Ford gives new Fiesta a dash of extra Verve

By James Disdale

30th August 2007

The Fiesta has been given some real Verve! A week after Auto Express revealed the first official images of the new Ford supermini, the car giant has released these detailed photographs of the model both inside and out.

Although bosses are calling this the Verve concept, we can reveal it will turn into the next small car, which is due here next year. Ford has yet to decide whether to continue with the Fiesta name, but either way, the newcomer will become the most exci­ting model in the supermini’s 30-year history.

Due to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in a fortnight, the car represents the next phase in the com­pany’s ‘Kinetic Design’ approach.

Created by Brit stylist Chris Hamil­ton, the Verve’s dramatic look combines all Ford’s latest design cues, and has the low-slung proportions of a coupé. However, despite the imposing road presence, it is no bigger than the outgoing Fiesta.

At the front is a large grille, which sits below Mondeo-style headlights. Chunky wheelarches and a muscular shoulder line give the car a sporty look, while the sweeping roofline and side-window profile are clearly influenced by the S-MAX MPV. At the rear, the Verve gets high-set LED lamps, a steeply raked tailgate and twin exhausts trimmed in chrome.

Yet the dynamic design isn’t limited to the exterior. Climb in through the frameless door and you are met with a stunning interior dominated
by a mobile phone-influenced centre console. The controls for the stereo, sat-nav and Bluetooth connection are housed here, while extra information is displayed on a recessed screen on top of the dash. Below are neat and simple dial controls for the air-conditioning.

Despite having room for five, the cabin is very much centred round the driver. There are cowled instrument dials, heavily bolstered seats and a chunky three-spoke steer­ing wheel.

Quality is also a big priority – Ford used the MINI as its benchmark. Best of all, most of the elements seen in the prototype will make their way on to the finished model, including the cool reddish instrument illumination.

Ford will unveil two more small car concepts based on the Verve – one at January’s Detroit show and another at an Asian expo – but with their styl­ing tweaked to suit the specific region in which they are shown. The final production version will make its debut at Geneva in March 2008.

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