The new Ford Fiesta ECOnetic hatchback will be available October 2009. Photo Gallery
Small car buyers will be hearing more about Ford's tongue-twisting Fiesta ECOnetic over coming months.
The same technology that gives the Fiesta diesel a fuel economy figure of just 3.7 litres/100km is expected to make it into other Fords.
Ford Australia president and CEO Burela admits that he would like to see a whole range of ECOnetic Fords.
In the UK, ECOnetic models are available in Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo.
"We're looking and studying that as an option but it's too early to say," he says.
"We'll start off with the Fiesta though."
Full local specifications and ECOnetic pricing will be released closer to the hatches on sale date around October.
In the UK the five-door ECOnetic is $1000 less than the five-speed manual Titanium 1.6-litre petrol hatch, which closely equates to the Australian-spec $20,990 Zetec 1.6 five-speed.
Burela describes the Fiesta ECOnetic is "an economy car without compromise".
Since its launch in Janaury, the petrol Fiesta is proving a big hit for Ford.
Demand is outstripping supply, particularly for Zetec models.
"We think that with the ECOnetic that will take that to another level," Burela says.
He believes buyers are ready and prepared to pay for a car like the ECOnetic.
"We think that we need to offer the Australia customers a choice," he says.
"We thought why not introduce it to the range and give the consumers the choice of where they want to go."
The Fiesta ECOnetic looks and drives just like the conventional hatch, using conventional diesel powertrain technology.
Power comes from a 1.6-litre TDCi diesel with a particulate filter to reduce harmful emissions.
The engine develops 66kW at 4000 revs and 200Nm from just 1750 revs.
Apart from its hybrid-busting fuel economy, the modern direct-injection diesel has a C02 emissions figure of just 98 g/km.
Burela says the car has the potential to deliver best-in-class CO2 emissions compared to the current crop of competitive vehicles, as well as against today's most popular hybrids.
Apart from the specially calibrated diesel, the car uses low rolling resistance tyres, aerodynamic aids, longer final drive gear ratio and 10mm lower suspension for reduced drag.
The driver also gets a green shift indicator light in the instrument cluster, which signals the best gear change point to maximise fuel economy.
To help reduce weight there is a tyre mobility kit rather than a traditional spacesaver spare.
