Ford Fiesta LPG passed up

Ford Australia decided to pass on the LPG-powered baby car to concentrate on Econetic, the fuel-efficiency sub-brand it will eventually migrate throughout its showroom models.

The Econetic Fiesta is already tested and confirmed as Australia's most fuel-efficient new car - even topping the Toyota Prius hybrid - and demand is so strong that Ford cannot get sufficient stocks, even though the car is relatively costly at $24,990.

The president of Ford Australia, Marin Burela, was part of the original Fiesta development team in Europe before returning home for the top job and knows all the detail on the LPG program.

"I'm very familiar with the Fiesta LPG. At the time of developing Fiesta, I was adamant that we had to deliver Econetic and LPG derivatives," Burela says.  "The LPG was specifically targeted for Italy, the Netherlands - not as strong - as well as potential in the UK and a few in Germany.

All of this was driven by the infrastructure that was available in Europe to support LPG and the fact that the Italian market has accepted LPG as a very viable and competitive alternative fuel."  But he says it was easy to go down the Econetic road in Australia, leaving LPG for the Falcon.

"In Australia we elected to go for the Econetic derivative as our fuel leader. The strategy has worked extremely well with demand for the vehicle exceeding supply."  Despite the potential for a gas-powered baby car, Burela says the Fiesta is not currently on the shopping list.

"At this stage we have no plans to introduce a LPG derivative," he says.  "However, as always  . . .  you never say never in our business. As we continue to evolve our plans we will continue to watch this space.  "The market will tell us if there is any potential for a LPG derivative in the future."