- Ford's new-generation global small car to be previewed at 2008 Geneva
Motor Show. Its worldwide name is confirmed
- Ford Fiesta.
- New Fiesta is the first product of Ford's new global product development
process, with versions due for launch also in Asia and North America
between 2008 and 2010.
- European production of new Fiesta begins in fall 2008.
COLOGNE, Germany, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ford's new small
car family will use the Fiesta name around the world, the company confirmed
today.
Designed and developed in Europe for customers in Europe, Asia, South
Africa, Australia and the Americas between 2008 and 2010, the new Fiesta is
the first major product of Ford's new global product development process.
This new small car keeps alive a name synonymous with more than 30 years of
success and strong driving dynamics in Europe and is already well known in
markets across Asia, Australia and South America. The Fiesta also was
offered in the U.S. from 1978 to 1980.
"The new Ford Fiesta captures every aspect of what's defined Ford as a
small-car leader in Europe and builds on it in terms of driving dynamics
and design," said Mark Fields, president of the Americas, Ford Motor
Company. "When it arrives in North America in 2010, the Ford Fiesta will
set a new standard in the small car segment. Even before it arrives in this
market, though, the new Fiesta demonstrates how leveraging our global
strengths can yield attractive benefits for customers around the world."
The dynamic new look for this global family of small cars was previewed
in three Ford Verve Concept vehicles which made their debuts at the
Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007, the Guangzhou Motor Show in
November 2007 and the North American International Auto Show in January
2008.
In Europe, the new Fiesta will debut first in production guise at the
2008 Geneva Motor Show in March and will go on sale in fall 2008 in three-
and five-door hatchback body styles. By 2010, the new Fiesta will be on
sale in markets across Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia and North
America in a variety of regionally tailored models derived from a common
platform.
"With the all-new Fiesta, we want to create a world standard for small
car quality, design and comfort in a vehicle that is as exciting to drive
as it is to look at. We believe this all-new model will attract a whole new
generation of small car buyers, whether they are in Britain, Spain, China
or California," said Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company President and CEO.
"The new Ford Fiesta will set the standard for delivering to our customers
products they really want and value while taking advantage of our wonderful
global resources."
The new Ford Fiesta brings the dynamic Verve Concept exterior and
interior styling to production reality, demonstrating that small cars can
be stylish, sophisticated and emotional. It rejects the notion that an
affordable small car has to be a commodity.
The new Ford Fiesta also makes major strides in small car
craftsmanship, quality of materials and product choice while continuing to
represent traditional strengths of practicality, value for money, agility
and safety. It also brings a host of big-car features to the small-car
segment for the first time.
"The new Ford Fiesta is an example of how good a small car can be,"
said Jim Farley, Ford's group vice president, Marketing and Communications.
"The Fiesta is great to look at, great to drive and it has quality you can
see, feel and touch. It's going to be an important growth product for North
America."
A key Ford Fiesta strength throughout its life has been its acclaimed
driving quality, and the new model intends to uphold this reputation.
Ford's dynamics engineers also worked hard to enhance Fiesta's ride comfort
and isolate road, wind and powertrain noise from the cabin, and to give the
new model an impressively quiet driving quality for a small car.
Fiesta for a New Generation
The all-new Fiesta opens another chapter in the story of the popular
Ford small car that has sold more than 12 million units since its
introduction in 1976 and represented real change when it came on the
automotive scene. While it has moved with the times and fashions over the
years, it has remained steadfast in its dedication to providing economical,
practical and dependable transportation for people of all ages.
Starting in the early 1970s, the Fiesta project became a personal
mission of Ford's Chairman, Henry Ford II. A passionate believer in small
cars, Ford rallied his company to the mission of creating a new model. He
personally was involved in every step of the long process that led to the
grand opening of the new automotive assembly plant in Almusafes, Valencia,
with the attendance of the newly crowned King of Spain, Juan Carlos.
With the global fuel crisis as extra incentive, at the end of 1973, the
Ford Board of Directors gave Project Bobcat, as it was originally known,
the go-ahead for development and production. Fiesta didn't get its name
until 1974, when Ford whittled down a list of 50 potential names to just
five. The final choice went to Henry Ford II, and his preference for Fiesta
was entirely appropriate given the creation of the new manufacturing plant
in Spain.
In Europe, the new Fiesta will be built at Ford's Valencia
manufacturing facility in Spain beginning in early 2009 alongside the
Cologne manufacturing plant, which starts production in fall 2008.
A production announcement for the Ford Fiesta in Asia will be announced
in April at the Beijing Motor Show. A North America announcement will come
at a later date.
Verve Sedan Concept Specifications
Overall length 145.35 in.
Wheelbase 97.99 in.
Overall width 65.12 in.
Overall height at curb 54.33 in.
Track width
Front 58.03 in.
Rear 57.32 in.
Front Overhang 32.05 in.
Rear Overhang 57.32 in.
Headroom
Front 37.8 in.
Second Row 35.83 in.
Legroom
Front 42.09 in.
Second Row 32.76 in.
Powertrain
Fuel-efficient 4-cylinder engine
The Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based
in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets
across six continents. With about 250,000 employees and about 100 plants
worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include
Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company
provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more
information regarding Ford's products, please visit http://www.ford.com.
SOURCE The Ford Motor Company
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Related links:
http://www.ford.com
CONTACT:
Said Deep, +1-313-594-0942, sdeep@ford.com,
or Dan Jarvis, +1-313-845-2709, djarvis1@ford.com, both of The
Ford Motor Company
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