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UK’s newest Green Car is a 70 + mpg fuel miser! (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=126210)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_European_Ford_Fiesta_Zetec.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com) - July 22, 2008

2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec shown. The US will not receive the fuel eoncomy champ diesel equipped Fiesta's :(

London – Ford's latest 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 63mpg combined Ford Fiesta ECOnetic – Britain's greenest family car.

Ford Fiesta ECOnetic

The Fiesta ECOnetic becomes the most fuel efficient 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.
"Ford's ECOnetic range, complete with new Fiesta, delivers style with a green conscience."

Ford Fiesta ECOnetic – what's different?

Aerodynamic rear air deflectors
Lowered suspension
Optimized rolling resistance tires (175/65R14) and low friction oil
Green shift indicator light
Modified engine calibration
Transmission final drive ratio changed from 3.37 to 3.05
Ford Fiesta 1.6L TDCi - ECOnetic FE technical spec

Model|* FE Urban (city mpgUS)|* FE Extra Urban (highway mpgUS)|* FE Combined (mpgUS)|Price ($USD)
3-Door|51.2|73.6|63.6|$23,572
5-Door|51.2|73.6|63.6|$24,766
* NEDC – European New Driving Cycles

The all-new three- and five-door a Fiestas will begin rolling off production lines in Europe in summer 2008, with regionally-tailored models on sale in Asia, South Africa, Australia and the Americas by 2010. Although the price seems high in terms of $USD, remember what the crashing $USD causes. A Great Britain purchased Toyota Yaris with the 1.4L Diesel costs $22,577 and a stripped Prius costs over $35,680!

Ecomods: lower air resistance, low RR tires, low friction oil...sounds like this car was designed by a hypermiler :)

too bad we wont be seeing it. you would think with all the success the big 3 have outside north america, they would learn their lesson and bring in some decent small cars

Ditt DocOc. This kind of news is terribly frustrating. Especially since the gas price hike. Is there any reasonable explanation... this is actually a nice looking car.

low friction oil: sound the AAA alarm klaxon!

Battlestations, battlestations!

Harry

When you read, as I did today, about people letting their homes go into foreclosure or sleep in their cars even when they have jobs because the distance they travel to work costs them over $200.00 a week in gasoline expenses you have to wonder what these CEOs at the big 2½ must be smoking. It must be some pretty good stuff because to look at what cars they are trying to sell and how they are selling them it makes you wonder if they have been watching the news at all or maybe they have entered into some time rift and their still stuck in 1999 when gas was still just over $1.00. Yeah that must be it. Stuck in a time rift.

Some news on what Ford is doing:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121673873894573713.html?mod=hpp_us_whats_news

Hope they start making some of those Euro-Fords here soon.

Harry

Well seeing that many of the CEO's are holding and trading in the futures market, they’re probably not in a big hurry to really help get us off our oil dependency. It seems the big three never want to accept the fact the world is changing and they need to adapt with the change. They are quick to try to push us in a car we don’t want or need, instead of filling our demands. My next car won’t be American unless they produce a car comparable to the Honda and Toyota hybrids mpg.

I think the tragic irony here is that the fiesta isn't even the mpg champ. It's near the top, but gets beat out by about half the cars on this list.

http://cars.uk.msn.com/greenmotoring/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1379476

(sorry for the repost)

Sadly the media and big auto have done a good job of keeping these types of cars out of the American eye. They've been around almost a decade.

here's to hoping they follow through with this plan. it sounds like their profits will take a hit, but anything is better than a 15b loss over 2 years...

When you read, as I did today, about people letting their homes go into foreclosure or sleep in their cars even when they have jobs because the distance they travel to work costs them over $200.00 a week in gasoline expenses you have to wonder what these CEOs at the big 2½ must be smoking. It must be some pretty good stuff because to look at what cars they are trying to sell and how they are selling them it makes you wonder if they have been watching the news at all or maybe they have entered into some time rift and their still stuck in 1999 when gas was still just over $1.00. Yeah that must be it. Stuck in a time rift.

Reading this burns me up, BUT GOOD! Here is Ford making a hi mileage champ for Britian while they let their own country swing and while, as Radio tec, says, they sit back and watch fellow Americans loose their home & sleep in cars. They turn their back and sneer "we don't need the competition" while our economy REELS from cost of living increases never before seen and our "dealers overseas sap our countrys wealth and power".

That is why I have said that buying something from the BIG .0003 IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MOST UN-AMERICAN thing one can do. Twenty years from now history will judge them and the oil industry GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS!:eek:

Thank the Lord for Honda, Toyota and other foreign manufacturers who have managed to get at least some relief to our people. They are an oasis in the desert!:):)

I think the tragic irony here is that the fiesta isn't even the mpg champ. It's near the top, but gets beat out by about half the cars on this list.

http://cars.uk.msn.com/greenmotoring/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1379476

(sorry for the repost)

Sadly the media and big auto have done a good job of keeping these types of cars out of the American eye. They've been around almost a decade.

Actually, I believe those are UK gallons, while the report above is in US gallons. Multiply this 63.6 mpgUS by 1.2 and you get 76.32 mpgUK, just above those others.

And we can't buy any of them here. :Banane28::mad::(:confused:

"The US will not receive the fuel eoncomy champ diesel equipped Fiesta's "

Ford is their own worst enemy.

Thanks to the internet car fans can find out what their favorite American car company is building and selling in Europe and the Pacific. But what is also frustrating is when they do, in rare cases, bring a European model here and it doesn't sell. Ford did this with the Contour which in Europe was the Mondeo. Great ride and handling but too small for American families and humdrum looks. GM did this with the recent GTO which was an Aussie Holden Monaro. GM's mistake was in styling and pricing. It looked too much like a plain Gran Am and was over priced. The Saturn Astra is an Opel Astra and word is it isn't selling well. The Saturn Aura, Chevrolet Malibu, and Pontiac G6 are all based on the Opel Vectra which is due to be replaced soon. Sadly, none of their small European models are slated to come here. Imagine the Ford Ka on the roads here? Young high school or college students would eat it up because of low price, high gas milege, and funky styling. That's why a co-worker likes her two door Hyundai Accent. "She" got the apple green model. We're waiting to see how long before she paints daisys on the sides.

175/65 x 14? Didn't know this size was still made! I would have thought 15's like the HCH!

Radio_tec makes a good point. The economy is on the ropes, foreclosures skyrocketing, many folks have cut spending in anticipation of pink slips, and what is Detroit doing? They're fiddling, of course. One thing that he didn't mention was that average home equity is the lowest it's been since the late 40's early 50's era and average sales prices are apparently still going down.

Perhaps it's time for another tax revolt, as it were, like the Boston Tea Party. Only this time, it would be a car revolt. We throw the Big 3 management and boards into Lake Michigan and sell their plants cheap to Honda and Toyota. Works for me. Of course, what some people don't realuze is that most CEO's are completely out of touch with the average Joe or Jane. They just don't have a clue.

I agree completely with Robert Lastick, thank the Lord for Honda and Toyota who are providing cheap, economical, and very reliable wheels.

Faithful and True.

Hi SailorDave:

___My only reply is we currently have the 28 mpg rated POS Ford Focus. Europe receives an excellent 63 mpg B-Class sized sub in the Ford Fiesta. 28 vs. 63 mpg. Which should I choose with gasoline at $4.00 +? Touch decision :mad:

___All, I converted its rated 73mpg imperial gallons combined to the rated 63.x mpg combined US gallons already. In Imperial mpg’s, it has an 88 mpg highway (extra-urban) rating. Either way, decent performance, great interior, nice looking exterior and easily knocks out better than Prius FE for < 2/3 the price.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

In Europe, the Ford Focus is not the same Focus we have here. The only thing close to the European Focus is the Volvo S-40. It shares the same platform as the European Focus but they have the option of two door hatchback and either a thrifty fuel sipping version or a balls to the wall high performance version that kicks butt. We get a redecorated previous generation Focus that looks almost exactly like the discontinued Saturn L series right down to the grill.

Hi SailorDave:

___Yup, the European Focus has the Mazda3 underpinnings and the 1.6L TDCi under the hood with a tall MT. Double the FE of what is offered here :ccry:

They get:

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Euro_Ford_Focus1.jpg
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_European_Ford_Focus.jpg

We get:

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_US_based_Ford_Focus.jpg

___And that is the best US based Focus pic I could have uploaded :rolleyes:

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Yep, the Mazda 3 and the Volvo S-40 are both the same foundation but with different engines and tuning. I'm a conservative driver so I'd be more inclined to the S-40 than the Mazda 3. But I'd much rather the European designed Focus with the fuel sipping engine.

http://autos.msn.com/research/compare/photos.aspx?c=0&n=3&i=0&ph1=t0&ph2=t0&tb=0&dt=0&v=t105911&v=t100193
The above link is to an MSN website comparing the 2008 Focus to the 2005 Saturn L300

Click on any of the photos and you'll see a side by side enlargement comparing the two vehicles. The exterior of the Focus looks like an updated Saturn L series.

This would make a great issue for a presidential candidate to attach themselves to.

It's not hard to imagine people rallying around someone encouraging American mfrs to sell their best cars to Americans!

Ditt DocOc. This kind of news is terribly frustrating. Especially since the gas price hike. Is there any reasonable explanation... this is actually a nice looking car.

It is a nice looking car. Not like the one I bought in 1978. I have to admit though, I loved that little car. Drove it for 8 years and put around 140k miles on it. Don't remember what kind of gas mileage I got but I do remember that was one of the reasons I bought it. $.80/gal was outrageous at the time!

Here is a link to a little history of the Fiesta. http://www.carbodydesign.com/archive/2006/02/10-ford-fiesta-history/ford-fiesta-history.php