Ford to unveil comeback Fiesta

[rickaren]

Ford to unveil comeback Fiesta at LA Auto Show

Posted on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 at 1:21 PM EST. (Employee News)

Ford Motor Co. officially moves back into the small-car business with the debut of the 2011 Ford Fiesta at the Los Angeles Auto Show today, The Detroit News reported.

The subcompact sedan and four-door hatchback is Ford’s smallest offering in the United States as the Blue Oval continues its plans to bring some of its best European models to America, the paper said. Ford will debut an all-new Focus, based on the popular European model, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this January, the News said.

Originally designed for Europe and Asia, CEO Alan Mulally ordered designers and engineers to modify the Fiesta so it also could be sold in the United States, the paper noted. As such, it points the way to a new generation of global small cars that is expected to provide the foundation for Ford’s product lineup worldwide, the report said.

The American version of the Fiesta will feature a 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder engine and Ford’s new Powerstroke six-speed automatic transmission, the first subcompact in the United States to feature a six-speed transmission. It will be filled with lots of high-tech features and an interior worthy of many midsize sedans, the story said. Company officials estimate it will get as much as 40 miles per gallon on the highway. (The Detroit News)