Ford and Volkswagen almost collaborated on a cult-favorite Supermini almost 50 years before their EV alliance

When people talk about the Ford-Volkswagen partnership, the focus is almost always on the modern era: electric vehicles, shared platforms and the reality that no legacy automaker can afford to go into it alone. What is much less remembered is that this partnership was forged almost fifty years earlier, at a time when the sector was facing a very different kind of crisis. Not electrification. Not software. But fuel.

In the early 1970s, when the oil crisis was looming and Europe was bracing itself for a new era of efficiency-driven drivingFord and Volkswagen explored a partnership that could have reshaped the supermini segment long before it even existed. It never happened – but the reasons why are just as revealing as the collaboration that did eventually happen.

The Supermini that started the conversations (Fiesta and Polo)

In 1973, fuel prices rose, consumer priorities shifted and European buyers were no longer interested in big, thirsty cars built for post-war optimism. Efficiency, compact packaging and affordability became non-negotiable. Ford of Europe knew it needed a small, modern hatchback, and it needed it fast. The company did not yet have a suitable front-wheel drive platform and time was not yet on the side. Volkswagen, meanwhile, was in the middle of its own transformation. VW had already started to move away from the rear-engine layout and developed its then-new front-wheel drive EA111 platform, which would form the basis for the next generation of compact cars – including what would soon become the Polo. Here the two paths briefly converged.

Why a partnership was considered

As the 1973 oil crisis approached, Ford of Europe explored ways to accelerate its entry into the emerging supermini space. One option was internal development. Another was collaboration. Ford has reportedly approached Volkswagen about the possibility of sharing the EA111 platform – not as a long-term alliance. The idea was simple: use VW’s existing front-wheel drive architecture to quickly build a fuel-efficient supermini for the UK and continental markets. Developing a clean small car was expensive and emissions and safety regulations became stricter. Platform sharing could have significantly reduced costs and development time. Nowadays this kind of arrangement is routine. Things were still unconventional in the early 1970s, especially between two great rivals.

How close the deal really came

Ford’s approach to Volkswagen was formal enough to be recorded in historical archives. That said, discussions stopped well before implementation. There were no shared prototypes, no joint design studios, and no signed agreements. The conversations largely focused on feasibility – whether sharing tooling and platform architecture could work without jeopardizing the long-term plans of either brand. Volkswagen ultimately refused to open the EA111 platform. The platform represented more than just hardware: it symbolized VW’s transition into a new technological era after decades of rear-engine dominance. Sharing it would mean giving up a degree of control at a critical moment.

Why the collaboration fell apart

The proposed partnership did not collapse because the idea was flawed. It fell apart because the timing wasn’t right. Time is of the essence, as they say. Volkswagen was rebuilding its identity around water-cooled, front-wheel drive cars. Ford, on the other hand, needed speed and certainty. Waiting – or compromising – was not an option. Something drastic had to be done and two of the respected manufacturers seemed to be on different playing fields. There were also philosophical differences. Ford has traditionally leaned towards accessible driving pleasure and mass appeal.

Volkswagen’s approach was more conservative, technology-oriented and focused on sustainability. Aligning these ways of thinking under a shared platform would require compromises that neither side was willing to make. It would also have changed the inner workings of what made each automaker stand out. Add company pride to the mix and the outcome becomes almost inevitable. Small cars were not secondary products; they were future-defining products. Neither company wanted to water down its vision, which was understandable.

Project “Bobcat” and the birth of the party

When Volkswagen refused to share the EA111 platform, Ford took decisive action. Instead of postponing plans for small cars, the company fully invested in its own internal program: Project ‘Bobcat’. Bobcat was designed to deliver exactly what the market demanded: a compact, affordable, economical hatchback built specifically for Europe. The result was the Fiesta, launched in April 1976. The gamble paid off. The Fiesta quickly established itself as a core Ford product, shaping the brand’s European identity for decades and becoming one of its most successful nameplates. Volkswagen, meanwhile, launched the Polo in 1975. Built entirely on its own terms, it developed a reputation for solidity and restraint that would last for several generations. Two companies. Two approaches. Two lasting successes.

If you imagine they decided to forward their own creations in a quick effort to collaborate, who knows if these two top manufacturers would be where they are today? I find this interesting, and this simply shows how one decision can change everything. Two icons, built separately. In retrospect, it’s tempting to imagine what a shared Ford-Volkswagen supermini would have looked like. But the reality is that independence allowed both cars to develop different personalities.

The Fiesta became known for its accessible, fun-to-drive character. The Polo built its name on perceived quality and conservative engineering. Instead of converging, the two models diverged – and became demonstrably stronger. Ironically, their parallel success also highlights how similar the original thinking was. Both manufacturers saw the same problem at the same time and responded with similar solutions, even without working together.

Which eventually became reality in 2021-2022

Nearly half a century later, the industry found itself at another inflection point – this time driven by electrification rather than fuel shortages. The EV era is among us. Unfortunately, V8 engines are being scrutinized and everything is looking hybrid or more EV-oriented. In March 2021, Ford and Volkswagen announced a broad alliance focused on electric vehicles and commercial platforms.

Under the agreement, Ford would use Volkswagen’s MEB electric platform to develop a new global small electric car – widely expected to revive the Fiesta name in Europe – while the two companies would jointly develop commercial vans and electric pickup trucks. What was unthinkable in the 1970s has become inevitable in the 1920s? But it was time, even if it took more than five decades. Even today, in recent years, from 2020 to 2025, Volkswagen and Ford have come together in the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarokand also the new Ford Tourneo van and Volkswagen Transporter. Times have indeed changed.

Why it still matters today

The abandoned supermini talks of the early 1970s are important because they show that the forces driving automakers to collaborate today are not new. They just intensified. Back then, Ford needed fuel efficiency. Volkswagen needed control. The balance tipped towards divorce. Today, the costs of electrification, software development and regulatory compliance are so immense that collaboration is no longer a risk, but a necessity. Seen in that light, the modern alliance between Ford and Volkswagen is not a sudden change in thinking. It’s the continuation of a conversation that started when oil was scarce, superminis were new and the Fiesta was still called Bobcat. Some ideas don’t fail. They’re just waiting for the right moment.

Sources: The Henry Ford (research center)Volkswagen Group Archives, Bring a trailer