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US-Spec Fiesta Hatchback


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Although Ford confirmed its existence long ago, no one had seen a US-spec Fiesta hatchback until today:

 

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

 

(Ignore the text in this article, clearly out of touch)

 

Has the same type of camo on the US sedans they've been testing, plus the antenna is on the back not the front.

 

I had thought the hatchback would be coming out later than the sedan, but seeing this mule every bit as well-finished as the latest sedan mules makes me think they'll be out the same time after all.

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Glad to see there won't (apparently) be too many changes.

 

As for the interior, I dunno, but I really didn't play with the radio & accompanying systems that much on my Fiesta Movement drive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the way, I believe this was my 11,000th post!

Edited by rmc523
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Glad to see there won't (apparently) be too many changes.

 

As for the interior, I dunno, but I really didn't play with the radio & accompanying systems that much on my Fiesta Movement drive.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but are the window controllers on the dashboard? If they are, that certainly will change in the US. I also imagine they'll get rid of the red lighting and feature a US specific head-unit with SYNC. Who knows how the center stack will ultimately look?!

 

I notice it also has the Sirius/Arial combo unit specific to the US market on the back.

 

The chrome strip is also different, it doesn't continue to the 3rd side-glass.

 

The Front Fascia is noticeably different, much less distinctive than the Euro version because it has a conventional three bar(ish) grille and a much smaller Fusion-like lower intake. I always say that unless the design can be done right, then don't share it! I'm afraid that the Fiesta is partly victim to a design that wasn't intended for this market and should have been done differently for the US. I don't want to see more adapted Euro design here, this is compromise I don't like.

Edited by BORG
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but are the window controllers on the dashboard? If they are, that certainly will change in the US. I also imagine they'll get rid of the red lighting and feature a US specific head-unit with SYNC. Who knows how the center stack will ultimately look?!

 

Those are good points. I can't remember where the window switches were. Looking at pictures on the internet, the window switches are already on the doors.

 

I could see them getting rid of the red lighting. I could see the display staying the same, just with SYNC capability.

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I was looking at the camoed 4 dr. Fiesta Sedan parked at LTP today again and this time there is a mesh on front grille that you can see right through. There is distinct three bar grille showing. Not near as pronounced as on Fusion, but three bars in chrome nonetheless. Also in lot are five 5dr. Eurpean speced Focus, one with right hand drive and rest left hand drive. All are black and are being tested extensively.

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I was looking at the camoed 4 dr. Fiesta Sedan parked at LTP today again and this time there is a mesh on front grille that you can see right through. There is distinct three bar grille showing. Not near as pronounced as on Fusion, but three bars in chrome nonetheless. Also in lot are five 5dr. Eurpean speced Focus, one with right hand drive and rest left hand drive. All are black and are being tested extensively.

 

The grille doesn't look like a Mach 3 razor, instead it's completely non-descript, just a standard horizontal smiley face grille. Essentially the big difference with the Euro Fiesta is that the emphasis is on the lower intake, and the US swaps it around to the upper 'faux' grille because the bumper has to meet govt. specs. I'm not sure why Ford had to make such a substantial change to the NA Fiesta fascia, no other global maker has to do this (Unless ths is a combination of govt. reg and consumer research).

 

In any case, I have a feeling people are going to be very disappointed by the look of the new car, it's much more bland in US form.

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The grille doesn't look like a Mach 3 razor, instead it's completely non-descript, just a standard horizontal smiley face grille. Essentially the big difference with the Euro Fiesta is that the emphasis is on the lower intake, and the US swaps it around to the upper 'faux' grille because the bumper has to meet govt. specs. I'm not sure why Ford had to make such a substantial change to the NA Fiesta fascia, no other global maker has to do this (Unless ths is a combination of govt. reg and consumer research).

 

In any case, I have a feeling people are going to be very disappointed by the look of the new car, it's much more bland in US form.

 

Borg, you have a lot more knowledge of the actual design than I do, but...

 

I can almost guarantee you that there were structural modifications to the front of the Fiesta to pass U.S. regs since the original plan did not include the U.S. market. One of the toughest requirements that is different from Europe is the 35 mph front barrier crash with unbelted occupants. I'm guessing that meeting this test required a more substantial front bumper beam, and modified, longer front rails with additional crash triggers (most of you probably know, but these are accordian-like shapes on the rails that ensure the rails collapse in a controlled manner). Just guessing, but those modifications might have extended the front end by an inch or more which would have necessitated new exterior bits.

 

It's hard to do a paste on top of a coherent design when all of the change is in one place (i.e., front length/overhang) as the proportions can get screwed up. I'll reserve judgment until I see it, but I'm getting a bit nervous with these comments.

 

I don't think we'll have the same issue with the Focus as it has been designed from the get-go with the U.S. in mind so the basic structure and design should work on both sides of the ocean. And now that we have the Fiesta, the next full generation would presumably unify the structure and exterior design.

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I can't seem to see any of the pics other than the main one in the article, did they remove them ?

 

Ditto...where are these front end shots BORG is talking about?

 

I wouldn't be the least bit suprised to see both the European model and US model have changes that make them look similar, the Fiesta has been on the market for what, almost 2 years now in Europe?

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Ditto...where are these front end shots BORG is talking about?

 

I wouldn't be the least bit suprised to see both the European model and US model have changes that make them look similar, the Fiesta has been on the market for what, almost 2 years now in Europe?

 

I agree, the only picture I see is the rear 3/4 one. I was wondering how BORG was able to talk about the front end from just that picture.

 

Not bad. I wish there was a 3-door though.

 

There still may be...there was talk of bringing it over.

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I was looking at the camoed 4 dr. Fiesta Sedan parked at LTP today again and this time there is a mesh on front grille that you can see right through. There is distinct three bar grille showing. Not near as pronounced as on Fusion, but three bars in chrome nonetheless. Also in lot are five 5dr. Eurpean speced Focus, one with right hand drive and rest left hand drive. All are black and are being tested extensively.

 

Whenever any of you see stuff like this please take pics. Not all of us live in Michigan and even if it's a model we already have spy photos of, there can never be too many.

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There have been pics of the front end of the US Fiesta that were out weeks ago..that's probably what Borg and others are referring to. Cant recall where the pics were posted. The upper grill is slightly bigger, with three thin horizontal bars. As a result of the bigger upper grill, the lower intake is smaller. In my opinion, i don't think it changes the look that significantly, and should still do well.

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There have been pics of the front end of the US Fiesta that were out weeks ago..that's probably what Borg and others are referring to. Cant recall where the pics were posted. The upper grill is slightly bigger, with three thin horizontal bars. As a result of the bigger upper grill, the lower intake is smaller. In my opinion, i don't think it changes the look that significantly, and should still do well.

 

+1

 

If I interpreted the spypics correctly, I like the US version as opposed to the EU version. I prefer the grilles to be a bit more balanced.

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There have been pics of the front end of the US Fiesta that were out weeks ago..that's probably what Borg and others are referring to. Cant recall where the pics were posted. The upper grill is slightly bigger, with three thin horizontal bars. As a result of the bigger upper grill, the lower intake is smaller. In my opinion, i don't think it changes the look that significantly, and should still do well.

 

+1 I'm really not fond of the dead carp look of the Euro models.

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There have been pics of the front end of the US Fiesta that were out weeks ago..that's probably what Borg and others are referring to. Cant recall where the pics were posted. The upper grill is slightly bigger, with three thin horizontal bars. As a result of the bigger upper grill, the lower intake is smaller. In my opinion, i don't think it changes the look that significantly, and should still do well.

 

Yep, the camoed one I saw pretty much had the lower intake that looked fairly similar to the Fiesta Movement vehicles. Not a big difference. Although the sedan will be more conservative in appearance, I'm sure one could make it look nice with right trim packages offered. As for the hatchback, I would suspect it will look much like the European Fiesta in most respects. Hatches are edgier in general in comparison to more mundane sedans. At least in the B segment.

 

As for pics, I probably could have taken one on the sly, but with my luck some security guard probably was looking at me from afar ready to pounce on me if I took a camera out. In fact, two Fiestas were sitting right out front door of LTP today with hoods up and drivers peering in. They were camoed Fiesta sedans. I have seen these Fiestas so many times it's like seeing a Fusion on road.

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Can't take pics of camoed vehicles on Ford lots.

 

That hasn't stopped some people - remember those spy pics of that Mercury Freestyle/Sable thing.

 

There have been pics of the front end of the US Fiesta that were out weeks ago..that's probably what Borg and others are referring to. Cant recall where the pics were posted. The upper grill is slightly bigger, with three thin horizontal bars. As a result of the bigger upper grill, the lower intake is smaller. In my opinion, i don't think it changes the look that significantly, and should still do well.

 

Well I know the general look from the US Verve concept...

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Can't take pics of camoed vehicles on Ford lots.

 

Are you seeing while on Ford property or from outside? If you're an employee or invited guest I understand you can't take pics.

 

However, if you are an inch or more away from the property (and not in one of the above categories) you can snap away with impunity.

Edited by mike_in_va
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