New 2016 Ford Ka prototype spotted
Ford's third-generation Ka city car is caught out and about ahead of European market debut in 2016
Ford is making us wait a fair old time for the next-generation Ka. The firm revealed it in concept form way back in 2013, but the city car isn't tipped to arrive in Europe until next year. Our latest spy shots show what we can expect from the Vauxhall Viva rival, though.
It's clear that even with the minimal disguise of this prototype, the design is virtually unchanged from the concept. It looks longer, wider and lower than the rather upright outgoing model, with a more mature appearance. The front retains Ford's new 'wide-mouth' grille, with the swept-back headlamps seen on the Fiesta and Focus.
Preview prototypes spotted in the UK we registered as far back as July 2014. A DVLA check also revealed the model has a 1.5-litre diesel engine – most likely the 74bhp TDCi found in the current Fiesta. Alongside this, we expect a range of naturally aspirated and turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engines.
The reason the Ka is being tested without a disguise is that it has recently gone on sale in emerging markets such as Brazil. The UK model will share its body and platform with this car, but is likely to benefit from a number of revisions to ensure it meets our stricter safety standards. The length of development time would also suggest chassis tweaks to ensure it suits UK roads.
Other details are scarce so far, but we expect more to appear in the coming months before the car's unveiling next year.
Are you looking forward to the release of the new Ford Ka? Let us know below...
