Ford's upcoming 2010 Fiesta is an important part of the automaker's recovery plan. Praised by the automotive press when it was revealed over the summer, the little car is seen as a serious competitor for the Honda Fit, the Toyota Yaris and other subcompact imports that Americans are turning to as gas prices rise. Now, the automaker has unveiled an ultra-efficient version of the car, said to achieve better mileage than a Toyota Prius. Sound like the answer to your prayers?
Only if your prayers are in French, German, Italian or Swedish. It's not coming here.
Jalopnik explains, "Talk about having the right product in the wrong place. Ford will debut a version of the new as-of-now Euro-only Ford Fiesta Econetic at the British Motor Show later this month." The car, "equipped with a miserly 89 HP, 1.6-liter TDCi turbodiesel engine," achieves "a Prius-smoking 62.5 mpg." So far, the automaker has not announced plans to bring the diesel-powered Fiesta to U.S. showrooms.
The U.K.'s Auto Express explains, "The Fiesta is the next step in Ford’s plan to offer super-green versions of each of its models, just as Volkswagen is doing with its Bluemotion brand."
A Ford plan to offer super-green cars? Volkswagen Bluemotion? Why don't we see these cars?
The answer isn't simply that they're diesel-powered, and U.S. emissions regulations make the engines unusable here. Auto Express also notes that the Econetic Fiesta benefits from "significant tweaks to the car’s aerodynamics that allow it to slip through the air with less drag." Ford engineers "are likely to lower the suspension, too, while narrow tires will help reduce rolling resistance. The Fiesta Econetic decreases friction further by using a low-viscosity gearbox oil, developed in partnership with BP."
AutoCar reports that, thanks to the use of lighter-weight materials throughout the car, the Econetic Fiesta "weighs around 50kg less" than the standard model, which also boosts mpg.
We hope the Econetic model is a sign of things to come for Ford. While Euro-spec diesel engines might not meet U.S. pollution standards, technologies like low-resistance tires, lightweight construction and aerodynamic enhancements could make even a gasoline-powered Fiesta more efficient. Apparently, Ford already has the know-how to do these things. When will we see the benefit in Ford's home market?
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