After Farago's good news yesterday from Ford corporate, we can bounce to even more good Blue Oval news today and I'm pretty much about to stroke with excitement. Ford has confirmed that the US will get its Fiesta compact car as a hatchback, not just the American-friendly and eye-unfriendly sedan. Since importing anything from Europe (cars, wine, cheese, deodorant) is currently cost-prohibitive, Ford will build the Fiesta in Mexico at – get this – a factory that previously built Ford F-Series for the Mexican market. Since pickup truck sales there are in the toilet as much as they are in the US, the factory is being converted to build the Fiesta and new Ford I-4 engines. That's right, they stopped overproducing a truck because sales weren't too hot and instead will be using it to make fuel-efficient cars and engines. Ford hasn't confirmed whether the hatchback Fiesta will be the three- or five-door version, but I'd bet dollars to donuts (really what does that mean) that it'll be the three-door. The biggest downside? It's coming in the proverbial "year 2010" as a 2011 model. That's two years away; Honda and Toyota will continue to chow down on Fit and Yaris sales (up 1.2 gazillion percent this year). This Fiesta is a car Ford needed in America yesterday last year two years ago and whether the ever-facelifted Focus can keep them afloat for that long, I don't know. But hey, if we make it to 2010, a Ford showroom with a Fiesta hatch and European-style Focus (also to be built in Mexico), and 350 horsepower Taurus will be hotter than Tricia Helfer. In Vegas. Meanwhile, hero of the day award to Alan Mulally. (source: Ford)
Find Reviews by Make:
Read all comments
That’s a hot looking vehicle. Much nicer than the Yaris or Fit.
It may be that styling and handling will represent the two areas where Ford will eventually outdo the Toyondasan. I’d love for the 5-door to come stateside… but there’s one other unforseen problem with this.
By 2010, Toyota may offer a hybrid option for virtually every model they sell. Ford won’t have it.
If they decide to build the 5 door (and I think that’s a pretty safe bet) for our market, the wife & I will be all over it (and it’s about time Ford!).
Ford’s strongest asset is its willingness to lose money. They should leverage that by importing the Fiesta from Europe until the Mexican line is ready. We need those cars NOW. If the average domestic buyer has no idea that Silverados and Fusions come from Mexico, they’ll never notice the changeover from Europe to Mexico.
Also, bring over that hot little ST.
5 door! Do it! Do it so I can buy one in 2 years! Of course, they’ll have to keep the NVH down so I don’t go deaf and hoarse with shouting conversations driving across North Dakota, but if they can make a comfortable, reliable fuel-efficient little 4-door hatch with Sync, holy smokes I’m going to get one.
I agree it’s a great looking hatch that Ford could use right now rather than two years from now. On the other hand, at least Ford has something in the pipeline. I haven’t heard of anything similar from GM aside from a reworked nose on the Aveo.
I hope that Mazda will bring the Mazda2 version of this stateside though. After seeing the pics of the interiors of each, I think I like the Mazda’s better. If that doesn’t happen then I hope the Fiesta’s interior looks better in person.
Regardless though, gas here went up 18 cents between last Wednesday and last Saturday. It now stands at $4.20/gal for 87. I think the Fiesta will enjoy some strong sales when it does finally arrive.
Wayne assembly in Michigan is going to get the new Focus in 2010. Kansas City will produce the new Escape based on that platform. The only production in Mexico will be overflow and possibly C-Max production.
Awesome! I hope Ford succeeds on this vehicle…I’ll enjoy seeing them on the road.
I actually would look at that car. Given it is also the ONLY Ford(s) I would like to do so.
They should leverage that by importing the Fiesta from Europe until the Mexican line is ready.
Federalizing takes time, not just money. While it would be nice if the car was available yesterday, I doubt that they could just import the Euro model as is.
I’m with you Pch101, you have to pick the projects you think will make you the most money and hope that you’re right. Otherwise, with tons of projects on your hands, your costs skyrocket or you mess up all of the projects. Ford (and every other automaker right now) can’t afford either one of those scenarios.
Adding the (euro = expensive) European version to Ford’s offerings probably wouldn’t generate enough sales over the two years to cover the development costs. Add in the negative name association that would carry on long after Ford stopped importing them and it’s a dead duck. Can you say Astra?
psst: “dollars to donuts” used to mean long odds.
This was when a dollar was a DOLLAR, and a donut was a nickel.
Now that a donut costs $0.79 or more, “dollars to donuts” means nothing.
Otherwise, with tons of projects on your hands, your costs skyrocket or you mess up all of the projects. Ford (and every other automaker right now) can’t afford either one of those scenarios.
Exactly. Management resources are scarce, every project requires time and attention. They can’t afford to be spread too thin, which was probably the main reason that they sold Aston Margin, Land Rover and Jaguar, projects that were too far out of touch with their main business.
It’s also a matter of logistics. I don’t know whether the Astra makes for a good comparison, but that supposedly required 20 months and $100 million to federalize, and that was on a fast track.
For GM, that might have made sense, because they are trying to build their brands on the cheap, and they could use up excess factory capacity in Belgium to build the US cars.
But Ford’s circumstances are different. If Ford is able to sell its production run of Fiestas within Europe, they’d be making a big mistake shipping them here, where they would have to spend tens of millions to get it ready for us, only to sell it at a much lower price because Americans expect to pay a lot less for cars. They’re better off making more money in Europe, and using those additional earnings to reinvest elsewhere in the company, including in their US vehicles.
“Now that a donut costs $0.79 or more, “dollars to donuts” means nothing.”
Then “Euros to Donuts” it is! ;-)
I want to trade our second car (02 Subaru Impreza) for either a new 09+ Fit (we have an 08 Fit we love) or a Nissan Cube. However, after seeing this little beauty I think we will wait and see what’s up. Honda might have an alternate drivetrain option for the Fit by then, so it will be interesting to see how they compete. I would like my next car to have keyless entry/start, navigation w/bluetooth, and some other better options. The SYNC looked pretty cool, and the updated one is even nicer. This car would have killer sales NOW, but as usual it will be too late. Maybe we should take this as a sign that alternate fuels will be successful in 2010 and gas prices will go down with demand? You know, just in time for Ford to “react” to the changing market. :-)
I just hope they don’t mess with it by changing the looks or dumb down the suspension for the American market.
From everything I’ve heard the car will be virtually the same and just as the Europeans enjoy it. Just like the Astra here in the US.
Mulally’s One World, One Ford vision is starting to bear fruit.
TriShield :
June 2nd, 2008 at 1:07 pm
From everything I’ve heard the car will be virtually the same and just as the Europeans enjoy it. Just like the Astra here in the US.
Yeah, but the Astra is a complete bomb. Probably because it’s overpriced and has no advertising, but…
And what will GM be competing with, the Worst In Class Aveo?
“Yeah, but the Astra is a complete bomb. Probably because it’s overpriced and has no advertising, but…”
The Astra has several problems. First, it is being sold as a Saturn, a brand with awareness levels somewhere down in Isuzu, Suzuki and Mitsubishi territories. Second, it isn’t a great car. The Rabbit/Jetta, for example, spanked it badly in CR’s comparison testing. Third, they didn’t even get the clock to read out in US style time. How can GM spend $100M to “federalize” a car and not fix the clock software? Saturn’s fixed price selling price gambit has backfired as well. That was a solution invented for a certain kind of buyer in the pre-Internet era. Now with no hassle bargain competitive pricing availble from your keyboard there is no reason to fear negotiating a new car deal anymore. Saturn is so dead it isn’t funny.
Hooray!!
Way to go Ford, we’re so proud of you!
Ford’s been the only N.A. automaker I would consider, and with Mulally at the helm, I think they stand to really pull out ahead. Hopefully the financial boat can stay afloat long enough to see these, (and Me) in the showroom in a couple years.
This may actually be a Ford worth buying…in 2 freaking years. It’s like Ford wants to fail…
Wow, I’ll test drive this for sure when it comes out. If it’s as good as I hope (and as inexpensive as I hope), I may just trade in the GTI, buy a Fiesta, and start saving up for a nice roadster. With what I’ll save in gas $, it’ll be that much easier. So, Honda S2000 or Vette?
Any estimated numbers on mileage?
@jkross22:
Ford hasn’t released any numbers yet, and European magazines haven’t even published reviews yet. You can bet that we’ll have the stats here as soon as they are released.
(a) why does federalizing take so long?; and (b) why don’t these companies just build cars that meet standards on both sides of the pond?
you’d think the manufacturing and marketing flexibility that came from making everything interchangeable would outweigh the cost of making something compliant even if you’re not sure if you’ll import every model.
Sounds good, but what if Mazda beats them to the market with the Mazda2? Ford should hope that Mazda decides not to bring it over here.
carguy: I just hope they don’t mess with it by changing the looks or dumb down the suspension for the American market.
Amen to that. In addition, let’s hope they don’t set the Ford NA cost engineers to work on it, like they did with the original Focus. We all know how well that worked for them. Just sit back and watch the recalls come rolling in….
Ford must have already told Mazda not to bring the 2 over, they have veto power over Mazda decisions.
If they brought the 2 over, I would be driving one today.
But I think at fair value in USD over here its more profitably sold elsewhere for other currencies and my prognosis is to see USD keep sliding esp. with no stateside regime change.