The Fiesta is moving into uncharted territory, Auto Express can exclusively reveal... by going off-road! And this chunky-looking machine will form a crucial part of Ford's all-new small car range, which is due to go on sale next year.
Small car sales are continuing to grow as buyers downsize, and Ford is also keen to reduce the overall CO2 emissions of its range in order to meet EU targets
It follows hot on the heels of another blue oval SUV - the Ford Focus 4x4, which was confirmed for production at last September's Paris Motor Show. This has already been snapped by our spies undergoing winter testing.
Small car sales are continuing to grow as buyers downsize, and Ford is also keen to reduce the overall CO2 emissions of its range in order to meet EU targets. So bosses have decided the time is right to expand the Ford Fiesta range with an off-roader.
It's also part of the brand's plan to make the next Ford Fiesta a global car. Designed and engineered in Europe, and using the same B2 platform as the latest Mazda 2, the newcomer (revealed in Issue 945) will reach an even wider audience than before, with markets including the US.
Not only will there be conventional three and five-door models, but also off-road versions of each, plus, in the future, a supermini-MPV.
Ford first hinted at a new small off-roader with its EcoSport concept at 2002's Sao Paolo Motor Show in Brazil. But as you can see, the rugged Ford Fiesta SUV takes more styling cues from the Iosis X concept, which has also influenced the SUV version of the Focus. It features a sharply rising waistline, steep C-pillar and a wheel-at-each-corner stance. Protective bumpers front and rear, plus special cladding for the side sills,
pro-vide a tough look, while a raised ride height should mean the Ford Fiesta SUV can tackle rough terrain.
However, unlike the Ford Focus, the smaller model won't be four-wheel drive. Instead, it gets a front-wheel-drive layout, biased towards sporty on-road handling and comfort.
As with the rest of the Ford Fiesta line-up, there will be a high-quality cabin offering lots of
design flair. Generous equipment will include Ford's Sync technology. Developed with comput-ing giant Microsoft, this gives MP3 and Bluetooth phone connectivity.
Safety will be paramount, with front, side and head airbags, plus the latest electronic brakeforce distribution and traction systems.
At launch, the Ford Fiesta SUV will be available with 1.3, 1.6 and 1.8-litre Duratec SCi petrol engines. These feature direct injection for improved economy. Diesel options will include the existing 1.4 and 1.6 TDCi units.
In future, even smaller capacity petrol and
diesel turbos are likely. These will help Ford meet EU targets, which dictate that every car maker's model range should put out an aver-age of 130g/km of CO2 by 2012.
Ford chief technical officer Richard Parry Jones told Auto Express: "We believe in a homogenous ap-proach, and will produce a range of different solutions to this challenge."
That will mean mild hybrids - which use regenerative braking to store wasted heat energy and also shut the engine down when the car is in traffic - as well as biofuels and lightweight body materials.
This technology will appear over the next couple of years, with the new Fiesta SUV arriving at the same time in around 2009.
