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Revealed: New baby Ford

Global city car re-interprets original Ka, eco engines, hi-tech spec and endless personalisation options

Revealed: New baby Ford

Text: Tom Phillips / Photos: Poblete

11th October 2010

FORD’S stunning new baby is taking its first steps: Auto Express has learned that the blue oval is readying a fresh global small car.

The newcomer – which is set to be priced from £8,000 – will seek to regain the charm and sporty drive of the original Ka. The current model was co-developed with Fiat, and shares the 500’s underpinnings. But while its Italian cousin has been a success, Ford’s effort has been less so, as the firm has struggled to give the Ka a stylish look and make it drive as well as the rest of the range. Yet that is all set to change. This time around, the brand will produce a city car which lives up to the original.

Its styling will be based on that of the California-designed Start concept, which debuted earlier this year at the Beijing Motor Show. Under the bonnet, it will be powered by a new 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost engine with direct injection and stop-start technology. Developing between 80bhp and 125bhp, but returning around 60mpg and with sub-100g/km CO2 emissions, the unit will also be offered in the Fiesta, Focus and C-MAX ranges.

The new Ka will be introduced first in the emerging markets of China, India and South America. But just like the new Focus – which has 80 per cent of its parts in common no matter where it is being sold – and in line with Ford boss Alan Mulally’s OneFord mantra, it will remain broadly similar across the world.

However, equipment levels will be higher on European cars. Key to this will be the MyFord system, which allows the integration of smartphones with the car’s dash. So, as well as controlling the air-con and sat-nav, you can stream music, play videos and take calls – and control of all of these will be by voice or touchscreen. The car will have more personalisation options than ever before, too.

Ford offers exterior graphics and different trim colours with the current Ka, but the newcomer will feature a far more comprehensive set of options, ranging from vinyl wraps to colour-coded interior lighting, to ensure each example is unique.

Expect the new baby to go on sale in 2014.

For an alternative review of the latest Ford Ka visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

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25 Comments

Stunning?

Why use "stunning" to describe EVERY new car on the market? Unless in this case you means "stunningly awful"?

By Roger1709 on 14 October, 2010, 6:43am

Ditto - I think you must be dyslexic - looks like a mud-skipper to me...

By reddo on 14 October, 2010, 9:18am

The Start concept was stunning, for Ford. Why couldn't they just leave it alone as a piece of pure design instead of turning it into this godforsaken thing! The trouble with Ford and others is they show us beautiful concepts and then manage to turn them into the most ordinary undesirable end products.

By plip07 on 14 October, 2010, 9:50am

new ka

great looking car but whats the point of advertising it if its not on sale till 2014?

By chris5 on 14 October, 2010, 10:08am

What?

Are you sure this is the new Ford Ka?

My impressions are that it takes the Fiat link one step further by basically copying the Fiat 500.

Or is it just me?

By simon9350 on 14 October, 2010, 10:48am

Stunningly stunning?

No comment

By ThatOne on 14 October, 2010, 11:00am

Optical Illusion

So where are the rear seats from the first picture in the second?

Good work shopping in the reflection of a photographer who you fooling!

By Hound on 14 October, 2010, 11:32am

Mmmmmm

Ford hitting the panic button, new Clio due sooner and I cannot help thinking Ford have "nicked" the rear lights off the Laguna Coupe.......................

By nightjar on 14 October, 2010, 12:26pm

Mmmmmm

Ford hitting the panic button, new Clio due sooner and I cannot help thinking Ford have "nicked" the rear lights off the Laguna Coupe.......................

By nightjar on 14 October, 2010, 12:29pm

ghastly new Kak

Looks even worse than the original one.

The proportions are just so wrong....

By tonyar on 14 October, 2010, 1:02pm

www.ooyyo.com

It really looks like Fiat 500!

By UsedCarsForSale on 14 October, 2010, 1:08pm

Cool looking little car!

p-p-please bring it to the US.

By setharp4 on 14 October, 2010, 3:32pm

Abysmal

P-p-please take it to the US. And leave it there. The original Ka is a classic, this is an abomination.

By DavidI on 14 October, 2010, 4:47pm

Weird

I think the title pretty much sums this up. And the respondent who quite rightly asked why this was being advertised when it wasn't even gong to break cover until 2014 just reinforces my view that in 4 years time Ford will have probably completely changed their remit and decided to take their design "prowess" in a completely different direction, so even if this THING! actually makes it into production, it's already going to be a has been before it's even started.

By nick7 on 14 October, 2010, 8:22pm

Yuch!

Looks like Ford have bought one of the biggest ugly sticks to beat this car with!

By toycollector on 14 October, 2010, 8:35pm

Substance over Style

Seems like too many comments about stlye. It's just a City Car for economical transport from A to B.

By LANMAN on 15 October, 2010, 11:47am

Get used to it

I think after a while one would like the design of it. I tried out a Citroen DS3 turbo for 2 weeks and to start of with I was reluctant to open the door as the front looked like an ugly catfish (if catfish can be uglier than they already are) which resembled a smaller face of an ugly front Peug! But after awhile I liked it and I think this will be the same. Now all Ford need to do is the lifetime warranty that Vauxhall offer. Those alloys look like that little Lexus car, cant remember the name.

By aarontp on 16 October, 2010, 10:28am

World Car Face?

Some time ago AE ran a feature looking at how the front of a car had to be styled to sell in certain markets. In many markets, especially in Far East countries, the car's "face" had to look happy for it to sell (and AE quoted some outstanding disasters at the time).

Is there a happy face on this Ford? Most definitely not! It looks so glum. Maybe that's what it should be called, the Ford Glum!

Come on Ford, sort out that top grille. This car looks to be the most unhappy car I have ever seen!

By j_harden on 18 October, 2010, 11:59am

Pond Life!

Quick it's drowning in the air, someone put it back in the water!!

By rodneyclausen on 19 October, 2010, 9:26am

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By allenjackking on 20 October, 2010, 3:16pm

Not great

But it definitly has something more about it than the outgoing Ka, they really flopped with that. I was never a big original Ka fan but could see the reasoning behind it, it was very funky for its time and an ideal small car for city driving.

It still looks better than anything than the germans are producing at the min though!!!

By AndyG on 21 October, 2010, 1:11pm

Yet another Ugly Ford Creation! Almost as bad as the Fiesta!

This is lame! Just another half-hearted affair from a Ford Designer with no talent or taste. This Designer should be sacked!

By JTravolta77 on 27 October, 2010, 12:40am

Sorry l just can't warm to it, would rather by a BRITISH made Mini

Would rather buy something assembled in the UK like a Mini, which will help provide a future to be handed down to our children & grandchildren rather than send my money off to keep the poles employed in Poland assembling Ka's.

Do like my Fords but this looks the worst most dull Ka ever.

By IvorBiggen on 5 November, 2010, 8:18pm

Might be better-here's hoping!

The present KA, based on the Fiat 500 seems fine, but woefully expensive which was the case with the original KA. The Studio spec has wind-up windows[retro] while the one that Ford push, the Zetec, is a bargain compared to the rest. It's also the one that's most heavily discounted. This new incarnation looks nearer to the original concept which was ruined by an engine range that seemed very 1960's. Let's hope they get that right and make it a car that's worth buying, not settling for.

By n50pap on 23 November, 2010, 1:34pm

Alomst as bad as the Fiesta?!

Jtravolta77 are you real???? The Ford Fiesta is way ahead of anything in it's class, in every single category possible, you should keep your comments to yourself because you're talking rubbish! I do agree though that this car is not particularly pretty!

By richj82 on 18 February, 2011, 11:56am

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Revealed: New baby Ford
Revealed: New baby Ford

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