Ford has revealed official images of their new Fiesta ahead of its 2012 Paris Motor Show debut. The latest Ford supermini, that has sold over 15 million units worldwide since 1976, will feature a sharper design, a new engine and a host of new safety technologies. Aesthetically, the new design is dominated by a larger, single piece, trapezoidal grille, flanked by sharper headlamps with added LED technology and a new, bulging bonnet.
For a start, the new Fiesta will be equipped with the acclaimed, International Engine of the Year award-winning 3-cylinder, 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine. Official power outputs, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures will only be released at the Paris Motor Show, but going by what Ford have said in the past, the 1.0-litre engine should be available in two variations: 73 kW and 91 kW.
Aside from the exterior enhancements, the new Fiesta will now offer the voice-activated, in-car connectivity system, called Ford SYNC. Ford SYNC enables owners to voice-activate phone calls and music from devices connected via Bluetooth or USB. The Fiesta will also gain ‘Active City Stop’, a system that helps drivers avoid low-speed collisions, as well as ‘Emergency Assistance’, which automatically contacts the local emergency services in the event of an accident or emergency.
Another new technology that will be available on the Fiesta is the ‘MyKey’ system. It allows owners to configure maximum speeds, audio volume levels and ensure that the sound system is muted until all seatbelts are fastened.
Our anticipation, however, is reserved for the Fiesta ST at this stage. With the first images and final specifications having been released at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the car is only a few months away from making its debut in showrooms across Europe and eventually SA. The ST’s turbocharged, 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine with 132 kW and 240 Nm of torque will reignite the battle in the baby hot-hatch market.
