US Ford Fiesta
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Some pre production models are already being built in the Mexican factory.
Looks the same as the Euro version to me.
Except the hatch tail light are maybe slightly different.
I will report on in from the L.A auto show in a few weeks and see the real thing for myself.
Different tail lights…interesting. I'm trying to figure out why…and I can't find a good reason.
Ford usually dumbs down their tail lights for their domestic offerings. So only in the US & Canada do you get one red light that does brakes and turn signals. Everywhere else they HAVE to have a separate amber light for turn signals. They'll also strip away the integrated mirror-side turn signals too.
Why it ever became acceptable to remove safety features that are standard everywhere else is beyond me, but there you have it.
At least, you get the sunroof (first picture) while we can't… When it comes to safety features, you also don't get the rear fog light but Euro-spec Fiestas don't get the side lights.
Guess it's never perfect 'round here…
Probably DOT regulations.
Ok
if they're in PRE-production already,
WHY won't they go on sale before next April? (if then!)
Vince,
while you're hobnobbing with the execs at the LA Autoshow Media Event,
would you Please ask the Ford guys that?
🙂
The sedan tail lights are way better that the chinese version.
at least the bumpers don't appear to have been enlarged too much, always a concern when a product gets adapted for NA.
Since when are mirror side-signal lights, foglights, and amber turn signals considered safety features. Europe may require those things, but there is no concrete data saying that they actually save lives. If Ford can get rid of them all to help offset the development costs, then that's fine by me.
Foglights especially, which don't help much when driving around in fog, are more or less just a styling feature. I see plenty of morons driving around with their foglights on in perfectly good weather blinding the people driving in front of them.
These are preproduction validation product, a process that generally takes 2-4 months to complete when the factory has never built a vehicle like this before. Ford will then slowly ramp up production so that they have a large inventory when it goes on sale in April (likely ariving at dealers in February or March). Personally, I'd rather see Ford take it slow on introducing a new product to make sure they get it right. (Although if they wait too long, it'll be like the Camaro – 4 years of hype and arriving with a crappy interior).
Anonymous October 10, 2009 7:55AM said…
These are preproduction validation product, a process that generally takes 2-4 months to complete when the factory has never built a vehicle like this before. Ford will then slowly ramp up production so that they have a large inventory when it goes on sale in April (likely ariving at dealers in February or March). Personally, I'd rather see Ford take it slow on introducing a new product to make sure they get it right…
Thanks for that info!!
& I want Ford to get everything right too — it's just that they've been having perfect launches for so long now, I'm not really worried about that 🙂
guess I just don't want a single day of nice Fiesta(selling) weather wasted 😉
"Since when are mirror side-signal lights, foglights, and amber turn signals considered safety features."
Actually they ARE considered mandatory safety features everywhere else except in the USA and Canada, for about two decades or so. Our safety regulations on the whole are pretty good, but in terms of lighting requirements, we're a couple of decades behind the rest of the world. Even the NHTSA released a study showing that amber tailights are more effective than red turn signals in preventing crashes. That's why they're looking at mandating them in the US too. But in the past GM and co have sent lobbyists to prevent these improvements from making it to the floor.
amber turn signals=good
red turn signals=bad
i used to like the change to red on so many cars. so sleek! so integrated!
but lately, i've noticed how much less i notice the red blinkies than the orange blinkies.
"Anonymous said…
Ok
if they're in PRE-production already,
WHY won't they go on sale before next April? (if then!)
Vince,
while you're hobnobbing with the execs at the LA Autoshow Media Event,
would you Please ask the Ford guys that?
🙂
October 9, 2009 2:09 PM"
Easy, because the factory isn't ready.
By the time these come out they will be an old model.