The next-generation Fiesta has been revealed at Ford’s Niehl manufacturing facility in Cologne, Germany.
The carmaker also announced the seventh-generation supermini will come in four distinct variations, namely, the high-spec Titanium, the performance-inspired ST-Line, the upscale Vignale and the SUV-inspired Active crossover.
Ford designers are describing the refreshed car’s exterior styling as “evolutionary”. The front therefore retains the familiar grille shape, although it grows wider. The bonnet offers a more restrained design with no centre bulge, while the headlamps offer a new wrap-around effect by not stretching all the way up the hood-come-belt line like on the outgoing model.
The side profile, meanwhile, is less wedge-shaped, combining with 71 mm additional body length and 12 mm additional width to give a longer appearance.
The more noticeable changes come at the rear, however, where the car is almost completely transformed when compared to the previous version. The new horizontal rear lights – complete with their C-shaped signature light pattern – take on a technical look that is completely different to anything see on previous generation models.
Much like the rear, the car’s interior sees some pretty comprehensive changes. To start with, there’s a new instrument cluster featuring a 4.2‑inch multi-function TFT display, while the number of buttons on the centre console is reduced by almost half, with many connectivity and entertainment controls relocated to the ‘floating’ 8-inch touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard. Up top, an openable panoramic glass roof is also a first for the Fiesta.
Tech features, on the other hand, include a total of 15 driver assistance technologies that are supported by two cameras, three radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors, which in combination are able to monitor 360 degrees around the vehicle, and scan the road ahead up to a distance of 130 metres – more than the length of a football pitch.
Under the hood, the new Fiesta will be powered by a 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine offering up to 138 bhp, and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel offering 118 bhp. The engines will be mated to a new six-speed manual gearbox.
There’s also a new suspension and electronic Torque Vectoring Control. Ford engineers claim cornering grip has improved by 10 per cent, and braking distances by eight per cent.
Sales for the new Fiesta will begin in July 2017.
Source: Ford
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