|
Browse by Tags
All Tags » Economy » ford fiesta ( RSS)
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Ford , Misc. Auto Shows Click above for more high-res live shots of the Ford Fiesta sedan Ford's latest Fiesta subcompact is finally coming to America, which is definitely cause for celebration. To get it ready for U.S. consumption, the Blue Oval brand has grafted a trunk onto the ex-hatch's hind end, as we Americans inexplicably nearly always choose a sedan over a more functional hatchback. At least Ford has managed to keep the Fiesta's Kinetic design language intact, and the freshly unveiled Fiesta sedan bears a striking resemblance to the Verve sedan concept from the last Detroit Auto Show . For the record, the sedan body style will not be available in Europe, though we expect Ford to also offer the two- and four-door hatchback version in the U.S. Ford officially took the wraps off the Fiesta sedan at the Guangzhou Auto Show in China where the new car will soon go on sale. When the Fiesta makes its long-awaited American debut as a 2010...
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Euro , Hatchbacks , Ford , Alfa Romeo Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Alfa MiTo It's that time of year, when various agencies far and wide begin handing out awards for the new crop of cars. The '09 model-year vehicles are all known by now and the press has had plenty of time to size up the competition. Recently, The Detroit Free Press appeared to have let the EuroCOTY cat out of the bag a bit early when it reported that Alfa Romeo had managed to snag the top honors with its new MiTo subcompact . Although we'd be hard-pressed to argue otherwise, it turns out that the rumor isn't true. The real European Car of the Year award will be announced on November 17. The MiTo did win the Auto Europa award, though, which is granted by the Italian press. Second place went to Alfa's sister company Lancia for its homely-looking Delta and the Ford Fiesta grabbed the bronze. Thankfully, we'll be able to pick up a Fiesta in the U.S. for the 2010 model...
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Euro , Hatchbacks , Ford Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Ford Fiesta It has long been known that sharing vehicle components can decrease costs through economies of scale while also improving quality by reducing complexity. It makes sense that vehicles in Europe and the U.S. would be built on common platforms with common parts, but until now Ford has kept its North American and Euro auto operations almost completely separate. That changes with the upcoming Fiesta , which Ford says will share 78% of its components across the globe. The next Focus , which tragically shifted away from the global model for the 2005 model year, will share 90% or more of its content when it goes on sale in 2010. That will be welcomed news to enthusiasts who have been looking longingly at the Euro Focus the past four years. Beyond the highly anticipated Focus and Fiesta, Ford hasn't disclosed which other vehicles would be shared in the U.S. and Europe. The Blue Oval has said...
|
-
|
Filed under: Coupes , Economy , Videos , Hatchbacks , Ford Click above to watch video after the jump We're really excited for the new Ford Fiesta to hit U.S. shores, but unfortunately we have almost two more years to wait. Our friends overseas don't have to wait at all, though, so marketing for the attractive sub-compact has already started in the UK. One such publicity stunt involved a pair of three-door Fiestas that tore up the dance floor recently near the Tower of London at the Tango at the Tower event while a 20-piece orchestra jammed the classic tune. That's right - cars doing the tango. Hit the jump to view the well-choreographed video of the two Fiestas going toe to toe in the rain. We're tempted to quip that these Fiestas have better moves than Kim Kardashian, but we have no desire to admit watching Dancing with the Stars . [Source: YouTube ] Continue reading VIDEO: It takes two Fiestas to tango Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Wagons/Estates , Euro , Hatchbacks , Ford , Misc. Auto Shows Well, it wasn't the Paris unveiling we had expected , but Ford has indeed pulled the covers off its Fiesta Panel Van at the 2008 IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover, Germany. Based on the three-door Fiesta hatchback, the new Panel Van is designed for commercial and private users who only need to haul non-human goods and want to use the most economical vehicle possible for the job. Sure, it's no Super Duty , but it'll get the job done for a large number of drivers across the pond. Under the stylish hood, buyers will find a choice of gas or diesel engines ranging from a 60-horse 1.2-liter gas unit to the range-topping 1.6-liter diesel outputting 90-horsepower and 150 lb-ft. Europeans will be able to get over 67 miles out of each of their oddly-sized gallons while sending just 110 g/km of carbon out their tailpipes with the most frugal diesel engine option. See here for a preview of how the new...
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Wagons/Estates , Euro , Paris Motor Show , Hatchbacks , Ford Click above to enlarge The new Ford Fiesta isn't just good for going fast and looking good - apparently you can also make a panel van out of it. Details are scant before its supposed appearance at the Paris Motor Show , but this little guy is aimed at small businesses that might want something even more economical than the Ford Transit . The passenger compartment is separated from the cargo by a bulkhead and the latter can hold 1,000 liters, which quadruples the storage space of the 5-seater car. As long as buyers aren't hauling lead, they should be all right -- the car is supposed to get motors ranging from 60 to 90 horsepower. We'll bring more details and pics from the Paris show, as all we know right now is that the Ford Feista Panel Van will start at €11,070 in Germany. Gallery: 2009 Ford Fiesta [Source: Autoblog Spanish ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Spy Photos , Economy , Hatchbacks , Ford Click above for more pics of the U.S.-spec Ford Fiesta Autoblog reader Chris stopped for a Whopper with cheese at just the right moment the other day, as he happened upon a U.S.-spec Ford Fiesta five-door hatchback in his local Burger King's parking lot. The car's status was confirmed by the rather open Ford engineer who was driving it, who claimed that his car was 98% production ready for the U.S. He even let Chris sit in it, and he reports that the interior (see pic here ) fit and finish was top notch with soft-touch materials and some seriously impressive seats. He told us the switch gear, IP dials, etc. also worked well and that he was surprised to find push button start in such a small car. While Chris did ask about what was powering this particular Fiesta, the engineer refused to comment saying only "we should be excited with what the plans are." Consider us excited. Thanks for the tip, Chris! Gallery: U.S. spec...
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Plants/Manufacturing , Hatchbacks , Ford Click above for high-res gallery of the Fiesta beginning production Ford has finally begun production of the all-new 2009 Ford Fiesta in Cologne, Germany, today. After an investment of 455 million Euros (about $674 million) to restructure and modernize the plant, Ford is expecting its 4,000 employees will be able to roll out 148,000 Fiestas by the end of the year, which is an impressive 1,900 cars each day). In January 2009, the Valencia plant in Spain will also begin building the Fiesta. There are also production plants in China, Thailand, and Mexico that are tooling up for the newest small Ford in order to meet worldwide demand, which finally includes the U.S. where it will also be sold in both sedan and hatchback configurations around 2010. Based on the Verve concept , the new compact is exactly what the automaker needs in today's efficiency-conscience marketplace, and its stylish enough not to be considered...
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Plants/Manufacturing , Hatchbacks , Ford , Earnings/Financials Click above for high-res gallery of the Euro Ford Focus For years, enthusiasts have been clamoring for Euro-only Blue Oval models to be sold in American dealerships. This dream is finally coming true, starting with the new Ford Fiesta and next-gen 2010 Ford Focus . Mark Fields has revealed that the European Focus and Focii built in North America will share 90% of their parts compared to just 20% today. Not only will this make for better cars, it also allows Ford to realize a double-digit profit improvement on each Focus compared to what it's earning today. This is certainly a positive development, as the automaker believes that the small car segment will nearly double in the next few years. We're inclined to agree unless Exxon discovers that the Earth's core is made of crude. The other part of Ford's plan is to make its North American plants flexible enough to respond quickly...
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Minivans/MPVs , Sedans/Saloons , Euro , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford There has been plenty of support for Ford to bring its rest-of-the-world products to the North American market, and with the truck market doing a Roscoe P. Coltrane E-brake turn away from profitability, the Blue Oval's global efforts are becoming increasingly important for its survival. The plan going forward is to utilize small and medium sized vehicles from Ford's European arsenal globally. In North America, the cars will be spiffy, though Ford will be robbing Peter to pay Paul on that count -- spreading the costs of America's premium cars over the breadth of the entire program's worldwide scope. According to Automotive News , we're getting a big list of Euro-Ford based cars in the near future. The Fiesta will slot in under the Focus, and will share a new platform with Mazda. Also on the Fiesta's underpinnings could be a small crossover or minivan. The Euro Focus will finally...
|
-
|
Filed under: Spy Photos , Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Ford Another one of our eagle-eyed readers wielding a camera has attacked, this time along I-75 near the boundary between Michigan and Ohio. The car in question is the upcoming 2010 Ford Fiesta, which is due to hit to the U.S. market in 2010 and will be the same as the car sold around the world. Thankfully, Ford has seen fit to offer American drivers the choice of this four door sedan as well as the three and five door hatchback models. Since the European production model has already been shown this year at the Geneva Motor Show and will go on sale shortly, we have to wonder why Ford has bothered with all the heavy camo on this prototype. Whatever the reason, we're just glad to finally see some evidence of our own Fiesta, even though we would have preferred to see it badged as a Verve. Thanks to Andrew for the tip! Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Plants/Manufacturing , Hatchbacks , Ford Ford has been teasing us with a US-bound Fiesta for years, and the Blue Oval has only said that the well-executed B-car would be built in North America. With time to start producing Fiestas running short, Ford appears ready to publicly announce where the vehicle will be built, and it looks like the Fiesta will be made south of the border . The extremely low cost of labor in Mexico makes building inexpensive economy cars there a no-brainer, and Ford's Cuatitlan plant already builds the current Euro Fiesta and a Fiesta-based vehicle for the Mexico/Brazil markets. The Fiesta is scheduled to appear Stateside by 2010, but with the radical shift towards smaller, more efficient vehicles, we wouldn't be surprised if Ford bumped up that timeline. [Source: Detroit News ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Spy Photos , Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Ford Click above for gallery of high-res Ford Fiesta spy shots The question of whether or not Ford will offer the upcoming Fiesta in the U.S. as a three- or five-door hatchback is still unanswered, but we do know that a four-door sedan version is on the way. And here it is, recently snapped by spy photographers in Dearborn, MI. Though this prototype is wearing heavy cladding, its clear that the design will stick closely to what was previewed with the Verve sedan concept . Also note the sharp forward rake of the beltline, which gives the car a very high rear trunk lid and might lead to a sense of claustrophobia for rear seat passengers who can barely see out. Nevertheless, we're ready for Ford to reenter the small car market with a bang when the production Fiesta sedan arrives sometime later next year. Gallery: Ford Fiesta Sedan - spy shots Gallery: 2009 Ford Fiesta [Source: KGP Photography] Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Spy Photos , Economy , Hatchbacks , Ford click above image for more spy shots Brenda Priddy & Co. caught a Euro Fiesta mule filling up its gas tank in North Sweden, and the car can already be seen wearing a few cues inspired by the Verve Concept that debuted in Frankfurt. First and foremost is the large front grille that punctuates the cladding this mule is wearing. This car's beltline also sweeps up dramatically from front to back, and the rear taillights are mounted on the C/D-pillar just like the Verve's. Of course, we're interested in the European Fiesta because after it debuts over there next summer as a 2009 model, it will arrive in the U.S. virtually unchanged the following year as a 2010 model. Expect both three- and five-door hatchback models to be offered, which makes the loss of those model types in the larger Focus lineup a bit easier for us to swallow. [Photos: Brenda Priddy & Co.] Gallery: 2009/10 Ford Fiesta - spy shots Continue reading Spy...
|
-
|
Filed under: Spy Photos , Economy , Euro , Hatchbacks , Ford Our friends over at World Car Fans procured a series of shots showing the next generation Fiesta undergoing testing, but this time it's sporting an extra set of doors. The five-door model, like...
|
More Posts Next page »
|
|
|