2011 Fiesta Sedan Spied

[SilverSVT]

Complete with tribar grill...

http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-fiesta-sedan.html

Doesn't look bad IMO

[Matt D]

Not feeling it one bit, the hatch looks 10 times better. That biege sedan pic is a grandma car lol

[Chalz]

I don't understand why people are dogging on it so much. It's a sedan. If you're a fan of the hatchback, then of course the sedan is going to be a bit goofy looking. I'm confused as to why so many people are surprised at this. I'm not a fan of it, but I'm not a fan of cars with trunks to begin with. I do know, however, that most sedans just plain aren't going to be appealing to me. (Especially sedans based on a hatchback platform that will serve as useful (sub)urban vehicles)

Ultimately, it's not a terrible looking sedan. It's just a sedan...a subcompact sedan at that. There aren't a lot of ways to make a small 4-door functional, beautiful, and inexpensive at the same time. You usually only get (at most) 2 of the 3. The new Fiesta sedan gets functional and inexpensive in there...which one would you trade to have it look like the Evo?

Look at the bright side, though...at least it doesn't look like the new Hyundai WRX.

[BRZX3R]

The lower grille is shaping up to be way smaller. The upper grille is not bad, it the removal of the large air intake that is a concern.

The same bumper will be on all of the Fiesta's so it is not just on the sedan. The large trapazoidal grille could be gone and replaced with a large multi-barred upper intake, and a smaller lower opening (closer to the Fusion). The end result is a very average looking front end. Gone is the aggressive look that was on the Verve concepts and production EU and Asian Fiesta's. One of my favorite elements could be gone.

[wilko]

Originally Posted by BRZX3R

The lower grille is the greatest design failure in modern history. The upper grille is not bad, it the removal of the large air intake that is terrible. The amount of changes being done to the US Fiesta are a step in the wrong direction. Besides the name, very little will be the same between the Fiesta I am driving and the Fiesta that will be on sale next summer.

It is covered by cammo. What the heck are you talking about?

[wilko]

Originally Posted by BRZX3R

The ugly bumper will be on all of the Fiesta's so it is not just on the sedan. The large trapazoidal grille is gone and replaced with a large multi-barred upper intake, and a smaller lower opening. The end result is a very boring and average looking front end. Gone is the aggressive look that was on the Verve concepts and production EU and Asian Fiesta's. One of my favorite elements is gone, and I don't like it at all.

Did you see the car w/o cammo? The cars in the link are covered. On top of that, did you think the large opening was gonna survive US's crash/bumper regs w/o changes?

You know the rear lights are different from the Chinese version too.

[BRZX3R]

there are way more pictures of the front bumper that show the trapazoid grille has been removed. I figured the shape would be the same, but the upper half would be black plastic to hide the bumper behind it. The spy pics shows the spot where the EU plate goes as being body color on the US cars, and the bumper is solid up to the upper grille. This is a massive change to the design theme of the Fiesta, and a much feared departure. Look at the Verve Sedan, it has a combination of the US upper and EU lower, and looks fine. The spy pics show the Verve Sedan upper grille, and something to looks more like the current Fusion/Taurus lower grille with a solid body colored section in the middle. I would have thought for sure the large grille would have stayed, but the top half would have been closed off to hide the actual bumper. The Mazda 3 used to have something like that as well, just a black strip to make the air intake look larger.

[wilko]

So the whole design crashes and burns cause they made the lower opening smaller... Oh nooes.

So from approximately 432 sq inches of uncovered car, you have determined that the change is too drastic and therefore not worth buying...

[Maxximtl]

When Ford changes a car for the US market, its never a good thing. I gotta assume Ford is gunning for the corolla because the fiesta sedan is just another lifeless blob.

[SilverSVT]

Originally Posted by BRZX3R

The lower grille is the greatest design failure in modern history. The upper grille is not bad, it the removal of the large air intake that is terrible. The amount of changes being done to the US Fiesta are a step in the wrong direction. Besides the name, very little will be the same between the Fiesta I am driving and the Fiesta that will be on sale next summer.

The ugly bumper will be on all of the Fiesta's so it is not just on the sedan. The large trapazoidal grille is gone and replaced with a large multi-barred upper intake, and a smaller lower opening. The end result is a very boring and average looking front end. Gone is the aggressive look that was on the Verve concepts and production EU and Asian Fiesta's. One of my favorite elements is gone, and I don't like it at all.

Did you ever consider the fact that 1. The front bumper has to be changed to meet Canadian bumper standards and 2. that the rest of the lineup world could be getting a refresh at the same time the US spec Focus comes out?

As for your large multi-barred intake, can I have some of the **** your smoking? The grill slats are not large at all...they are roughly the same size as the current Fiesta grill opening.

People really need to get over themselves...we aren't going to get a carbon copy of the car from Europe

[SilverSVT]

Originally Posted by Maxximtl

When Ford changes a car for the US market, its never a good thing. I gotta assume Ford is gunning for the corolla because the fiesta sedan is just another lifeless blob.

So we are going to base our thoughts on something that happened almost 10 years ago?

[BRZX3R]

the current EU grill is about 2" wide, where the one in the picture extends much lower. The lower intake in the spy pics is about 4" tall, and the upper seems to be around 8" tall. There are pictures of at least 3 different mules that show the bumper being changed to something very different than the EU car. With plastic trim, it would be possible to make a pretend opening that would still have the same visual look as the EU car. The first gen Foci had different bumpers than the EU cars, but they looked very close, except for the overhang. The Fiesta is getting something very different. It is all speculation, but so far, the bumper is not looking that good.

[wilko]

Originally Posted by maxximtl

when ford changes a car for the us market, its never a good thing. I gotta assume ford is gunning for the corolla because the fiesta sedan is just another lifeless blob.

:/

[BRZX3R]

I am sure the Fiesta will still be an outstanding car, but it just will lack the look that I fell in love with when the Verve concept came out. Besides the bumper, there are changes to the dash, door panels, the seats will be much wider, no EcoBoost option with manual transmission, possibly no EcoBoost option at all, no signals in the mirrors, and possibly no projector headlamps or keyless starting. It is the combination of all of those changes that are greatly concerning me. So many of my favorite things are going away. I will keep begging for less changes and wait until the car is released to make final judgement. I am not giving up yet!

[wilko]

Originally Posted by silversvt

did you ever consider the fact that 1. The front bumper has to be changed to meet canadian bumper standards and 2. That the rest of the lineup world could be getting a refresh at the same time the us spec focus comes out?

As for your large multi-barred intake, can i have some of the **** your smoking? The grill slats are not large at all...they are roughly the same size as the current fiesta grill opening.

people really need to get over themselves...we aren't going to get a carbon copy of the car from europe

+ 1.

[wilko]

Originally Posted by BRZX3R

I am sure the Fiesta will still be an outstanding car, but it just will lack the look that I fell in love with when the Verve concept came out. Besides the bumper, there are changes to the dash, door panels, the seats will be much wider, no EB option with manual transmission, possibly no EcoBoost option at all, no signals in the mirrors, and possibly no projector headlamps or keyless starting. It is the combination of all of those changes that are turning me off from the car. So many of my favorite things are going away. If none of those things matter to you, then you are ok. I am also don't want to buy a new car and import a new bumper and hood to change it back. I will keep begging for less changes and wait until the car is released to make final judgement. I am not giving up yet!

[Johnny_P]

I think it looks pretty good but I'd still pick the hatch over this.

You guys that are ruling the car out immediately are smoking crack. Wait till we see it. Remember what happened last time Ford made some "awful, terrible changes" to a european car it brought over? Oh yeah that's right... the Focus was car of the year and sold like hotcakes. Remember the last time a car came from europe unmolested? The Astra tanked.

Certain things need to be changed between markets and cultures. If they felt they needed to change the little plastic grille thingy then so be it.

[Rockefela]

Originally Posted by SilverSVT

People really need to get over themselves...we aren't going to get a carbon copy of the car from Europe

Then stop bitching and moaning when cars brought over from Europe fail....Stop saying "see nobody actually wants them". Not because they aren't great cars but because we're not getting the cars we've asked for.

Next time you ask for something you really want I'm gonna go ahead and suck out half of what it is that makes it what you want and then give it to you. Don't give me **** afterwards, just take it.....

[Rockefela]

Originally Posted by Johnny_P

I think it looks pretty good but I'd still pick the hatch over this.

You guys that are ruling the car out immediately are smoking crack. Wait till we see it. Remember what happened last time Ford made some "awful, terrible changes" to a european car it brought over? Oh yeah that's right... the Focus was car of the year and sold like hotcakes. Remember the last time a car came from europe unmolested? The Astra tanked.

Certain things need to be changed between markets and cultures. If they felt they needed to change the little plastic grille thingy then so be it.

Yeah and look what happened to the Focus, the more it got tampered with the sales tanked.

The Astra is far from untouched and again, read my post above, you prove exactly what I was saying....

[SilverSVT]

Originally Posted by Rockefela

Then stop bitching and moaning when cars brought over from Europe fail....Stop saying "see nobody actually wants them". Not because they aren't great cars but because we're not getting the cars we've asked for.

But the vast majority of the people on here want a 300HP AWD Focus for 15K

I think Ford has a better idea of the general market then the tirekickers that come here...the 08 Focus is prime example of this.

Thats part of the reason I don't post that much in Pit Stop anymore...all it seems like is that people wine and bitch when something comes out that doesn't suit their individual wants.

The other thing is that it seems like anything from the US=Fail and anything from Europe=the second coming of god...yet when products come here they fall on their face like the Astra. Hell even Toyota and Honda don't sell the same products they have in Europe in the States for the most part (TSX is only car that doesn't fall into that I can think of, but its not that big of a seller in the states anyways)

[SilverSVT]

Originally Posted by Rockefela

Yeah and look what happened to the Focus, the more it got tampered with the sales tanked.

But yet the 08-current Focus has had some of the best sales numbers of any Focus

The Astra is far from untouched and again, read my post above, you prove exactly what I was saying....

So what did they change on the Astra from Europe till it became a Saturn?

[Rockefela]

Originally Posted by SilverSVT

But yet the 08-current Focus has had some of the best sales numbers of any Focus


So what did they change on the Astra from Europe till it became a Saturn?

We don't get many of the options the European Astra gets that makes it interesting. Yes, it is one of the least molested carry overs.

[FSWerksVP]

Lots of talk here.

I've seen the North American Fiesta in person since we will be making parts for them. I think you guys are going to like it. And I'm driving around in a European Fiesta so I was able to compare them easily.

Granted, I saw the hatchback, so unless Ford has decided to make drastic changes with their approach to design for the sedan, I'd say we're good.

[SilverSVT]

Now some Hatchback photos for people who like them...

http://www.cardesignfetish.com/2009/...ed-ford-fiesta

[Johnny_P]

Originally Posted by Rockefela

The Astra is far from untouched and again, read my post above, you prove exactly what I was saying....

.... they switched badges....
OK, fine, they technically had to touch it to do that, my bad. You want euro though, take a look at it. Its hardcore euro, right down to the lack of an acceptable cupholder, crazy markings on the radio buttons, and military time format on the clock, and the small engine. They touched very very little.