New Ford Ka Makes Global Debut at Paris Motor Show

COLOGNE - September 8, 2008:The exciting new Ford Ka makes its global debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It replaces the iconic original Ka, which brought new levels of style and enjoyment to the small-car market when it was launched in 1996. The new Ka retains all of the qualities which made the Ka brand so popular – compact size, great looks, lively dynamics and fun personality – but presents them in a fresh new package. With its striking interior and exterior design, outstanding dynamics and unique character, the Ford Ka sets a new standard for affordable small cars. Practical, safe, cheap to run, and friendly to the environment, this bold new model starts a new chapter of the Ka success story. Production of the new Ford Ka commences in the autumn of 2008, and the vehicle will go on sale in most major European markets in late 2008/early 2009.

Stylish and fashionable
With the introduction of new Ka, Ford has extended its kinetic design language to the smallest car range. The new vehicle has a stylish, fashionable appearance which combines Ford’s latest design thinking with some of the youthful and cheeky spirit which made the original Ka so popular. Designed for a young target audience who enjoy making a bold statement in their choice of car, the new Ka has the same compact proportions as its predecessor, but with a chunky and expressive style all of its own. A number of visual cues from the outgoing car ensure that the new design is recognisably a Ka, yet it has the dynamic qualities which mark it out as a member of the kinetic design family.

Bold, colourful interior
The interior of the new Ka has a stylish, dynamic design, just like the exterior. The same kinetic design philosophy used to shape the body is applied inside the vehicle, ensuring that the fresh and modern character of the external design is matched by the interior style. Bold contrasts and expressive colours have been deliberately chosen to reflect the more adventurous tastes of the typical Ka customer. These are combined with some imaginative design details to give the interior a fashionable and fun personality which is quite unique in the B-car segment. The new Ka is practical too, with generous interior space and comfortable accommodation for four adults and their belongings. The high seating position, carefully placed controls and excellent visibility make the Ka a pleasure to drive for drivers of all ages.

Exciting driving dynamics
The original Ka was renowned for its go-kart like handling, and the new Ka has been designed to be just as fun and rewarding to drive, with the most exciting driving dynamics of any small car. Ford’s own chassis engineering experts have tuned the suspension, steering, and chassis, with the same meticulous attention to detail which has made Ford a leader in vehicle dynamics. Final testing was conducted using a combination of public roads, proving grounds and race tracks – including the legendary Nürburgring in Germany. During the engineering process, information was exchanged with the team developing the new Fiesta, and certain components, such as the tyres, were jointly developed for both models.

Economical and environmentally friendly
The affordable new Ford Ka is designed to be both cheap to run and kind to the environment. It uses two economical, low emission engines: a 1.2-litre 69 PS Duratec petrol engine and, for the first time on Ka, a 1.3-litre 75 PS Duratorq TDCi turbodiesel. Both petrol and diesel models are available with sub-120g/km CO2 emissions. The 1.2-litre petrol model, which is expected to be the largest seller in the new range, has cut fuel consumption by 21 per cent compared to the previous 1.3-litre Ka. The diesel model – available on the Ka for the first time – improves economy still further, achieving a combined fuel consumption of 4.2 litres/100km.

Safe and secure
The new Ka may be a small vehicle, but it has been engineered to meet Ford’s strict in-house safety design guidelines. At the heart of the vehicle is the bodyshell, which has been developed to provide an incredibly strong, stable crash structure to protect passengers in case of an accident. The bodyshell is combined with an Intelligent Protection System (IPS), which integrates airbags, restraint systems and seating technologies to provide a highly effective occupant safety system.

Ka choice
The new Ford Ka is available in two series – Ambiente and Titanium – each offering an outstanding combination of value and equipment. To complement these two models, there are a number of carefully tailored option packs to provide customers with maximum choice when specifying their vehicle. Specify the Bluetooth-enabled Connectivity Kit, and the Ka comes equipped with Bluetooth® mobile phone connectivity, a USB port to play music files through the sound system and steering wheel controls. Combine this with one of the superb six-speaker CD sound systems, and the new Ka provides all the necessary equipment to keep its passengers connected and entertained. Unique among vehicles in the small-car segment, the new Ka also offers heated windscreen and heated seats, invaluable for safe and comfortable driving in cold winter conditions.

Development and production
The new Ford Ka has been developed as part of a common project with Fiat. The vehicle is produced at the modern Fiat manufacturing plant in Tychy, Poland, sharing the production line with the Fiat 500 model.