[Blumenkohl]

2009 Ford Fiesta Titanium Full Test and Video on Inside Line


Unfortunately, it's the Euro version. But seeing the more American oriented sites reviewing this baby on American roads makes me more and more excited! Despite the test mules, I still hold my fingers crossed (experience has taught me to judge nothing based on the test cars), DON'T SCREW THIS UP FORD!

From the second page of the road test:

Here's a list of things you must do for the 2011 Ford Fiesta:

* No three-bar grille; it's not a Focus, so don't risk the stigma of association.
* No bits from the Focus parts bin; no interior bits and no exterior bits, and especially not that goofy, old-school, Hertz-style ignition key. Keep the Fiesta cool.
* The hatch is cool; a hatchback looks better and is more efficient than a sedan. Bring the five-door at any cost.
* No fat seats; the Fiesta's seats are comfy yet nicely bolstered. Don't make them into couches. The Fiesta can hug a road, so I want the seats to hug me, too.
* No bad all-season tires; for the love of grip, don't stick us with bad tires. If I see this car with Kumho Solus KH16s or Pirelli P6s, I think I'll cry. At least make summer-tread tires an option.
* Add Sync; this is the best electronic interface, and the coolest. Sync is cool, and the Fiesta needs to be cool. Get it?

Done. Build it. In just under two years I'll be shopping for a new car; don't make me buy another 2008 Mazda 3 five-door. This Ford Fiesta Titanium would get me to cross-shop at the Ford store, something I didn't do last time (it was because you killed off the Focus hatchback, Al).

 

[BRGT350]

look like somebody at Edmunds thinks exactly how I do. Don't borrow anything from the current US Focus! No chrome, no fat seats, keep the hatchback, and all-season tires are terrible.

 

[GhiaFan]

Well the new seat design is a given.

When I was visiting Canada this summer, the issue I found with new Ford N.A. car seats is that you don't sit in them but on them. It is a strange sensation when you slide onto the seat inside of into the seat.

 

[Blumenkohl]

It's actually a little German. For instance the VW Passat has exactly the same kind of "sitting on" feel. Kind of uncomfortable.

 

[RT19]

All season tires as standard equipment is a given, but given the totality of the responses that the Fiesta has been getting, it is almost just a certainty that Ford will offer summer tires as an option, either standalone or as part of a package. According to Sam De Le Garza's twitter feed today, the dealers are loving the Fiesta and were chucking it all around the handling course that Ford set up. I'm guessing that the dealers will clamor for as much performance as Ford can deliver in the Fiesta. The Agents are all raving about the car's performance and, along with the professional automotive press, are begging Ford to not dilute the Euro Fiesta when translating it to N.A.
Also, looking at the most popular options on the Build Your Own feature on Fiesta Movement | The 2011 Ford Fiesta: Live Feed | FiestaMovement.com, performance-oriented options are proving very popular: the most desired option is a turbo kit, the third most desired is a performance-tuned suspension, and 17" wheels are the 4th most popular option.

Ford isn't the same company that screwed up the original Focus and the 500/Taurus. Perhaps I'm just an optimist, but I'm pretty confident that we're going to get something very close to the Euro Fiesta. We may have to buy a sports package to get it there, but I'm pretty confident that Ford will give us the ability to get what we want.

 

[Marc]

Sam de la Garza on Twitter:

Excited to get on a conference call to discuss an upcoming initiative for our dealers and Fiesta!

Off to the track for a dealer ride and drive event!

It's not easy Tweeting from back seat of the FordFiesta while dealers are driving on a handling course!!!

Real quote while we r going 100 mph in fordfiesta: "omg the competiton is a piece of [email protected]#t compared to this!"

Can't wipe the smile off my face!!!! Went about 60 mph around a VERY tight corner!

Next quote: "this thing just wreaks of quality"

The driving skills of our dealers continues to amaze me - in a good way!!!

Best quote so far from a Lincoln Mercury dealer after fordfiesta test: "I wish I was a Ford dealer!"


Sam DeLaGarza on Twitter

 

[Marc]

Also on Sam's Twitter: this link. - Read the comments LOL!

 

[BRGT350]

I don't think we will see a turbo option for the Fiesta for many years, and it may be a very small displacement engine with EcoBoost to replace the 1.6L. Besides the SHO, EcoBoost is not about performance, it is about getting the same performance of a large engine from a small one. I used to think that EcoBoost was going to get us high powered turbo cars that get good mileage. Instead, EcoBoost is about taking away a large displacement engine and making a smaller engine that has the same performance. So, an EcoBoost engine for the Fiesta would be much smaller and produce the same hp as the NA 1.6L. According to the "twitter" interview with somebody at Ford is that there are no plans for any EcoBoost engines with manual transmission. I have not been able to confirm that claim.

I am also 99% sure there won't be an option for summer tires. My dad's Shelby GT came with all-season tires, so I would doubt they would be an option on a B-segment car. I asked about summer/performance tires in training and at the time there were no plans to make them available.

 

[golf strom]

Another vote for NO fat seats!!!!!!!

Hurah!!!!

At least we have a few mag editors that are actually getting this feeling in REAL ink and paper, so that guys like Sam will no doubt see it!!!!


I also like the other comments the editor made, good job.

I love the fact that time and time and time again the mantra of the folks that are really rooting for Ford with this model is "DON'T SCREW THIS CAR UP FORD!"