Shown here is the 4 door hatchback Fiesta. There will also be a sedan offered.
As the war between automakers over the hearts and pocketbooks of young, spending concious car buyers on the market for economical small subcompacts is reaching nuclear levels Ford is looking to throw it's name into the hat with it's upcoming 2011 Ford Fiesta, expected to go on sale early next year.
The Fiesta originates from Europe, where the car has been the best selling vehicle in that region for some time now. The guys over at Ford Europe have displayed their ability to make high quality, attractive cars that people are willing to buy.
The Fiesta is loved among the automotive community for it's styling and the fun factor involved in driving it, as well as the breath taking interior that is almost good enough to rival that seen in luxury autos.
Most people prefer the European versions of the Ford automobiles currently seen in the U.S., including the far superior Focus that is seen over in that region, so when Ford announced their intentions to move their entire line over into a global platform with each region sharing the same vehicle builds automotive journalists and enthusiasts in the United States were ecstatic over the possibilities of seeing the European Ford cars come to the states. Ford claims that the Fiesta is only the start, and a new Focus using this global platform should be expected up next in the U.S. within the next couple of years.
The 2011 Ford Fiesta is stunning in every way, shape, and form. From the sexy exterior to the high quality, futuristic interior, all the way down to the torquey and quite peppy engine, this car looks to be a winner. It's main competition will be the usual suspects in the economical subcompact category. Honda's Fit, the Nissan Versa, Toyota's Yaris, and the Kia Rio come to mind but the biggest opponent the Fiesta will face may just be the truck, SUV, and big sedan loving American consumers who historically have not taken well to any of Ford's attempt at a small, affordable new car.
To be honest, though, Ford has never put forth an effort like this one is shaping up to be when it comes to subcompacts. The Fiesta will be offered in both a 4 door hatchback version as well as a more conventional sedan design. The car will be built in Mexico for the United States and is expected to go into manufacturing either late this year or early next with a release date scheduled for the first quarter of next year. Pricing has been rumored to come in significantly below the current Focus, with estimates being a base price of around $12,000 with a nicely optioned model running as much as $17,000. The Fiesta will be powered by a 1.6-liter Ti-VCT four cylinder engine and a PowerShift automatic transmission will be offered.
source: examiner
