Topic: 2009 Fiesta: pizza delivery boys everywhere rejoice

[Dante]

The question is, are they going to sell the hatch here?

[safristi]

..OY ..it's ov'r 60 Minutes .........so is it free   or on TV Sunday @7P.M

[Dante]

Ford made it official: the Fiest hatch is coming to North America via Mexico.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Ford expands Fiesta lineup for North America

New vehicles part of $3 billion Mexican investment

Richard Truett
Automotive News
May 30, 2008 - 1:11 pm ET
UPDATED: 5/30/08 2:23 p.m. EDT

Ford Motor Co. has added a hatchback version of the Fiesta to the 2010 North American launch of the small economy car. The hatchback will be sold alongside the sedan.

Ford confirmed today that it will build the hatchback and sedan at its Cuautitlan, Mexico, plant starting in early 2010 as part of a $3 billion investment in the country.

The Fiesta will give Ford a fuel-efficient competitor against such cars as the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa. The Fiesta nameplate is one of Ford's best known global small cars. It was last used on a North American vehicle in 1981.

It's not clear whether the hatchback Fiesta will be a three-door, five-door or come in both configurations. Ford officials in Dearborn would not confirm the number of doors today. However, Herman Morfin, a Ford spokesman at the plant, said both hatchbacks would be offered alongside the sedan in the United States. He later modified his comment to say Ford hasn't determined which version of the hatchback will be sent to the U.S.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally, in a press conference, said the automaker hasn't decided which configuration will be used.

Publicity photos provided by Ford to Automotive News today show both the three- and five-door versions of the Fiesta.

"Ford is absolutely committed to leveraging our global assets to accelerate the shift to more fuel-efficient small cars and powertrain technologies that people really want and value," Mulally said in a statement.

$3 billion investment in Mexico

Ford said the Cuautitlan plant will shift from making F-series pickups for Mexico to making small cars for all of North America.

The changes at the plant near Mexico City begin this year.

The automaker also said its Chihuahua engine plant, which builds I-4 powerplants, will make diesel engines for light- and medium-duty trucks in global markets. Ford also will build a transmission plant in Guanajuato as part of a joint venture with German supplier Getrag.

All told, Ford's plan will create 4,500 jobs, the company said.

Ford added that after the changes are made, pickups for Mexico will be imported from U.S. plants.

Ford said it expects its annual capacity in Mexico to increase to 500,000 vehicles and 330,000 transmissions by 2012. Ford's current capacity there is about 296,000 vehicles.

[Mitlov]

Ford said the Cuautitlan plant will shift from making F-series pickups for Mexico to making small cars for all of North America.

Smart move, given market changes.

People complain about the North American Focus, but between the Fiesta (which from what I've heard should be fantastic) and the Fusion (which is actually a very good midsize sedan for the North American market), Ford now offers there are some pretty good sedan options for most buyers.  There's going to be a very limited group of people who think that a Fiesta sedan is too small and a Fusion sedan is too big.

[Wolverine]

Looking really good, guess I've never seen a car being built with a design so close to the prototype.

Things get really interesting with Ford stating they will sell the hatch in NA too.

[Dante]

Reading the media reports about the arrival of the Fiesta in NA, I keep wonder why does it take so long - 2 years to bring it here? The car has developed as a "world" car so this is not due to re-engineering the car for our market.
The urgency for Ford to bring over more small, FE, cars is there, why can't they do it quicker?

[safristi]

..they are SAVING on delivery charges by having them individually ROWED ASHORE..... ....1,000 have already been lost @SEA....like Ford Management,,,,

[MKII]

Reading the media reports about the arrival of the Fiesta in NA, I keep wonder why does it take so long - 2 years to bring it here? The car has developed as a "world" car so this is not due to re-engineering the car for our market.
The urgency for Ford to bring over more small, FE, cars is there, why can't they do it quicker?

The Fiesta was not developed as a "world" car, when Ford N.A. decided maybe they need a B car it was late in the game   hence the need to modify bits and pieces for N.A.

[safristi]

"bits & pieces" my Fave......last CENTURY..crap song.......

[Dante]

Reading the media reports about the arrival of the Fiesta in NA, I keep wonder why does it take so long - 2 years to bring it here? The car has developed as a "world" car so this is not due to re-engineering the car for our market.
The urgency for Ford to bring over more small, FE, cars is there, why can't they do it quicker?

The Fiesta was not developed as a "world" car, when Ford N.A. decided maybe they need a B car it was late in the game   hence the need to modify bits and pieces for N.A.

This could explain it, but still at least 3 years to do that? Ford was talking about producing "world" cars for at least 2 years now. Still slow moves. Maybe this should be their new slogan instead of "bold moves".  

[Dante]

Interesting Friday read:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/224313/brit-show-debut-for-green-fiesta.html

What's not to love about this car, at least on paper? Good looks, good performance, good interior, good fuel economy...

[tpl]

By the time it gets here it will have a much larger gas engine, a slushbox and will get nowhere near that economy number.   Even if Ford want it to arrive with a diesel  the regs for diesels in NA will mean a bigger and more expensive engine  ( 'cos of the Bluetec stuff which it doesn't need in Euland) and that will make it so expensive that Ford will just drop in a 2 litre Focus engine to keep the price down.
Now I am not saying that a car that size with a 2l gas engine won't be a really neat small car, it will, but it won't be getting 75mpg on the epa fuel economy numbers.  Note that the quoted price of 12000 gbp for the 5 door which is about $20500 after allowing for the UK VAT.   Ford won't feel they can sell it for that price ( plus Cdn taxes of course) when the good folks at Toyota are selling Corollas for less.

[loser40]

It's good to see the trusty Fiesta going to the America's.

The only new car I have ever bought was back in 1986, an XR2 - a Fiesta which was, at that time, considered sporty.

They really are practical city cars...

...does anyone want to guess when NA will get the Ford KA ?

I reckon it will happen, I just cant decide when.  Canada will get it first IMO, cos you guy's are used to smaller cars.

I'm now imagining 4 clinically obese yanks in a Ford KA in the drive through of Dunkin Donuts - I wish I hadn't.

M.

[Dante]

I know we are most likely not going to see this version ever, but the article only shows once again that Ford Europe is a top player putting out great cars and technologies while Ford North America is barely dragging its feet.
The same goes for GM/Opel - Corsa is a very nice package too.

[gosteelerz]

By the time it gets here it will have a much larger gas engine, a slushbox and will get nowhere near that economy number.   Even if Ford want it to arrive with a diesel  the regs for diesels in NA will mean a bigger and more expensive engine  ( 'cos of the Bluetec stuff which it doesn't need in Euland) and that will make it so expensive that Ford will just drop in a 2 litre Focus engine to keep the price down.
Now I am not saying that a car that size with a 2l gas engine won't be a really neat small car, it will, but it won't be getting 75mpg on the epa fuel economy numbers.  Note that the quoted price of 12000 gbp for the 5 door which is about $20500 after allowing for the UK VAT.   Ford won't feel they can sell it for that price ( plus Cdn taxes of course) when the good folks at Toyota are selling Corollas for less.

If they put that motor in that car, I will be the first in line to buy it. Putting 140 HP in a 2200 lb car sounds like a great idea!

[The Mighty Duck]

^ Focus RS motor would be even better. 

With regards to what tpl says, six months ago I would have agreed.  But with the way gas prices are going over here, and the turn consumer demand is taking, a Fiesta with a small diesel and excellent mileage becomes substantially more possible.

I still really want an SVT Fiesta with that RS mill, though!

[tpl]

Demo I agree.   To have the choice in Fiesta (and Focus ) of a 50-60mpg diesel all the way to a 200+bhp screamer would be just great.... just the way the Brits have had it for years now.
 After all we have Golf IVs with a diesel and with a VR6  not many years ago but Ford US chose not to do that.... and sadly its not clear that VW have not lost the idea as well 

[MKII]

More Fiesta Info & Pics British Motor Show

http://motoring.sky.com/news_features/galleries/ford-fiesta-prices-announced-at-british-motor-show.aspx#i=0

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/images/front_picture_library_UK/dir_545/car_photo_272802_25.jpg

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/images/front_picture_library_UK/dir_545/car_photo_272805_25.jpg

[WpgMonty]

I don't understand why Ford just doesn't replace all the north american Ford executives, engineering staff and the design staff with their European counterparts. If Ford was selling these cars in NA, they would be challenging Toyota and Honda, IMHO.

I actually owned a '79 Ford Fiesta Sport with the 1.3 liter and a 4 speed. It was a rocket on wheels. Seriously. Apparently the U.S. version had a 1.6 liter and a 5 speed, I think, but here in Canada Ford just imported the German built version without changes. It was strippo (no glove box and no radio) but it weighed next to nothing, and in the summer Mrs. Monty could get it to chirp the tires changing into third gear. IIRC, it redlined at near 8000 RPM. It was unlike anything built in NA at the time.

More than once I buried the speedometer needle at 240kms... a frightening rush of adrenalin, considering the it only weighed about 2000 lbs.