Ford's New Fiesta - Fashionably Late

After a short hiatus without any real representation - let's try to forget the Ka - Ford Australia's attack on the light car segment is about to shift up a gear.

With prices starting at $14,490, the new-look German-built Fiesta adds more impetus to the smaller end of the Australian car market, teaming up with the similarly styled Ford Focus to bolster the Blue Oval's line-up.

"Fiesta represents all that is best in contemporary German small car design and engineering," said Ford Australia President, Geoff Polites, about the impending launch of the new vehicle.

The new-look Fiesta will ship with one engine and two gearboxes - a 1.6-litre inline 4-cylinder engine, plus a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission.

The 2004 model Fiesta goes on sale in April 2004, and the range includes two body styles and three series variants – a 3 or 5-door Fiesta LX (entry level), the 3-door Fiesta Zetec (sporty), and the 5-door Fiesta Ghia (luxury).

At the time of writing (Feb '04), the light car segment was being led by the Toyota Echo and Hyundai Getz, each with 21.5 per cent of the market.

Beyond these two power players - in small car terms - the Kia Rio came in at third, with 12.1 per cent market share, followed fourth and fifth by Honda Jazz and Holden Barina respectively.

While the Fiesta has a tough job ahead cracking into the light car market, it's clean lines, impressive fuel efficiency and high equipment levels put forth a good case.

And it's no slouch either. The 1.6-litre Duratec engine that features in all 2004 model Fiestas is an all-alloy job, featuring double overhead camshafts, 4-valves per cylinder and even drive by wire technology.

"Considerable attention to detail was devoted to ensuring that Fiesta customers received all the benefits of Ford's global devotion to excellent driving dynamics," said Ford's Australian launch Strategy Manager, Tom Rivers.

All told, the Fiesta will develop 74kW @ 6000rpm and peak torque of 146Nm @ 4000 rpm.

In addition to this healthy 2000rpm powerband, the lightweight Fiesta's ($2300) optional 'Durashift' automatic transmission is expected to offer more responsive and much quicker gear shifts, often associated with sportier vehicles.

"Australia will be one of the first countries to launch Fiesta's new automatic transmission," stated Geoff Polites, where the new 4-speed auto matches with the drive by wire technology to ensure smooth gear changes dependent on throttle input.

The 'IB5' 5-speed manual shifter has also been upgraded, including double-cone synchronisers fitted to the first and second gears.

Price is often the biggest issue for most buyers in the light car segment, followed closely by appearance - and the stylish, slightly cheeky new look is likely to be well received.

The front of the vehicle is dominated by large, expressive headlights that signal technical competence by showing every working detail. The headlight cluster contains all of the primary lighting functions, including the turning indicators and park lamp at the top, inside sculptured composite lenses.

Fiesta's frontal design is characterised by the truncated elliptical grille opening that is now characteristic of Ford's European vehicles.

The distinctive shape of the Fiesta's bonnet has been specifically profiled to provide a driving aid for short drivers. At least 50 per cent of its width contour can be seen by 95 per cent of the stature range of women, which will aid its manoeuvrability for all customers.

The slightly flared wheel arches lend the vehicle a more sporty and planted look, while the rear end view evolves the Ford 'high tail lamp' look and emphasises the practical value of a wide, deep boot opening. High-mounted brake lamp clusters contain all lamp functions and the central, high mounted stop lamp on the top of the tailgate provides additional clear, safe indication for following drivers.

The entry level $14,490 Fiesta LX will have the Toyota Echo on the back foot with more standard features and a fresh new vibe. Available with a choice of either three or five doors, the LX come standard with remote central locking, power steering, power front windows, power adjustable mirrors, a single slot CD player, dual stage driver and front passenger airbags, body colour front and rear bumpers, and 15-inch steel wheels as standard, which is good value for for sub $15k.

Next in line is the sporty Fiesta Zetec, offered as a three-door vehicle only and aimed at customers who are seeking extra features along with sporty cues. It includes all LX features and adds air-conditioning, steering column-mounted audio controls, front fog lamps, ABS brakes and 15-inch alloy wheels, plus side skirts. Recommended retail pricing for the manual Fiesta Zetec is $18,990.

The most prestigious Fiesta, Ghia delivers extra features in a solid and clean European style. It will be offered as a five-door only and will incorporate the best features of the LX and Zetec and add front map lights and a 6-disc in-dash CD player as standard. Fiesta Ghia will also offer optional side thorax airbags and side curtain airbags for a RRP of $21,490 for the 5-speed manual.

In addition to the new look, new pricing and 1.6-litre engine, Ford has tweaked the Fiesta's suspension to deliver more responsive handling, making use of lessons learnt with the agile Focus. With 2.8 turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock (for a turning circle of less than 10 metres), the Fiesta is also nimble.

Hauling the lightweight Fiesta in from speed are 258mm disc brakes fore and 203mm drum brakes aft, while ABS comes standard with all models except the LX (add $3000 for an auto box, and the ABS is fitted too).

"The days of having to sacrifice driving dynamics, performance and safety features along with size will be gone with the all-new Fiesta," Geoff Polites said. "Customers looking for a small car are just as selective as those wanting a larger car. They prefer a small car because it's the vehicle that best suits their needs."

Will Ford's "better late than never" approach to the light car segment work? The Focus was introduced in similarly late fashion, and while starting off slowly, it's now fourth on the Australian small car sales charts, behind the likes of Toyota's Corolla and Nissan's Pulsar.

While the Fiesta is undeniably impressive in almost every respect, playing catch-up with the likes of Hyundai's Getz and Toyota's Echo won't be an easy task.