers expect it to be a hot seller and have waiting lists for it. Customers who said they pre-ordered the vehicle earlier this year complained on Facebook last month that it was two weeks late in getting to them based on their expectations for arrival.
The base Fiesta sedan, which is 174 inches long and 78 inches wide, stickers for $13,995, including destination charges. Ford's new 120-hp 1.6-liter Duratec four-cylinder engine is standard.
Waiting for delivery
Dealer Chris Lemley of Sentry Auto Group in Medford, Mass., doesn't have any Fiestas in stock. He expects a few to arrive in the next couple of days and thinks those will be on time.
Lemley thinks the Fiestas that will be delayed are the ones he ordered for delivery later this month. He thinks he'll get those in August instead.
“There are customers waiting for it, but I think a 10-day delay will be negligible. It won't damage the launch,” Lemley said.
Kozleski said Ford has about 2,000 early orders for the car from customers who put money down.
“It's too early to estimate the impact this will have on sales, but we're shipping vehicles and will continue to monitor the situation,” Kozleski said. “Demand remains strong and we're eager to get these vehicles in the hands of consumers.”
You can reach Jamie LaReau at jlareau@crain.com. -- Follow Jamie on 
