[FiestaFan]

If you had read the links I'd posted on the previous page you'd know American regs require different wing mirrors than Europe does. Also I imagine the Transit Connect's front end was redesigned right before it was sold here, probably to comply with US regs. The pre-facelift model looks like it has a smaller front bumper..the Kinetic Design cues (which IMO were clumsily integrated) were probably a secondary reason for the facelift.

Also if the side turn indicators on the bumper were added I'm sure it was because it was required. Look at all the European cars here that have reflectors/blinkers in the same area...it's because US law requires all four corners of the car to have reflectors and blinkers, and the fender repeater apparently doesn't cut it.

@golf strom: Can you prove the Focus was changed less? It got similarly extensive changes from what I recall; different/bigger bumpers, new grille, lack of fender repeaters, tweaked taillights, cheaper interior materials (though I doubt the latter will be the case for the Fiesta). But it wasn't those changes that hurt the car's sales and reputation, it was the 11-12 recalls in one year or however many there were. That won't happen with the Fiesta, and if you can tell me what makes that car "much more" modified than the Mk1 US Focus please do.

I can understand what you mean with all that "cohesiveness" of design stuff but now it seems like you're grasping at straws. It's too bad that the grille and bumper won't be the same but that really shouldn't kill the car's entire appeal for you. The cohesiveness of the car, IMO, comes far more from the driving experience than from looks. Was it not you or mrbirdman who said it didn't matter if the car was ugly as long as it had the features you wanted and drove well?

Furthermore if Ford had complete 100% American-spec Fiestas to parade around you can bet that's what the Fiesta Movement agents would be driving, but that car isn't ready yet so instead we're seeing the similar (but yes, not identical) European model. Ford is doing what is necessary to spread the word about this car; would you have preferred it had Ford simply kept their mouth shut and killed sales through lack of promotion, which is really the only alternative?