A “global futuristic small car” with, as its chief strengths, a “stylish, dynamic” design offset by “a blend of versatility and traditional prestige”. Ford makes ambitious claims for the new Fiesta, which marks a radical departure in terms of image after 32 years and 12 million units sold.
Very close to the Verve concept presented last year at Frankfurt, Cologne’s new challenger to the great names in the B segment draws its inspiration from the concepts of kinetic design – the styling language adopted by Ford for the past two years. “Full surfaces, bold graphics and dynamic lines combine coherently and harmoniously to create a dynamic spirit of fun and energy in motion, but also to offer a sensation of movement from every angle”, says executive design director for Ford Europe, Martin Smith. “All the vital elements of ‘kinetic design’ combine to create a visually rich, dynamic exterior shape that is very close indeed to the original concept car.”
The inception of the new Fiesta was preceded by an in-depth marketing study. As Smith explains: “We wanted to identify a customer that was no longer the traditional user, who wanted a practical, efficient, easy to drive, and spacious car and for whom, in many cases, the Fiesta was the first and only family car. We were also looking for a younger, more design and fashion conscious clientele that was ready for a more radical approach.”
This explains why the car has been developed in two distinct versions: a five-door for the traditional consumer, defined in a delicate exercise that reconciled the constraints for the genre with the spirit of the Verve, and a three-door, geared towards younger drivers wanting something with a sportier attitude. Says Smith: “We analysed every aspect of them, how they live, what they buy – even what coffee they drink – as we needed to understand their tastes and culture down to the tiniest detail.”
The article continues in Auto & Design no. 172
