Fiesta"s new global focus

Ford"s new Fiesta model has been designed for a wider global market than Fiestas of the past. This latest model of the popular small car that is Ireland"s best-seller in its market, has just been launched. Under the stylish exterior lies a robust body structure, crafted from high-strength and ultra-high strength steels to protect occupants in the event of a collision. Yet, despite its advances in strength, the new Fiesta"s body structure overall is lighter than before. This means advancements in safety have not been achieved at the expense of key attributes, like fuel economy and CO2 emissions. Across the model range, the new Fiesta combines an enhanced and efficient powertrain line-up with weight reductions to deliver better fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions. The New Fiesta range - with three 16-valve Duratec petrol and one Duratorq TDCi diesel engine choices - offers a projected range-wide CO2 average of 132g/km, a 1.3 per cent improvement over the already efficient previous Fiesta. This incremental advance represents a potential saving of over 11,000 tonnes of CO2 across Europe, assuming annual European sales comparable with the previous Fiesta and an average distance of 15,000 kilometres per year. The new Fiesta range comprises nine models across a choice of four engines including 1.25 litre, 1.4 litre; and 1.6 litre petrol engines and a 1.4 diesel engine in three distinct three- and five-door series, including Style, Zetec and Titanium. The new Fiesta retains many of the original characteristics of the original model and Ford claims that it will be practical, reliable and fun to drive. The car will arrive in Ireland in mid-October. Full details on the spec and price will be issued closer to the Irish launch date. Having sold more than 160,000 units in Ireland since it was first introduced in 1976, the Fiesta is one of the best-known and best-loved cars in the country. The Fiesta has clocked up global sales of more than 12 million since it was first introduced.