NEWS
| 20 December 2008 |
| Ford Fiesta 2008 |
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From the outset, the all-new Ford Fiesta has been designed and developed to meet the differing needs of customers around the world, from Western and Eastern Europe to North America, China, Australia and South Africa.
At first glance, such a global population may not have much in common, so Ford carried out extensive research on customer needs, wants and desires around the world when planning its new small car – long before the creation of the Verve Concept preview vehicle and the subsequent production version of all-new Fiesta.
The result is not just a new car, but a new process, which dictates the future of Ford product development and through which other Ford cars will be born. All-new Fiesta is the first product of Ford Motor Company CEO, Alan Mulally’s ‘One Ford’ vision of a single, global company designing and building cars for a single, global customer base, not divided by regional or national borders.
A Small Ford for a New Generation
From front to rear, the all-new Fiesta exudes presence and individuality.
It wears the distinctive, bold Ford ‘face’. Most noticeably, it uses the signature, large, inverted trapezoidal lower grille and large, centred Ford oval badge that characterises both the Verve Concept and other modern Ford family vehicles.
Chrome and brightwork are used selectively, like jewellery accents, to convey elegance and sophistication. The lower grille features this effect with its clean, precise chrome surround.
The grille is finished with a bisecting, horizontal number plate bar and framed by a dynamic-looking front structure, sculpted as if a pair of ‘toned muscles’ were located on either side of the bonnet.
The application of such a strong face creates recognition and communicates an attitude that is bold and sporty, yet friendly and engaging.
“We focused on bringing more emotion and character into Fiesta and to make the car appear larger and more athletic than the previous model, even though it remains the same size,” explains Stefan Lamm, Chief Exterior Designer, Ford of Europe. “The grille is one of the main elements in achieving this, by drawing attention to the front of the car.”
Moving rearwards, sleek, wraparound headlamps sweep back sharply, making both a strong visual statement as well as allowing for a very short shut-line to the sculpted, clamshell bonnet. This treatment gives all-new Fiesta a friendly, open and inviting personality, and in turn helps fulfil the requirements of pedestrian protection.
Strong brand character elements feature along the side of the vehicle, with bold, pronounced wheel arch lips – now a key feature of the Ford brand DNA and present across the portfolio of models. These communicate tension and muscularity, signature elements of kinetic design.
Above the wheel lips is a rising bodyside beltline, a strong dynamic line sweeping along the side of the car towards the high rear light cluster. This maintains the ‘wedge’ attitude admired on the Verve Concept and communicates robustness. The undercut panel running beneath this line adds strength and tension, while the door handles are carefully integrated, for a tidy, harmonious finish.
A sloping A-pillar extends forward towards the front wheel centre line to shorten visually the overhang, while an A-pillar window adds to the sporty look and aids visibility.
All-new Fiesta retains the sweeping profile and treatment of the glass area – or Day Light Opening (DLO) – of the Verve Concept. This acts as a visual reinforcement of apparent movement that does much to emphasize the car’s sporty character. Side windows combine neatly to create a unified side window graphic – another kinetic design element that communicates dynamism.
The upper arc of this window shape forms a feature line that incorporates the shapes of the tail lamps and rear spoiler into a coherent signature, while an elegant chrome accent frames the lower edge of the side glass and accentuates the established Ford ‘kick-up’ at the lower rear corner.
At the same time, the sweeping roofline extends back appealingly from the forward-stretching A-pillar, framing the bold graphic of the Fiesta side window profile just as on the Verve Concept.
This design approach is applied to both three-door and five-door models, retaining a dramatic and dynamic profile without sacrificing the true family car package.
“We took the five-door design as seriously as the three-door,” says Stefan Lamm. “Both cars are based on the same body, which makes the five-door particularly sporty and dynamic, almost like a five-door coupé.”
At the rear of the car, many kinetic elements combine, including the chamfered rear glass area, low roofline sweeping into a small spoiler, the distinctive licence plate graphic and dramatic tail lamps with honeycomb detailing, positioned high on Fiesta’s rear corners. Smith believes this combination is “the most distinctive aspect of the vehicle”.
An integrated, dark grey lower diffuser insert accentuates the bumper shape and adds to the athletic stance of all-new Fiesta. The diffuser lends an air of lightness to the rear shape while its lines stretching outward toward the bumper lip draw the eyes once again to the wheels and Fiesta’s sporty stance.
It would be easy to overlook such subtle elements were they not designed to be enhanced through colour. The unique exterior colour of the European Verve Concept – called Hot Magenta – has been translated to the production car as one of seven new colours developed for all-new Fiesta – with a total of 14 exterior colours available.
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