media.ford.com
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr> FORD’S NEW GENERATION OF SMALL CARS WELCOMES THE ALL-NEW FIESTA 3-DOOR
Ford’s new generation of small cars has acquired another family member – the Fiesta three-door. At the same time new technologies are being introduced to the Fiesta range to broaden its appeal and further extend its acknowledged driving quality.
The introduction of the Fiesta three-door model reinforces Ford’s commitment to rejuvenate its small-car range as part of a product-led transformation of its European business. Ford has already launched the Fiesta five-door model, and the public introduction of its new Fusion Urban Activity Vehicle is taking place this autumn. The new three-door Fiesta is aimed squarely at younger drivers, and is destined for Ford dealerships before year-end.
But the story won't end there, as two new Ford small-car technologies will be launched across the range:
· A new Durashift EST (Electronic Shift Technology) automatic-shift manual transmission provides Fiesta customers with the benefits of an automatic transmission without the usual small-car drawbacks, plus the flexibility of manual-style shifting without a clutch pedal. Durashift EST will be available on Fiesta models equipped with the 1.4-litre Duratec 16V petrol engine and the 1.4-litre Duratorq TDCi common-rail diesel engine.
· An Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) system broadens Fiesta’s driver-orientated technologies. This advanced driving aid senses the vehicle’s response to steering inputs and automatically intervenes to correct the vehicle’s movement if it differs from the driver’s intention. ESP is especially valuable in helping the driver maintain control when encountering unexpected road conditions. ESP will be available from early 2003 on Fiesta models equipped with Duratorq TDCi and 1.6-litre Duratec 16V engines.
“Our launches of new small-car products and technologies are continuing at a fast pace,” said Glen Goold, chief programme engineer. “The new three-door Fiesta model has all of the strengths of its five-door counterpart in a distinctive, appealing shape. Its introduction demonstrates how serious we are about offering our customers the widest possible choice of small cars and technologies.”
The new Fiesta three-door embodies the dependable strengths of the new Fiesta family – style, space, safety, driving quality and value.
Three-door Fiesta Style
Fiesta’s new three-door model evokes a unique image that distinguishes it from its five-door counterpart. The three-door model looks compact, sportier and even more dynamic.
Behind the different personality created for the three-door by Ford designers, it shares a common genetic profile with the Fiesta five-door, including many common dimensions. Both have the same ‘face’ and are identical below the body crease line. But it is the Fiesta three-door’s unique profile with its sloping roofline and more angled tailgate glass that gives it a special spark of personality.
“Creating a visual separation between the two Fiesta models was important,” said Ford’s exterior chief designer, Mark Adams. “Our goal with the Fiesta three-door was to achieve a sportier, more agile style reflecting the aspirations of three-door buyers and signalling the dynamic driving quality of the new Fiesta.”
Adams’ team first set about lowering the roof profile by rocking the roofline from the top of the A-pillar and pulling it down towards a lowered rear header. The whole daylight opening (DLO) was made sportier by increasing the wedge of the beltline and by dropping the upper line much lower than on the Fiesta five-door model. The rear edge of the DLO was also pulled forward and angled more dramatically to emphasise the car's compact and dynamic character.
Another way that the team made the car visually more compact was by bringing the rear header forward by 75 mm, giving a faster profile to the rear end.
As a result, the tail lamp is further forward, though it wraps around the C-pillar in a similar fashion to the five-door. The tail lamp is also sho............. <hr></blockquote>
new Fiesta 3 Door
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