Ford reveals new Fiestas for European market

Both the three door and the five-door look a tad larger than before but Ford hasn’t revealed the exact dimensions – though a surge is nearly certain because of the Ka+.

Benefiting from costs cuts and growing sales of higher-margin SUVs, Ford may increase profit in Europe to around $1 billion this year, on a par with its nine-month gain in the region and up from $259 million last year, a spokesman said. Whether or not we will see this new additions transferred over to the states is still yet to be revealed.

Finally, the Fiesta Titanium will build upon the already successful variant, which delivers a high specification throughout the auto.

No word yet on the Australian lineup, but in Europe there are changes in the model nomenclature – in Germany, Fiesta was revealed with the Titanium as the core model, the sporty ST Line (not the full-blown ST), a high-grade version called Vignale and a crossover variant called the Fiesta Active.

The Fiesta Vignale is expected to account for around 6% of United Kingdom sales. Inside, meanwhile, it will have sport seats, alloy pedals, a flat-bottomed steering wheels. This is arguably the most fiercely contested segment in the automotive world and – despite what you hear about SUV market share rising – hatchbacks comfortably outsell every other body shape by quite a considerable margin.

Growing bigger though is just not enough for the Fiesta to become more upscale, with Ford having to improve other areas like the perceived quality of the cabin materials along with the fit and finish, as well as inject it with a courageous dose of the latest technologies, including the infotainment and active safety systems.

The big news under the hood is that the Fiesta’s popular 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine is available with a fuel-saving cylinder deactivation system.

All models will be given a range of engine options, ranging from 1.0-litre EcoBoost with up to 140PS to TDCi engines with up to 120PS.

Within the presentation, Ford’s officials stated that this is the ” world’s most technologically advanced small vehicle.

There is also a three-vent HVAC layout as well as two gauge-cluster design; a digital speedometer in the centralizes tachometer for higher trim levels and a central speedo plus a smaller digital tach for entry-level models.

The transmission on the new Ford Fiesta will come in two variations: 6-speed, double-clutch PowerShift drive, and the traditional 5-speed manual gearbox. CO2 emissions from around 101g/km are predicted. “Ford promised a leaner, smarter business in Europe with great products and new technologies – and we’ve over-delivered through the talent, ingenuity and passion of our people”, Farley says.

Back in September, CEO Mark Fields said that Ford is planning to make its small models more profitable over the next few years. The latest generation of the 40 year-old best seller is moving upmarket following the introduction of Ford’s budget small vehicle KA+.

We fully expect the tiny, 1.0-liter EcoBoost to play a bigger role in the North American version of the auto this generation. With more upgrades to comfort and functionality, the perky compact becomes more well-rounded than ever before. Gone is the multitude of buttons that adorned the dash of the previous vehicle. A new eight-inch tablet-inspired touchscreen infotainment system is immediately noticeable and offers a range of new technology including the next-gen Sync 3 infotainment system, which includes an enhanced voice-recognition system, Apple CarPlay and pinch-and-swipe functions that imitate your Smartphone.