Spy Shots: Ford Fiesta-based crossover headed for the UK
Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Ford, UK
Spy Shots: Ford Fiesta-based crossover mule - click above for high-res image gallery
Ford is enjoying early success with the Fiesta here in the United States, but in Europe, where the Fiesta has been on sale for years, it's time to start thinking about the future. Our friendly neighborhood snappers at CarPix have scored spy shots of what appears to be a high-riding Fiesta-based crossover designed to slot in below the Kuga crossover in the automaker's European lineup.
A Fiesta crossover might sound a little odd at first take, but when it comes to production, it should be roughly the same size as a Nissan Juke or Mini Countryman. That in mind, don't rule out the possibility of the Fiesta CUV making its way to the U.S. Expect to see a variety of powertrains offered for European customers including some EcoBoost options, and both front- and all-wheel drive configurations should be available. Check out our gallery of high-res pics before to get a closer look at the forthcoming Blue Oval tall boy.
[Source: CarPix]
Spy Shots: Ford Fiesta-based crossover headed for the UK originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: 2011 Ford Fiesta is so pimping, so sexy
Filed under: Budget, Videos, Hatchback, Ford
Ford Fiesta "You so Pimping, You so Sexy" ad by Film Riot - Click above to watch the video after the jump
Ford may have its own ad campaign for the Fiesta, but we're mildly amused by this one-off, three-minute-long ad created by the folks at Film Riot, an online how-to show about filmmaking. The Blue Oval currently sponsors the Film Riot crew, so it makes sense that the funky new Fiesta hatch (in Lime Squeeze, of course) would be the star of their ad spoof.
One part Swagger Wagon rap and one part Sprockets, the Euro-inspired dance track fits the Fiesta perfectly. Note to Ford: Edit this down to a 30-second television spot posthaste, or keep it in its entirety for next year's Super Bowl. Follow the jump to see Film Riot's ad for yourself.
Photos Copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading Video: 2011 Ford Fiesta is so pimping, so sexy
Video: 2011 Ford Fiesta is so pimping, so sexy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsTanner Foust wins first RallyCar Rallycross event in U.S. [w/video]
Filed under: Motorsports, Ford, Racing
RallyCar Rallycross at New Jersey Motorsports Park - Click above for high-res image gallery
Tanner Foust took the top spot in the first-ever Rallycross competition in the United States this past weekend, piloting an all-wheel-drive Rockstar Engergy/Etnies Ford Fiesta.
Rallycross has existed around the world for years, but the sport officially debuted in America at the 2010 X Games, where it was called Super Rally. Foust just happened to win gold in the inaugural X Games competition, too. Rallycross mixes circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition on a short course, featuring jumps, hills, unbanked turns and quick transitions between different road surfaces. Two more Rallycross events are scheduled to take place this year, all of which will be held at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Foust has been participating in European Rallycross events for quite some time, and he's also gained exposure by competing in Formula Drift and previous X Games competitions. What's more, Foust is one of the hosts for the U.S. version of Top Gear. Somebody get this guy a vacation.
Look for the next U.S. Rallycross event to take place on October 2-3 and follow the jump for the full release about Foust's win along with a brief video of Tanner ripping down the front straight with his rear bumper flapping in the wind.
[Source: Tanner Foust]
Continue reading Tanner Foust wins first RallyCar Rallycross event in U.S. [w/video]
Tanner Foust wins first RallyCar Rallycross event in U.S. [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Ford Fiesta shipments flowing again after faulty part fixed
Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Ford
2011 Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Ford Fiesta launch was supposed to be smooth as glass, but few complex plans go off without a hitch. The first samples of Ford's hot subcompact were stalled due to hazardous weather near the Mexico assembly plant where it's produced. Ford mailed out $50 MasterCard gift certificates to stave off its increasingly impatient order holders, but unfortunately the delays aren't over. The Fiesta had more problems in the last week, but this time Mother Nature had little to do with the delay.
Automotive News is reporting that a quality problem has further postponed some Fiesta shipments, which means already waiting buyers will have to wait a bit longer. Ford President of the Americas Mark Fields declined to say which part caused the delay, but sources at AN say that a faulty seat lever is the culprit. The Blue Oval claims that the issue is now fixed and production has ramped back up in an effort to meet demand. Ford further says that it is unlikely that any defective parts have made it to customers.
While we're sure that Ford management is less than thrilled with the hiccups in the Fiesta launch, Fields summed up the situation by saying, "The great news is that we have a product that is in really high demand."
Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]
Report: Ford Fiesta shipments flowing again after faulty part fixed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord offers $50 gift cards to customers facing late Fiesta deliveries
Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford
2011 Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery
Due to circumstances reportedly beyond Ford's control, many customers are having to wait a bit longer to receive their new 2011 Fiesta sedans and hatchbacks. After Hurricane Alex and Tropical Storm Bonnie rolled through Northern Mexico earlier this summer, railroads were damaged that provide shipments to the factory where Ford builds the Fiesta.
Customers may have to wait up to two weeks longer than expected to receive the hot new subcompact, and as a token of appreciation for being patient, Ford will be giving these customers a $50 MasterCard gift card. That's a free tank of gas and a smattering of delicious coffee drinks... or a fancy dinner for two!
In speaking with Automotive News, Ford sales analyst George Pipas says that Ford has "about 6,500 to 7,000 [Fiestas] in transit to dealers" and that the cars should start to be fully stocked within the next couple of months. For now, customers will have to wait patiently and take solace in the extra $50 in their pockets when it finally comes time to take delivery.
Photos Copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]
Ford offers $50 gift cards to customers facing late Fiesta deliveries originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffspeed Pitch: Richard Petty joins Ken Block, AJ Allmendinger in marketing Ford Fiesta?
Filed under: Motorsports, Budget, Sedan, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities
Brace yourself, race fans. Things are about to get a little weird. Ford has decided to meld the seemingly unmeldable worlds of NASCAR and rally to help promote the 2011 Fiesta. Ken Block, Richard Petty and AJ Allmendinger have joined forces as an unholy trifecta of motorsports action, unified by their common love of the number 43. We don't need to tell you that Petty famously campaigned old four-three in the heyday of NASCAR, netting 200 Sprint Cup wins and a total of seven championships in the process. Meanwhile, Block has established himself as one of America's flashiest rally drivers, while Allmendinger has inherited Petty's 43 throne in the current NASCAR series.
The three unlikely amigos will be campaigning for the Blue Oval's new '43 Fiestas' sweepstakes, where entrants will have the opportunity to lay their hands on a bevy of prizes. A total of 43 first-place prize winners will walk away with a 40-inch LED-LCD HD flat-screen television, while another 43 grand-prize winners will receive airfare, lodging and tickets for two to the Ford 300 Nationwide series and the Ford 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. If that wasn't swank enough, one of the 43 grand-prize winners will drive home in a 2011 Fiesta.
But wait, there's more. Should Allmendinger happen to take the checkered at the end of the race, all 43 grand-prize winners will win their very own Fiesta. Head over to the 43 Fiestas site to enter for you chance to win. You can also hop the jump for the full press release.
Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Ford via 43Fiestas.com]
Offspeed Pitch: Richard Petty joins Ken Block, AJ Allmendinger in marketing Ford Fiesta? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsReview: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES promises the democratization of fun
Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Ford, Reviews
2011 Ford Fiesta SES - Click above for high-res image gallery
Remember when economy cars offered few concessions beyond roll-your-own windows, rear window defrosters and AM radios? It was only a handful of years ago that features on our 2011 Ford Fiesta SES tester would've qualified it for premium car status - if indeed items like Bluetooth, SYNC, a capless fuel fill and knee airbags were even available.
There's no denying the steady trickledown of luxury goods into workaday iron, and the Fiesta is rolling proof.
As you might also recall, back about 10 years ago, Ford executives and those charged with its British outpost, Jaguar, worked themselves into a froth over the possibilities offered by 'The Democratization of Luxury' - boldly and conveniently overlooking that when a premium feature becomes affordable to everyone, it ceases to be a luxury at all. And while this sort of marketing doublespeak was the undoing of the ill-conceived Jaguar X-Type - and perhaps the undoing of Ford's ownership of Coventry's favorite feline altogether - there's no denying the steady trickledown of luxury goods into workaday iron, and the Fiesta is rolling proof.Of course, any automaker can lash a bunch of features onto a car and call it a day, but it's not a real value unless all of those baubles and braze-ons are bungeed to a platform and drivetrain whose creators have that whole engineering 'special sauce' thing figured out. In other words, the democratization of luxury is one thing - but does the Fiesta deliver the democratization of fun? Click through to the jump to find out.
Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
Continue reading Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES promises the democratization of fun
Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES promises the democratization of fun originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Ford Fiesta takes care of the ‘Honey Do’ list, Ken Block style
Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Humor
Ken Block takes out the trash - Click above to watch video after the jump
At some point during the development of the American vernacular, the term "grocery getter" became a term of condescension. Thing is, lugging around a few bags of consumables and clipping apexes don't have to be mutually exclusive. Ford is hoping the average U.S. car buyer has outgrown the prejudices of his forebearers and is willing to jump into something with a hatchback. To help dispel any lingering thoughts of boredom, the Blue Oval has called on none other than Ken Block to use his guano-crazy Fiesta WRC rally racer to take care of a few household chores. Sideways.
The quick clip after the jump is filled with the kind of car control we've come to expect from Block, even with his recent run of bad luck in the WRC. If you like what you see in the video, you can register for a chance to win a 2011 Fiesta worked up to look just like Block's racer. Something tells us the grand-prize car won't be all-wheel drive, though. Hit the jump to watch the video, as well as check out the full press release with details on the drawing.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Video: Ford Fiesta takes care of the 'Honey Do' list, Ken Block style
Video: Ford Fiesta takes care of the 'Honey Do' list, Ken Block style originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsUnlikely Pacer: Ford Fiesta to lead the field at CarFax 400
Filed under: Motorsports, Budget, Sedan, Ford
Sure enough, the upcoming Sprint Cup Carfax 400 will be paced by none other than the Blue Oval's tiny 2011 Fiesta Sedan. With less than a third of the displacement of the tube-frame beasts lapping Michigan International Speedway, we wouldn't quite expect lightning-quick pace laps, but hey - safety first. While pace cars are typically some sort of performance product, manufacturers aren't past parading less than muscular new hardware in front of the captive audiences of the raceway.If Ford was looking for a way to bring its marketing for the Fiesta out of the social media realm and into a more mainstream American venue, they could have hardly done better than the Sprint Cup. On average, the series races net 7.9 million viewers. On Sunday, August 15, each and every one of those souls will get to watch a maroon four door fiesta lead the pack, complete with a massive Blue Oval decal down the side. Talk about cheap advertising. Check out the gallery for a few shots from the car's unveiling.
[Source: Ford Racing via Facebook]
Unlikely Pacer: Ford Fiesta to lead the field at CarFax 400 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsKen Block reveals possible Fiesta special edition collaboration with Ford in the works
Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford
Ken Block Gymkhana 3 Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery
Ken Block isn't a World Rally Championship legend by any stretch, but thanks to his immensely entertaining Gymkhana videos, the glorified shoemaker can definitely lay claim to the title of YouTube Legend. And with Ford working the Internets hard during the launches of its new products like the Fiesta and Explorer, it made total sense that Ford would want to partner with the new media star.
The duo of Fiesta and Ken Block is less than a year old, but already there are some rumblings that Block edition Fiesta could be in the works. How about a DC Shoes edition Fiesta? In a recent radio interview with KROQ, Block was asked if there was a KB Fiesta on the way, and he responded with "we're discussing those types of things but there's nothing set in stone at this point." Block went on to add that for now, he wants to concentrate on racing and developing new competition cars.
So, no definitive news on the Ken Block edition Fiesta front, but the two parties are at least thinking about a special model. We can't see how this is a bad idea, considering that 30 million potential car buyers waiting patiently for Gymkhana 3 - we couldn't think of a better way to announce a special edition Fiesta than by starring in another Block-buster internet flick (sorry, we couldn't resist). Head over to the KROQ website to listen to the interview. Hat tip to Joe B!
[Source: KROQ]
Ken Block reveals possible Fiesta special edition collaboration with Ford in the works originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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