WRAPS COME OFF EXCITING ALL-NEW FORD FIESTA

· All-new Ford Fiesta debuts at Frankfurt Motor Show 2001 · On sale Spring 2002, when prices will be announced · Stylish all-new design, inside and out · Bigger inside, with clever use of space · Fuel efficient engines offering up to 62 mpg · Class leading driving quality · ‘IPS’ intelligent protection safety system with up to six air bags available BRENTWOOD, 22 August 2001 – The wraps are off the exciting all-new Ford Fiesta, before its debut at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Designed for what matters most to small-car customers, New Fiesta offers space, style, safety, value and best in class driving quality and will be on sale in the UK in Spring 2002. “This is an extremely important moment for us – after 25 years, Fiesta is still the UK’s favourite small car,” said Ian McAllister CBE, chairman and managing director, Ford Motor Company Limited. “When we launched Fiesta back in 1976, it effectively created the small car segment. It has been a success ever since, with over 2.5 million sold in the UK. That’s a real measure of achievement, and a perfect illustration of just how much Ford knows about building great small cars. I truly believe New Fiesta will carry on that outstanding success.” Continued. “New Fiesta heralds an exciting new chapter for Ford in the small car segment. With its young and exciting new looks, spacious interior, fuel efficient engine line-up and superb safety technology, I’m confident New Fiesta will stay on top and set new standards in its class,” he added. Best in class interior space Ford’s main objective with New Fiesta was to provide more space and style, without sacrificing practicality and economy. “It’s difficult to enjoy any car if you and your passengers aren’t comfortable,” said Martin Leach, Ford of Europe’s vice-president of product development, “so it was imperative to pack a lot of space into a shape that, although small on the outside, creates room for all five occupants and their luggage. We’ve created New Fiesta for sharing with family and friends, where the spirit of sociability and fun really happens.” New Fiesta is wider (49 mm), taller (97 mm) and longer (89 mm) than the current model, creating extra room for passengers and their luggage. The wheelbase is 41 mm longer than before, giving rear seat passengers additional knee room. Ford engineers pushed the wheels even further to the corners of the vehicle, giving New Fiesta the biggest footprint in its segment without it being the biggest vehicle. Catering for the diverse range of customers every needs, an extra 14 per cent in luggage space to 284 litres means New Fiesta can easily accommodate two large suitcases in its boot – or a set of golf clubs – or a baby buggy without sacrificing any rear seat room. Larger rear doors and more rear seat space mean installing a child-seat in the rear is no longer a challenge: even the bulkiest of child seats fits easily. Continued. Taking advantage of New Fiesta’s package efficiency, the height-adjustable front seats are 45 mm higher to reinforce the feeling of security afforded by strong outward visibility. Providing an ergonomically excellent driving position was a high priority. The reach and positioning of all controls have been carefully designed to suit a wide variety of drivers. For example, New Fiesta’s gear lever, 95 mm higher than in the current model, falls more conveniently to hand. Fiesta’s new-look audio systems and optional navigation system are contained in a central facia unit that is easy to reach by front seat occupants. The facia is punctuated by large, circular, air vents that add an element of visual appeal to the design. Stylish all-new design “New Fiesta has a dynamic visual quality that creates a sense of movement and emotion,” said Chris Bird, Ford’s director of European design. “The styling is both appealing and distinctive and that's important to small car customers.” The design signals the spaciousness inside by putting emphasis on the cabin area. The bonnet is short, the glass area is generous and extended with a new third window on the side, giving rear passengers a light and roomy environment. Pronounced wheel arches, filled with standard 14-inch wheels and tyres, communicate New Fiesta’s dynamic capabilities along with a distinctive bodyside feature line that dives downward dynamically from the rear all the way to the front. The front of the car is dominated by large, expressive headlamps that signal technical competence by showing every working detail. The headlamps contain all of the primary lighting, including the turn indicator at the top, inside sculptured composite lenses. Continued. New Fiesta’s front design is characterised by the arc-shaped front grille that is now characteristic of the Ford car family. The lower grille features an inverted trapezoid shape that further emphasises New Fiesta’s wide track and sturdy stance. Raised feature lines on the edges of the bonnet allow even small-stature drivers to see the vehicle’s corners, an important driver-confidence factor in urban driving and tight manoeuvres such as parking. A low ‘waist line’ has also been styled for optimal side visibility and impression of openness. New Fiesta’s large glass area at the rear aids the driver’s visibility. Large, high-mounted tail lamp – another Ford design cue – contain the major lighting functions of New Fiesta, leaving only the reflectors fitted into the bumper. Fuel efficient engine line-up The all-new model extends Fiesta’s reputation for value with fuel-efficient, modern powertrains – including the latest common-rail diesel engine technology – that help keep running costs low. Excellent real-world fuel economy is a key aspect of the Fiesta engines’ story. New Fiesta will feature three new engines, which are targeted to deliver fuel economy improvements of up to 10 per cent across the range: · The all-new 1.4-litre Duratorq TDCi is a compact, lightweight, aluminium, turbodiesel engine featuring second generation common-rail injection technology. Delivering 68 PS and 160 Nm of torque, this new drive-by-wire common-rail diesel is engineered for small-car driveability, excellent economy and new levels of refinement. Combined fuel consumption rating is an impressive 62.8 mpg and CO2 emissions are equally impressive at 119 grams per kilometre. Continued. · A new double-overhead cam petrol engine developed from that fitted to the Ford Focus – the Duratec 16V – joins the Fiesta range in two configurations, the 80 PS 1.4-litre, and a 100 PS 1.6-litre variant. Duratec 16V engines are equipped with a precision electronic throttle, for responsive and economical performance. The 1.4-litre version has a combined fuel consumption of 46.3mpg, and the 1.6-litre engine 42.8mpg. CO2 emissions are 146 grams and 158 grams per kilometre respectively. · A low-friction, low fuel consumption engine, the 68 PS, 1.3-litre Duratec 8V, also joins New Fiesta family. Combined fuel consumption rating is 48.7mpg and CO2 emissions are 139 grams per kilometre. Class leading driving dynamics Extensive engineering development has been devoted to New Fiesta's body structure, suspension and steering systems. Its strong twist-beam rear suspension has been honed for interior package efficiency while delivering class-leading handling capabilities. New Fiesta’s front suspension and steering systems have been scrutinised for friction reduction and compliance management, a technique already applied successfully to the Ford Focus and Ford Mondeo. As a result, New Fiesta combines the fun handling of the Ford Puma and the chassis-engineering excellence found in the acclaimed Ford Focus with a feeling of large car comfort. It is a combination that makes for a truly entertaining small car. ‘IPS’ intelligent protection safety system with up to six airbags available Innovations like its new Intelligent Protection System, similar to that of the all-new Ford Mondeo, raises Fiesta’s reputation for safety, dependability and value. Continued. A central feature of this system is the fitment of two dual-stage front air bags as standard on all New Fiestas, as are five three-point safety belts. A sophisticated crash severity sensor at the front of the vehicle is capable of sensing within milliseconds the type and severity of accident. The air bags have two levels of inflation pressure, responding to the severity of the collision. In addition to the dual stage air bags, thorax-protecting side airbags are available for the front seat occupants in the event of a side impact. Optional inflatable side curtains provide side impact head protection of the front and rear seat passengers. Special emphasis in the design has been applied to reducing driver lower leg injuries through footwell intrusion in a frontal crash. New Fiesta has a ‘de-coupling’ brake pedal assembly to minimise such injuries. In summary, Ian McAllister said: “In Britain, the small car segment accounts for slightly more than 25 per cent of all new car sales. More than any other sector these cars appeal to all types of customers in the UK. Young and old, male and female, married and single – all are potential customers.” “We asked these customers what they wanted from a small car and we produced a vehicle that meets their needs. With its combination of style and features, I believe New Fiesta will stand out from the competition and truly connect with UK small car customers.” # # # For more information and publication-quality download photographs on all Ford Motor Company products and services, visit our dedicated media website www.media.ford.com Contact: Peter Haynes Philip Hale Fiona Pargeter +44 1277 252171 +44 1277 252407 +44 1277 252936 Email: phaynes9@ford.com phale1@ford.com fpargete@ford.com New Ford Fiesta -- Preliminary Technical Specifications Body Body structure Computer-optimised steel unibody Body style 5-door Body dimensions (mm) Length: 3917Width: 1683Height: 1417 Wheelbase: 2487Front track: 1477Rear track: 1444 Luggage volume, VDA [litres] 284 (14 per cent increase over current model) Fuel capacity (litres) 45 Electrical system CAN-Bus Security features Distributed passive anti-theft system (D-PATS), available perimeter alarm and remote central locking, inside spare-tyre stowage, direct-mounted glass. Safety features Intelligent Protection System, featuring dual-stage front air bags with crash severity sensing, available thorax side air bags, available full-length inflatable side curtains, three-point safety belts in all five occupant positions, pyrotechnic pretensioners and load-limiting retractors on front-seat safety belts, de-coupling pedals. Rigid occupant protection cell and energy absorbing crumple zones. Powertrains, performance, fuel economy and emissions Engine type Diesel Petrol Engine designation Duratorq TDCi Duratec 16V Duratec 16V Duratec 8V Displacement (cc) 1399 1388 1596 1297 Bore x stroke (mm) 73.7 x 82.0 76.0 x 76.5 79.0 x 81.4 73.96 x 75.48 Max power (PS/kW) 68 / 50 80 / 57 100 / 74 68 / 50 At engine speed (rpm) 4000 5700 6000 5000 Max torque (Nm) 160 127 143 108 At engine speed (rpm) 1750 3500 4000 2800 0-62mph acceleration (sec) 14.8 13.5 10.8 16.0 Top speed (mph) 102 103 115 99 Target fuel economy –combined (mpg) 62.8 46.3 42.8 48.7 Target CO2 emissions (grams/km) 119 146 158 139 Emissions level Euro III Euro IV Euro IV Euro IV Continued. Chassis Front suspension Independent MacPherson struts with offset coil spring and damper units and dual-path topmounts; lower L-arms mounted to rigid subframe with optimised bushes Rear suspension Semi-independent twist beam with compact underfloor coil springs and monotube dampers Steering Rack and pinion with standard hydraulic power assistance Turning circle (m): 9.8 Turns, lock to lock: 2.8 Brakes Dual-circuit, diagonally split, hydraulic discs (front) and drums (rear). Vacuum servo assisted with four-channel electronic brake force distribution and anti-lock braking system - - Front Ventilated discs, 258 x 22 mm - - Rear Drums, 203 x 36 mm Clutch Hydraulic Tyres 175/65R14 standard Note: These preliminary specifications are subject to change prior to New Fiesta’s Spring 2002 public introduction.