Ford's worldwide Fiesta

Aug 28 2008 Chris Russon

IT is being described as the most important new Ford since the Model T and it's a car with a global mission.

Make no doubt about it, Britain's best-loved little hatch is back in business and it's bristling with big car features.

The new Ford Fiesta goes on sale in October and even the most basic models will feature advanced crash protection, central locking, electrically adjustable door mirrors and a device to prevent misfuelling.

Priced from £8,695 - £155 cheaper than the previous version - the eighth generation of the Fiesta will again set the benchmark in the supermini class.

It's also styled to impress and will cut a dash in the city by making full use of Ford's kinetic design philosophy as seen on the latest Mondeo and Focus models.

Sweeping lines, wrap-around headlamps, a pronounced double-grille and a sloping roof are accentuated by sharp body cuts which give the Fiesta a sporty presence unlike any of its predecessors.

Which is just what European design chief Martin Smith had to achieve as the new Fiesta is the first model to be built under the 'One Ford' vision of Alan Mulally, the man brought in to fix the Big Blue Oval's troubles.

By 2010 the Fiesta will be built in Cologne, Germany, Valencia, Spain and Nanjing, China and on sale across Europe, North America, China, South Africa and Australia. A production site in America is still to be decided.

Satisfying such diverse global demands will be no mean trick but as the recent Olympics showed, what's cool in London is cool in Beijing.

And the new Fiesta has all the attributes to set the trend wherever it's seen.

Beneath the stylish bodywork is a high tech arena of modern manufacturing techniques. Fifty five per cent of the Fiesta is made up of high tensile steel which makes it 40 kilos lighter than the outgoing model yet ten per cent stiffer.

That adds up to better handling and much improved fuel economy.

A new 1.6-litre petrol engine is making its debut in the Fiesta and is capable of averaging a claimed 47.9mpg with CO2 emissions of 139g/km putting it in the £130 a year road tax bracket for private buyers.

But that brings an added bonus next year since cars with emissions lower than 150g/km will actually benefit from significantly lower road tax bills.

In the case of the new Fiesta only buyers of the 1.4-litre automatic will pay more than £30 a year in road tax - and buyers of the diesel engined 1.6-litre ECOnetic versions will escape charges completely thanks to its 98g/km CO2 rating - the lowest of any family car to date.

Combine that with low insurance bandings of one to six and the latest Fiesta certainly has cost-effective motoring at its heart.

The engine line up may sound familiar with 1.25, 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol engines and 1.4 and 1.6-litre diesels but all have been tweaked to deliver more power but with added economy.

Average consumption from any of the manual petrol versions should be in the 50mpg region while the diesels are closer to 70mpg - and the ECOnetic has a target mpg of 76.3 when it arrives later in the year.

A lean burn 1.25-litre petrol engine delivering 60bhp and 52.3mpg is also being introduced but, with a 0 to 60 acceleration time of almost 17 seconds, it is definitely aimed at those who spend a lot of time in city traffic.

I have just tried both 1.6-litre engines and, while the diesel is no slouch at under 12 seconds 0 to 60, plenty of mid-range power from its 90bhp and claimed 109mph top speed, it is the new Ti-VCT petrol engine which is the star.

With more than enough performance in a small car - 0 to 60 in 9.9 seconds and a top speed of 120mph - combined with its frugal consumption it offers the best of both worlds, especially as petrol is some 50p a gallon cheaper than diesel.

The new Fiestas also feature electronic power steering tuned to make them as easy to park as they are responsive at cruising speed and an anti-stall device to help while manoeuvring.

Both three and five door versions will be available from launch as will six trim levels with the top range Titanium models priced from £12,095 and featuring automatic lights and wipers as well as cruise control - a first in a car of this size.

Inside, the Fiesta style revolution continues with a mixture of textures and colours the likes of which have never been seen on a little Ford before.

The central controls resemble a mobile phone keypad and are surrounded by a metal-effect panel which extends into the console and sits below a 3.5-inch display screen.

Additional power outlets are provided for music players etc while keyless entry, starter button ignition and ambient interior night lights which bathe the cabin in a red glow are also available. So is a Bluetooth phone connection, but sat nav will have to be provided by the individual from the likes ot TomTom or Garmin.

The new Fiesta is bigger and more comfortable than previous versions and luggage space is now up to 295 litres compared to 284 in the last model. Maximum capacity is also better by the size of a decent rucksack from 950 to 979 litres.

However, air conditioning is not standard on the basic Studio and Style models and becomes available only from Fiestas in Style+ trim priced from £10,395.

Neither is electronic stability control which is available only as part of an option pack on the higher specification Zetec S and Titanium models with a minimum price of £400.

It has been 32 years since the first Fiesta arrived and since then some 12 million have been sold.

The original created the hatchback as the ideal small family car and its popularity has never waned, consistently being a top ten seller. The new model is such a leap forward in all aspects it's sure to hit top spot.