Spied - Ford’s Verve-based low-cost car

Ford’s small car has been discussed here many times in the past (1,2,3). The new small car from the American auto giant (maybe that title isn’t appropriate anymore) will be announced by mid-2010.

Ford’s new car will come in both petrol/diesel and hatchback/sedan variants. It will be Ford’s entry level car in India and will be manufactured at the company’s facility in Chennai where vehicles like the hugely successful Fiesta and Ikon are currently manufactured.



Ford’s Indian small car as you can refer from the snaps, borrow styling cues from the Verve concept.

Ford India confirmed earlier that their new small car will have high localization content (75% or more) to control costs. A sub 1.2-liter petrol and sub 1.5-liter diesel engine will be the sole power units initially; more powerful engines and automatic transmissions might be added to the lineup after the launch.

Some claim the car spied is the new Fiesta(To continue reading go to original source http://indianautosblog.com/2009/06/spied-fords-verve-based-low-cost-car-for-india-europe-brazil)

The car looks like a Ford Fiesta without a boot. It will have that subtle, yet sporty character with loads of driving pleasure for sure. Engine options might include Ford's hugely successful Duratorq diesel engine, which currently does duty in the Ikon and Fiesta, and may be a 1.2lt petrol engine toned down from the Fiesta's 1.4 petrol motor. All that we need to look out for is pricing, cost of ownership and wait for the phasing out of the Ikon.

this looks like an ikon hatch, the front curves resemble ikon,

But ian't this supposed to be an all new product?

interesting. its been long we saw some action from ford. some hope here.

Good find.
This doesn't looks like fiesta nor ikon hatch to me.
This seems like an all new concept to me.

RoadRocket

It surely is a Ford.
Somewhat based on the Fiesta i guess looking at the OVRMs.

IAB's explanation proving that this car is not based on Fiesta(below is the new Fiesta's picture)


But this is NOT the Ford Fiesta hatchback. Let me show you
Proof 1 - If you look closely at the snap, the mirrors are mounted in place of the quarter glass panels. The Fiesta hatchback’s design uses a quarter glass panel and its mirrors are mounted on its doors. The mirrors of the spied car do not have indicators studded in them which the Fiesta does.

Proof 2 - The front bumper is also another indication that this is not the Fiesta. There is a section of plastic that bulges out partitioning the fog lamps and the radiator/condenser grille. The Fiesta hatchback’s bumper does not have such a section as its bumper uses a smoother design.

Proof 3 - The Fiesta hatchback has a muscle on the bonnet that runs from the A-Pillar to the headlamps. The car you see in the picture instead has only a plain section of metal. This is also indication of cost cutting, using simple shapes to lower its price tag.

Proof 4 - Watch the headlamps in the spy image. Just like the Fiesta hatchback, it is inspired from the Verve concept, but is simpler. The outline of the Fiesta’s headlamp (we move from the top toward the bottom) starts with a straight line, surges upwards and finally terminates moving downhill. The spy image clearly shows the lack of the “upward” portion.

Proof 5- It is difficult to judge and compare shapes and sizes from a 2-dimensional image, but to my eye the car spied looks smaller and punier compared to the Fiesta. The wheel sizes and the absence of the shoulder line also indicate this is after all the small car that Indian Autos Blog has been talking about all this time.

Ford intends to build/export this car for the Brazilian market apart from Europe. The car will be no longer than four meters in length to avail benefits from the tax structure.

Ford also has complete rights over the name “Splash” in India which we came to know after Suzuki adopted the name Ritz for Splash hatchback in the country. Ford might christen the new car Splash, but we need to wait till the car is launched to know about it.

Very well pointed out CC. clap Even I concocted that this will be an all new model, most probably based on the Fiesta platform.

This is definately a new product from Ford.
The car is looking quite small in the pics, Any side shots available?
Rest, cannot be said as its hugely disguised.

VT

When i searched for a pic of Verve concept, all the pics were like this and this is indeed the new Fiesta. New Fiesta is based on verve concept. I wonder on what basis IAB has given 5 proofs proving that the test car is not new Fiesta but verve concept, but actually they are same

Its based on the last generation European ford Fiesta and thats what I think ford is going to launch in India as its cheaper to manufacture as its last gen product




SECOND POST
Ford_Fiesta_mk6_hatchback_car.jpg

@amber_uk, If i'm not wrong, is this the car you were mentioning?


This one has lots of resemblance to the spied car, especially the mirrors and the lesser sloping roofline than verve concept. Great info. Thanks. Can you update more on this?

yeah CC this one resembles a lot with the spied one, may be this ones coming here, but sad to hear that outdated models around the globe are being launched in indian market which isnt gr8.

Yes CC, This is the old Gen. Fiesta and as vijay said, "Its ORVMs match alot to the spied car but its sad that carmakers are launching outdated products here", I hope it doesn't comes to India, But If it is coming(the spied car) Its surely a facelifted one,I can say this because I noticed something different on bumpers, Check this -

The bumper design & grille design on spied car is different than one in pic.

Yeah!
Great point out, Even the lamps also looks different to me.

RoadRocket

old gen cars again :frustration:

Now i remember reading somewhere than old-gen Fiesta based hatch coming to India, most probably in magazines.

Road Rocket wrote:Yeah!
Great point out, Even the lamps also looks different to me.

RoadRocket

Thanks and Yes, the lamps too are looking different.
Even I notice that the wheel arches of the Fiesta Hatch are huge if I compare them to the one in the spied pics.
After noticing so many changes, Now I doubt if its going to the refreshed Fiesta hatch or an all new car!

VT

It should be a refreshed hatch based on old gen Fiesta's platform, i think.

It seems like a car on the Fusion Platform.
Or it may be a test mule of the next-gen-fiesta hatchback coming our way next year.

autodude sparsh wrote:It seems like a car on the Fusion Platform.
Or it may be a test mule of the next-gen-fiesta hatchback coming our way next year.

yeah sparsh, very much possible, its upto some better pics or better spy i say which would tell more clear story of new ford vehicle.
Is it possible that ford might come up with new fusion, which earlier version is dead out of market or new vehicle on its platform as sparsh said.

Crazy cat wrote:It should be a refreshed hatch based on old gen Fiesta's platform, i think.

Yes Maybe.

autodude sparsh wrote:It seems like a car on the Fusion Platform.
Or it may be a test mule of the next-gen-fiesta hatchback coming our way next year.

No, It doesn't looks like based on Fusion's platform,

RoadRocket

Now, I think this may solve some confusion -


Confusion and plenty of it surrounds the Ford’s new small car for the Indian market. As the name denotes, it is an all-new car developed from ground-up. We also construe that it is not a different looking or revised version of an earlier Ford model.
We discussed exhaustively how Ford’s new small car isn’t similar to or the Fiesta hatchback either, barring its Verve-based design connection. The new photoshop illustration from the Brazilian artist portrays how the face of Ford’s new small car would look like. The remaining car would be different, the one shown here appears like a shrunk Ford Fusion to me, the actual car would be have its corners rounded, shorter and simpler.
(Source:IAB)

This car is so hot. Bet it will have a 1.2-1.4 engine