Spy photographers have snapped the first photos of the 2009 Ford Fiesta, photographed while taking a break from testing on North American soil. No longer just for fuel-conscious Europeans, this next-generation Fiesta will be sold in the U.S., as confirmed by Ford officials at the previous Geneva Motor Show.
The Fiesta’s design follows Ford of Europe’s kinetic design language, and this look is expected to be sold virtually unchanged on each side of the Atlantic.
Ford of Europe design chief Martin Smith recently told Motor Trend: “Cars with one design theme will be sold in the other market”, meaning that the demarcation between Ford’s U.S. and European design language will become more flexible, and will likely disappear altogether.
The next-generation Fiesta will be based on the Mazda2, and the silhouette of this three-door Fiesta prototype looks remarkably similar to the five-door Mazda2. But the styling similarities end there. The Fiesta’s styling is more conventionally European, with prominent wheel arches at each corner. The C-pillar kicks ups assertively, adding a little strength to the familiar hatchback shape. The current Fiesta’s Focus-inspired pillar-mounted tail-lamps will be replaced with rear lights that run along the car’s belt line.
Ford CEO Alan Mulally has been eager to leverage the Blue Oval’s global resources, and the Fiesta’s planned entry into the U.S. market is a bold move in that direction. The appearance of a Fiesta prototype on the U.S. testing scene confirms that the globalization plan is more than talk, and is actually coming to fruition. A 1.6-liter gasoline engine is the only engine likely to be offered on the U.S. version, but Europe will certainly have diesel options, which could conceivably come our way if the U.S. market becomes more diesel-friendly.
Ford’s ability to turn a profit on a sub-Focus model in the U.S. is still in question, so we would expect the Fiesta to be manufactured in Mexico, or possibly Brazil, and arrive some time in the 2008 calendar year as an ‘09 model.



06/07, 12:58 PM
posted by:
MM
This is the car that Ford really needs now. Hopefully it holds up to the Fit and Versa.
06/07, 1:23 PM
posted by:
LP640
excuse me while i puke **bleurgh bleurgh** is that the best that ford can come up with?? ha ha LMFAO thats the funniest things ive seen today. haha why is the suspension jacked up??? how old is ford’s chief designer?? 230?? they rae gonna have to come up with something much much much better than that if they want it to sell well. it will still be ebought by blind people who will be stupid enough not to realise what they are doing.
06/07, 1:26 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
MAZDA DESIGNED IT, READ THE ARTICLE. DOES ANYBODY READ THE ARTICLE?
06/07, 1:40 PM
posted by:
Pauly
This is a good direction for Ford. They need something that competes against the Yaris which is a subpar, yet fairly successful sales-wise, automobile. I hope they can get a diesel here too. With this, combined with Ford’s future plans to use the European Focus globally and the Mondeo’s platform for the next Fusion, Milan, MKZ and Mazda 6, I think Ford will be in business again.
06/07, 1:55 PM
posted by:
400horseSS
ill be sure not to step on it when im driving down the highway, i will never drive a car that small EVER
06/07, 1:59 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
Ford Mexifest.
06/07, 2:04 PM
posted by:
Arbiter
LP640,
And I suppose you think the Fit and Yaris are paragons of styling? When you are doing something this size, there is a limited amount you can do with the sheetmetal.
06/07, 2:07 PM
posted by:
LP640
i like the yaris its much much better than this and the honda fit/ honda jazz is also good looking compared to this.
06/07, 2:21 PM
posted by:
jonnycat
I’m surprised leftlane hasn’t posted that Ford has 4 of the top 10 spots on th JD Power list for initial quality.
You may want to look up the actaul Mazda Cocept and see how much better it will look
06/07, 2:40 PM
posted by:
Bavaria
This is not the upcoming Fiesta, it’s far to small. No way to put 4 doors on it. I bet this is the KA Mk2.
06/07, 2:45 PM
posted by:
PrimeGTP
I hope that’s not the way it’s going to sit when it goes to production. The height and wheel gap are atrocious.
06/07, 3:53 PM
posted by:
Brendino
I think I agree with Bavaria…no way that door handle comes on a new Ford vehicle in America. Looks like a cross between a Cavalier and a Focus.
06/07, 4:09 PM
posted by:
2008PowerStrokeF450Lariat
well. since ill be stationed in germany next month, ill let you guys know if this is the real version coming, this will be my second tour
06/07, 4:11 PM
posted by:
MikeFX
Let’s just all be pleased that Ford has actually has something new in the works. Three times a day for GM, and once a month for Ford does not inspire confidence. This Fiesta looks decent, and with Ford’s pace, we may be able to buy it in 2012 (yeah I read 2008, but come on, we finally just got the Edge after what seems like years of spy shots)!
06/07, 5:30 PM
posted by:
Rompn4x
The Yaris, Fit and Versa are clown cars
06/07, 5:35 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Looks a bit like the Ford Ka, IMHO…
06/07, 5:36 PM
posted by:
Htay5500
hey and fords ranger is being cut off in the us pretty soon. and oh yes if im rite, production of the rangers countinue worldwide being made from Thailand imported in Myanmar and many countries where they are more respected than here.
06/07, 6:56 PM
posted by:
autonutt
The new Ka has been spotted recently as well, and it looks nearly identical to the Fiat 500 it will be based on — so this is definitely not that. Unfortunately, this looks NOTHING like the Mazda2.. and doesn’t even look as modern as the current Fiesta, particularly the front end styling, lack of bodyside rocker panels and bumper aprons, etc.! My guess is this is some sort of entry-level Ford from Brazil or Mexico that the US will also get, and is NOT the same vehicle as the upcoming Mazda2/Fiesta replacement for the rest of the world. It is desperately needed here, regardless!
06/07, 7:18 PM
posted by:
2008PowerStrokeF450Lariat
well, thats what ill be driving over there while on my TDY in Germany. Sure as hell im not driving my Super Duty over there, its as big as some of europes commercial trucks, and with the size of roads over there, i had a 93 bronco while there my first time, and even that was very big (boy i miss that truck), but im taking the beast with me and might invest in the dlesel mondeo when i arrive there sometime next month, but i was hoping that when the fiesta arrives stateside, it would have at least one diesel, but guess not, at least for know; guess we’ll have to wait and see until the “waiting game” plays out
06/07, 7:23 PM
posted by:
2008PowerStrokeF450Lariat
opps, not tdy ; imeant PCS (Permanent Change of Station)
06/07, 7:29 PM
posted by:
2008PowerStrokeF450Lariat
but does anyone have any info pertaining as what kind of packaging this car may come in? like 2 and 4 door? man, i wish they would bring over the C-Max and S-Max to the states and bring over the transit as well! i mean look what it had done for dodge, but i guess no need because the e-series is still the best selling VAN out there. but back to the fiesta? i wish it would come with fords turbo diesel as the base engine becasue then you could market it better diesel is now cheapest again in my area and since diesel has gotten so much cleaner then in the past 5 years, they could really sell them fast, i wish for would offer the new taurus and new focus with diesels too, but like i said , well have to wait see this one play out, maybe the fiesta is the beginning of a “new and smarter ford”
06/07, 7:55 PM
posted by:
Vertical
Ford is an American icon. We should all want to see them succeed (all Americans, anyway), and be happy to hear good news from Ford. I was very happy to hear the initial quality survey results released yesterday by JD Power. That gives me hope for Ford. But the above picture and the ‘08 (or ‘09) Focus pics released yesterday absolutely kill my enthusiasm and hope. But then, they have the sense to build the Mondeo – which is beautiful. They need some major restructuring of the chain of command for approvals of designs.
06/07, 9:38 PM
posted by:
ottacontrol
boring
06/07, 9:39 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
Hahahahahaha….Rompn4x hit the nail on the head.
06/07, 11:26 PM
posted by:
2008PowerStrokeF450Lariat
just bring me the mondeo, s-max, c-max, transit, , even europes version of the ford ranger than we will see just what a ford can do
06/08, 12:00 AM
posted by:
Rompn4x
You know whats gonna happen with the Ranger. Ford will kill production of the current model, and we will be getting a variant of the world Ranger. The midsize truck market is too big to overlook. Gonna miss the ol’ Rangers though… Im on my second one and by far they have been the best trucks to me, never let me down once. I hear people talking about how they have problems with their Fords and I wonder what they are doing wrong to them. I offroad my old 93 Ranger way harder then it was engineered to do so and it never broke on me. Even after 193,000 miles. Go Ford =)
06/08, 12:01 AM
posted by:
Rompn4x
Okay sorry for straying off topic back to the clown cars =P
06/08, 8:52 AM
posted by:
mujician
What i like most about all the stupid posts is the fact that the people that talk **** about these cars. 1-have not drive them 2-have not seen them 3-don’t know anything except what they hear 4-don’t know the differance and or non differance between manufacturers. Wow, that pretty much summs up one dumb sob.
Come on people, get to know these things before making a negative comment. Their is always a market for something being produced.
06/08, 9:13 AM
posted by:
A4
we all really care!
06/08, 9:19 AM
posted by:
Fuzzyman
That looks more like an Opel than a Ford. Considering the fact that the Ford badge is uncovered, I wonder if this isn’t a case of misdirection on the part of some Opel folks?
06/08, 10:17 AM
posted by:
alex_orlando
Newb here – Hi!
Ok, that is not the Ford Fiesta, that is a remodeled Ford Ka.
Didn’t ford say they were bringing over two sub compacts? This would fit that M/O.
If you want, just jeck out the Ford Uk website and look at the Ford Ka (the bodysyles are almost exactly the same).
New Ford Fiesta is here:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/204824/ford_fiesta.html
06/08, 10:18 AM
posted by:
alex_orlando
by jeck i mean check….der.
06/08, 11:48 AM
posted by:
maximus
No wonder Hyundai is climbing ranks
06/08, 1:29 PM
posted by:
Aston Martin
^^^Fantastic^^^
06/08, 3:04 PM
posted by:
LP640
^alex orlando thats defiently the euro fiesta in the link but the one on LLN might be the american fiesta or a new KA im not really sure
06/08, 3:34 PM
posted by:
alex_orlando
wait…isnt everyone reporting the two fiestas are supposed to be identical??? unless when they say “identical” it’s to another car in europe which is also a ford…but not a fiesta….
06/08, 7:28 PM
posted by:
autonutt
According to AutoExpress, the Brazilian Fiesta is heavily facelifted for 2008, and looks startlingly similar to this photo, particularly the door handles and front end.. so this would appear to be a 2-door version of the facelifted Brazilian model, not an all-new Fiesta for Europe. Guess the US will be getting carryover product yet again..
06/08, 7:30 PM
posted by:
autonutt
Oh snap.. sorry, forgot the link… note the bodyside and fender details of the spyshot are very similar to this production model, which explains why this 2-door prototype is only covered with optical paint and not heavy camoflauged.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/208135/ford_fiesta.html
06/09, 7:13 PM
posted by:
terminator
Yeah, seriously whose gonna by this? It’s only the best selling car in Europe ; )
06/10, 8:08 AM
posted by:
CaptainObvious
Obviously Fords not trying to win their customers back with flawless vehicle designs. I’m curious to see if this “Napoleon complex” gets them out of the whole. They must have kindergarten students working in their design studio’s.
So I’ve figured out what B.O.L.D. moves actually meant
Bland
Odd
Lame
Dull
All of this coming from a Ford guy. Ouch!
06/10, 11:21 AM
posted by:
gbb
Ford needs to fire every designer in Detroit and just have the Australian group do all their design and engineering, especially the Australian powertrain division. Except for the trucks and the Mustang, the rest of Fords line up is ****. I have owned probably 7-8 Fords in the last 20 years and own a F250 now but none of their cars currently offered is worth a ****.
06/10, 1:39 PM
posted by:
deantj
BOLD actually means:
B-ull****
O-rgy of bad taste
L-osers
D-ickless
06/10, 7:06 PM
posted by:
autonutt
Those doors and door handles are straight off the ’90s Ford Aspire!
06/11, 10:50 AM
posted by:
Syrax
http://www.ford.com.br/
thats surely the ugly ass brazilian fiesta…i recognize those horrible wheel arches