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British Motor Show: Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, 63.5 mpg (US)!

By  Sam Abuelsamid RSS feed

Posted Jul 23rd 2008 9:45AM

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Click the Fiesta ECOnetic for a high res gallery

At the British Motor Show in London, Ford has unveiled the most fuel efficient version yet of the new Fiesta, the ECOnetic model. Like the Focus and Mondeo ECOnetic models, this Fiesta has been tweaked to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. In this case the car is equipped with a 1.6L diesel and the usual mix of closing off openings in the front to reduce the drag. A pair of small air deflectors on the trailing edge of the wheel wells helps to control airflow coming off the back of the car. Revised engine calibrations, a taller final drive ratio and low rolling resistance tires yield a combined mileage rating of 65.3 mpg (US) on the EU test cycle. Carbon dioxide emissions are measured at 98 g/km meaning that the Fiesta is exempted from some road taxes in the UK and elsewhere. Unfortunately we probably won't get this version when the Fiesta debuts here in about 18 months. The Ford press release is after the jump.

Related GalleryFord Fiesta ECOnetic

[Source: Ford]

Press Release

NEW FORD FIESTA ECONETIC IS UK'S GREENEST FAMILY CAR

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW, London, 22 July, 2008 – Ford's new ultra-frugal Fiesta was unveiled at the British International Motor Show today, completing the company's small, medium and large car ECOnetic line-up.

The wraps came off the 76.3mpg Ford Fiesta ECOnetic – Britain's greenest family car with CO2 emissions of 98g/km. On sale from £11,800 by the end of this year, Ford Fiesta ECOnetic joins existing Mondeo and Focus ECOnetic models.

Ford Focus ECOnetic has led a 38 per cent sales surge in the first half of this year generated by Ford's sub-120g/km CO2 vehicles – all powered by Dagenham's 1.4/1.6 TDCi engines. Earlier this month the sub-140g/km Ford Mondeo ECOnetic went on sale.

Ford Fiesta ECOnetic
The Fiesta ECOnetic becomes the most fuel efficient new five-seater family car in the UK. With CO2 emissions at under 100g/km, Ford Fiesta ECOnetic is zero rated both for road tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) and for the 'showroom tax' element of VED introduced for the first year of ownership in this year's Budget.

Aerodynamic body styling, lowered suspension, low resistance tyres and low friction oil all help the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic achieve ultra low CO2 emissions. Additionally a green shift indicator in the instrument cluster highlights the optimal point to change gear to maximise fuel economy.

Roelant de Waard, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, said: "Many drivers are prepared to be green - but still want comfort, performance and an affordable price. ECOnetic answers that demand.

"Ford's ECOnetic range, complete with new Fiesta, delivers style with a green conscience."

Fiesta ECOnetic – what's different?

  • Aerodynamic rear air deflectors
  • Lowered suspension
  • Optimised rolling resistance tyres (175/65R14) and low friction oil
  • Green shift indicator light
  • Modified engine calibration
  • Transmission final drive ratio changed from 3.37 to 3.05

ECOnetic technical spec

1.6
Fiesta
TDCi

Urban (mpg)

Extra urban

Combined
(mpg)

Price

3-door

90PS

61.4

88.3

76.3

£11,845

5-door

90PS

61.4

88.3

76.3

£12,445

Category: Diesel, MPG, Ford

Tags: british motor show, BritishMotorShow, fiesta econetic, FiestaEconetic, ford

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28 Comments

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Robert A.

The fact that an American car maker is building a car with such fuel efficiency is great. However, the fact that this vehicle is not being sold in the U.S., is very irresponsible of them. We are in a critical state with oil prices and oil consumption being as high as it is. We need as many fuel efficient vehicles in the U.S., let alone in the entire world. I feel that the government should make it manditory for car makers, including Ford, to sell these vehicles around the world. I feel this will help the economy (increased sales of cars), reduce emissions, and help reduce fuel consumption (which will help reduce oil prices).

September 24 2008 at 6:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
car buff

It would seem to me that is at bit of mist here. They have the economy of Europe for which they would like a bigger piece of the pie, thenthere is the US market. The European market has been a butt kicker on the cost of all fuels. The US has been feul friendly for Oh I would say 30 plus years with no real bumps along the way, not counting the feul shortage that the experts said that we had, but we did not. Now if Ford or any other maker tried to sell the "GAS EATERS" from the US in Eroupe, they would not be able to sale very many of them. So there thought process had to be altered in order to conform to there way of thinking and to have any chance of survival in the auto market. The US has been spoiled in no short order. It is very hard to change a habit that you have had for so long. Americans have spoiled themselves for how many years now? European have been held by there throats at the pumps for how long? The simple point here is that Ford will bring this car to the US and as stated in earlier comments you very well may see a change in the make up of the car for other reasons that we may or may not be aware of. Either way, we will see this car and many others like it because that is where the market is going and if Ford wants to survive this economic down turn, they will follow suit and give us these cars and I am saying many more from where this one is coming from. Note to Ford: "Pull your head out of the sand and look around, you have something that we want and if you bring it we will come!!!!!!!"

September 19 2008 at 11:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dlw

Ford America President Mark Fields was quoted as saying, "We just don't think North America will buy diesel cars." He should either get his head out of the sand, or be fired for short-sightedness. What a crock. Ford sells plenty of diesel trucks right along with other truck manufacturers. If the Econetic was introduced here in the U.S., it would sell like crazy. This just proves that Ford's leadership is hurting their company, and hurting America at the same time. The fact that Ford has out-sourced the manufacturing of these vehicles to Britain makes it cost-prohibitive to sell in the U.S. ? Sounds like Ford has sold the good old U.S. down the river. Next, they'll be asking the good old U.S. for a government bail-out.

September 18 2008 at 4:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Benga

Ford...get this car on the market here in the U.S. I would buy one today! Why don't you poll some of your costumers that have loans through Ford Motor Company that are almost paid off to see if they would be interested in a purchase. I bet you would find many families who are about to pay off bigger vehicles , and are looking for a smaller more efficient choice because of gas prices, but find that the best fuel efficient models right now come from toyota, honda, or volkswagon. Why not make these cars available to loyal customers here in America as well, and see if it takes off? I bet it could do for you what the Prius has done for Toyota!

September 18 2008 at 1:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Don Omdahl

We allow truckers to operate rigs that are very dirty diesels, Why not clean diesel cars?

September 11 2008 at 11:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kbrd

It goes on sale in November 2008, but not in the U.S. Strange when Ford is closing factories in the US and can't product this model. Diesel cars from MBZ and VW are accepted in CA - the toughest state in the US in terms of emissions.

Here is the latest from BusinessWeek regarding this:
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_37/b4099060491065.htm

September 10 2008 at 4:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Zeke

Interesting article by David Kiley of Business Week's Detroit Bureau...may answer some of your questions...



If ever there was a car made for the times, this would seem to be it: a
sporty subcompact that seats five, offers a navigation system, and gets a
whopping 65 miles to the gallon. Oh yes, and the car is made by Ford Motor
(F), known widely for lumbering gas hogs.

Ford's 2009 Fiesta ECOnetic goes on sale in November. But here's the catch:
Despite the car's potential to transform Ford's image and help it compete
with Toyota Motor (TM) and Honda Motor (HMC) in its home market, the company
will sell the little fuel sipper only in Europe. "We know it's an awesome
vehicle," says Ford America President Mark Fields. "But there are business
reasons why we can't sell it in the U.S." The main one: The Fiesta ECOnetic
runs on diesel.

Automakers such as Volkswagen (VLKAY) and Mercedes-Benz (DAI) have predicted
for years that a technology called "clean diesel" would overcome many
Americans' antipathy to a fuel still often thought of as the smelly stuff
that powers tractor trailers. Diesel vehicles now hitting the market with
pollution-fighting technology are as clean or cleaner than gasoline and at
least 30% more fuel-efficient.

Yet while half of all cars sold in Europe last year ran on diesel, the U.S.
market remains relatively unfriendly to the fuel. Taxes aimed at commercial
trucks mean diesel costs anywhere from 40 cents to $1 more per gallon than
gasoline. Add to this the success of the Toyota Prius, and you can see why
only 3% of cars in the U.S. use diesel. "Americans see hybrids as the
darling," says Global Insight auto analyst Philip Gott, "and diesel as
old-tech."

None of this is stopping European and Japanese automakers, which are betting
they can jump-start the U.S. market with new diesel models. Mercedes-Benz by
next year will have three cars it markets as "BlueTec." Even Nissan (NSANY)
and Honda, which long opposed building diesel cars in Europe, plan to
introduce them in the U.S. in 2010. But Ford, whose Fiesta ECOnetic compares
favorably with European diesels, can't make a business case for bringing the
car to the U.S.

TOO PRICEY TO IMPORT
First of all, the engines are built in Britain, so labor costs are high.
Plus the pound remains stronger than the greenback. At prevailing exchange
rates, the Fiesta ECOnetic would sell for about $25,700 in the U.S. By
contrast, the Prius typically goes for about $24,000. A $1,300 tax deduction
available to buyers of new diesel cars could bring the price of the Fiesta
to around $24,400. But Ford doesn't believe it could charge enough to make
money on an imported ECOnetic.

Ford plans to make a gas-powered version of the Fiesta in Mexico for the
U.S. So why not manufacture diesel engines there, too? Building a plant
would cost at least $350 million at a time when Ford has been burning
through more than $1 billion a month in cash reserves. Besides, the
automaker would have to produce at least 350,000 engines a year to make such
a venture profitable. "We just don't think North and South America would buy
that many diesel cars," says Fields.

The question, of course, is whether the U.S. ever will embrace diesel fuel
and allow automakers to achieve sufficient scale to make money on such
vehicles. California certified VW and Mercedes diesel cars earlier this
year, after a four-year ban. James N. Hall, of auto researcher 293 Analysts,
says that bellwether state and the Northeast remain "hostile to diesel." But
the risk to Ford is that the fuel takes off, and the carmaker finds itself
playing catch-up‹despite having a serious diesel contender in its arsenal.

Kiley is a senior correspondent in BusinessWeek's Detroit bureau.


September 09 2008 at 3:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chuck

Why won't these car be sold in America? Because most people want to drive cool cars. A listless diesel forget it. Some how it has to become cool to be seen driving in a small economy car. Many of you and myself included could careless and just want the economic/ecological performance. In then end the market will rule. They will sell what most people want and thats it.
To bad for the rest of us.

July 30 2008 at 10:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
brn

"The EPA has admitted that their fuel economy figures for many diesels are flawed."

I've asked before, show me where. Someone did kindly refer me to a document where the EPA discussed factors that could cause their estimates to differ from real world estimates. That document did not indicate any kind of "flaw" in their estimates.

July 24 2008 at 8:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Phil

tchamp: It's that kind of isolationist, xenophobic thinking that has resulted in the US producing bloated, thirsty and technologically backward vehicles and being overly reliant on oil. Meanwhile, Europe and Japan have cars that use half the fuel.
Last time I checked, Ford is still and American company. Until it gets bought by someone in the Middle East.

You might not realise this, but most of the world's internet users are not American.

July 24 2008 at 2:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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