VIDEO: Ford Fiesta, outruns Corvette, assualts beach, and it's green!

Here in the US we still have a bit more than a year to wait before we get our hands on the new Ford Fiesta. Not the Brits. Our friends at Top Gear have decided to try out a new road test format with the Fiesta as chief gear-head Jeremy Clarkson takes the wheel. It turns out that Clarkson was far more thorough than most such tests. After all, when was the last time you saw an economy car trying to outrun bad guys in Corvette through a mall or assaulting a beach with the Royal Marines? Apparently, smoke grenades fit perfectly into the cup holders.
On the road, the Fiesta apparently drives beautifully, is easy to park and, as you can see in the image above, it's green! If, as Ford is saying, the car will be coming to the US essentially unchanged, this could be a huge hit. Hopefully we'll be able to get car loans to buy it! Video after the jump.
[Source: YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Cellien 12:26PM (12/10/2008)
This video made my day. Sold.
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Spence 12:57PM (12/10/2008)
This is the car that can save Ford. Please, bring the diesel Econetic!
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Tim 12:58PM (12/10/2008)
Hey Mikey, he likes it....
It's an American car (made by germans) and he REALLY likes it.
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noz 1:13PM (12/10/2008)
The only thing American about it is the name.
The reason why it's so good is because it's designed and built in Europe.
There's no better example of how crap American built and designed cars really are when an "American" car built and designed in Europe is better than what the original automaker can do.
Sad. I'd wish were in Europe rather than the car come here.
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Brn 6:20PM (12/10/2008)
I wish you weren't here too.
noz 8:41PM (12/10/2008)
BRN:
Believe me...I wish this everyday. So don't flatter yourself.
naggs 3:02PM (12/11/2008)
if you really spend all day dreaming about not living in this country, then i think its time for a move.
it is well within your power to live the dream, stop complaining on the interwez and buy a plane ticket
noz 2:57AM (12/12/2008)
Unfortunately I'm not about to go to Europe as an illegal immigrant. So it's not that easy when there are visa issues to deal with....just like what LEGALLY entering people who come to the US have to deal with.
And frankly, such a statement is a copout and a cliche response. Don't like the fact that other places are better? Tough.
moyoi 1:25PM (12/10/2008)
hilarious! this is an awesome car.
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Phil 2:31PM (12/10/2008)
The Econetic diesel achieves 51 US mpg city / 73 mpg highway (on EU cycle).
However, the smallest engine available in the US version is going to be the 3.5 litre twin turbo EcoBoost gas engine, with automatic transmission.
Fitting the more powerful engine demanded by US consumers is the reason for the delay in bringing the Fiesta to the US.
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Mike!!ekiM 5:52PM (12/10/2008)
You've got to be kidding.
We get screwed out of the Hi MPG Diesel Again!!!
Their going to stuff a 3.5 liter into that thing? Ford Mgmt Dumb A**'s.
That's an incredible clip. How much did it cost to make that: At Least 1 Million US Dollars. Who's paying for that?
wave54 1:26AM (12/11/2008)
Oh, you're a real comedian. That would be an absolute NO to a 3.5L engine -- probably just a single option, somewhere in the 1.4L to 1.6L range.
BTW, great video and quite surprising how much Jeremy Clarkson liked the Fiesta. He usually hates everything that's not a supercar with 500 HP.
srue 2:43PM (12/10/2008)
Some poor mall worker is going to have to spend a LOT of time with the floor buffer.
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Throwback 3:59PM (12/10/2008)
Noz, the car is a Ford. Designed, built and manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. Ford is an American company regardless of where they design or build their cars. Are Apple products Asian because they are built there?
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noz 8:42PM (12/10/2008)
Yeah actually it does matter. If it didn't matter...the cars Ford has over there would be the same pieces of crap they have over here.
The engineers are different, the mentality is different, the approach is different. The only thing the same is the name.
PeterG 4:22PM (12/10/2008)
Well more like Ford/Mazda product. This is based on the Mazda 2.
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Stan Wellaway 4:22PM (12/10/2008)
"Are Apple products Asian because they are built there?"
Well - yes! Of course they are.
Ford's global HQ and origins might still be in the USA, but no way is this car an American product.
Jeremy Clarkson, by the way, is 6'4" tall, and not skinny. But he seems to fit quite comfortably in the Fiesta. I didn't see him banging his elbows during that test.
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ronzo 9:10PM (12/10/2008)
That was absolutely hilarious!
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GOT 7:18AM (12/11/2008)
Awesome. Can I get a German-made Fiesta... with a turret on top?
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Digz 11:11AM (12/13/2008)
Great report on the Fiesta. Amazing the production values that go into a car tv show in Britain.
Unfortunatly, isn't the Fiesta scheduled to be made in Mexico. I have had a bad experience with a Golf and was told to avoid cars assembled in Mexico.
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