Ford Fiesta News

Ford says their capped price service offer, MyFord, has been successful in bringing thousands of owners back to the brand -- 13,000 in 2013 alone. So they're taking the offer further, raising it to seven years and 135,000km from the six years/105,000km that rolled out in 2011.The revised program -- available on vehicles built from 2007 -- has been extended to cover brake pad replacements and rotor machining across the range except the sporty FPV, ST and XR5 variants and the light commercial Transit van. All eligible models will have front pads capped at $259 and rear ones at $219, except the rear-wheel drive Falcon and Territory rear pads, which will be capped at $259. Machining is capped at $88.Ford has also announced a year's free membership and roadside assistance with state motoring organisations -- NRMA, RACV, RACT, RACQ, AANT, RAA and RAC -- at participating dealers with the sale of any new car, except FPV and Transit.“The addition of the Auto Club Program is another customer-focused offering that Ford owners will enjoy,” Ford Australia general manager, customer service division, Stephen Kruk, says. “Customers expect this level of certainty from their dealers and we’re happy to say that since it was introduced in July 2011, the program has been very well received by our customers.”Owners can check the maximum price for a service, and all terms and conditions at www.ford.com.au/myfordcps.  MyFord Capped Price Servicing is available on the following vehicles.Ford Fiesta – WQ, WS, WTFord Focus – LS, LT, LV, LVIIFord Mondeo – MA, MB, MCFord Falcon – BF, BF FPV, BF MkII, BF MkII FPV, BF MkIII, FG, FG FPV, FG MkII, FG MkII FPVFord Escape – ZD, ZCFord Econovan - JHFord EcoSport - BKFord Kuga - TE, TFFord Territory – SY, SY F6X, SY MkII, SZFord Ranger – PJ, PK, PXFord Transit – VM, VNThis reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

As the Australian car manufacturing industry grinds to a halt, Ford has given a ray of hope to the struggling parts supply industry and university graduates who want to get into the car business.Ford has assisted nine key suppliers win lucrative contracts with foreign-made Ford cars, and will next week host a supplier fair in Geelong that will be attended by senior executives from Ford's global purchasing and product development divisions.Although Ford announced last month that 300 blue collar jobs would be cut early from its Geelong and Broadmeadows plants, the company has managed to move 20 factory workers across to its engineering division -- which with a headcount of 1100 staff will become the industry's biggest group of design and engineering employees in Australia by 2017.Ford will also hire 20 sales and marketing executives this year followed by a planned intake of up to 20 university graduates for supporting roles next year. One of the parts suppliers that has won an overseas Ford contract, MHG Asia-Pacific, with factories in Geelong and Melbourne, makes glass as well as interior and exterior plastics for cars.Later this year it will begin shipping those parts to Thailand for a top-secret Ford passenger car that is yet to be announced. It is the first time since MHG opened its doors in 1970 that it has exported parts to the Ford factory in Thailand.Ford currently imports the Fiesta and Focus small cars and the Ranger pick-up from Thailand, but other models are due to be built there, including an Australian-designed and engineered seven-seater SUV based on the Ranger.MHG cannot say how many parts it will ship to Thailand and what the contract is worth because of confidentiality agreements with Ford.However, MHG is understood to have not necessarily been the cheapest supplier pitching for the business."It's a very competitive, global bidding process but we won out in the end," said MHG chairman and founder, Steve Haritos. "You've got to provide a product and a service that's better than those in other parts of Asia."Mr Haritos said he is fighting to keep his company alive -- and protect the jobs of his 180 workers at two sites, in Geelong and Melbourne -- once Toyota, Holden and Ford shut their factories by the end of 2017.MHG currently supplies parts to all three car local makers. "There's a challenge ahead (but) our aim is to save as many jobs as possible, hopefully we won't lose one job," said Mr Haritos. "We can only give it our best shot."Meanwhile Ford said its plans to introduce updated versions of the locally-made Falcon sedan and Territory SUV are well on track, even though 80 per cent of the cars sold so far this year were imported.Despite continuing their sales slide, the new versions of the Falcon and Territory will be introduced in the second half of the year, the company says.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

The New York motor show in April will see the announcement of which vehicle has won the 2014 World COTY, and there looks to be a tough -- and very varied -- field of finalists.Last year's winner was the Volkswagen Golf, which also took awards in pretty well every country on the globe. But this year it could be anything from the little electric BMW i3 to the offroading Jeep Cherokee and even the Citroen C4 peoplemover, judging by the shortlist.A panel of 69 motoring experts from around the world -- including Carsguide's Paul Gover and National Motoring Editor Joshua Dowling -- will choose the winner from: Audi A3, BMW 4 Series, BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Ford Fusion/Mondeo, Infiniti Q50, Jeep Cherokee, Lexus IS, Mazda3, Peugeot 308 and Skoda Octavia.The 10 finalists for the 2014 World Luxury Car are the Bentley Flying Spur, BMW X5, Cadillac ELR, Cadillac Escalade, Maserati Ghibli, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Porsche Macan, Range Rover Sport and Rolls-Royce Wraith.Due to a tie, there are 11 finalists for the 2014 World Performance Car: Alfa Romeo 4C, Audi RS 6 Avant, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Ford Fiesta ST, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster, Mercedes-Benz A/CLA45 AMG, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 Turbo and Volkswagen Golf GTI.A separate panel of five 'green' experts will choose the 2014 World Green Car from Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (+ Audi e-gas), BMW i3, Honda Accord Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Volkswagen XL1.Similarly, a panel of five design experts will decide on the 2014 World Car Design of the Year, from among: BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Mazda3, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volkswagen XL1.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

In Russia, drift and rally fans don’t need big power to finesse their skills thanks to the Federation’s near perennial abundance of snow and ice.As a result, any old Lada Riva or Samara can be slewed sideways through the snow and slush, or even a GAZelle commercial van – if you’ve got one handy.The above video captures all of these in super slow-mo, with a dash of Ford Fiesta and Sierra, Subaru WRX and Toyota Celica GT-Four to showcase the yaw potential of front, rear, or all-wheel drive. Watch the desktop version of the budget Russian drift video here. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

Ford’s Fiesta ST is already arguably the king of the light hot hatch set, but a new report out of the UK suggests that an even hotter RS version is under development. AutoExpress suggests that a RS-badged Fiesta could be followed by the much-anticipated third-generation Focus RS, if a business case can be made for the models. Ford has been toying with the idea of a Fiesta RS since at least 2004, with a pumped-up concept based on the previous generation model shown at the Geneva motor show that year. Stranding in the way of the number crunchers though is the current economic woes of the Ford hatches’ European-market heartland, and the plans are reportedly far from being locked in. If a green light is given, tradition suggests we’ll see the new RS models towards the end of the Fiesta and Focus model life cycles, which could result in a Fiesta RS arriving at least 12 months ahead of as Focus RS – and as soon as 2015. The likely power source for a Fiesta RS would be an uprated version of the ST’s 134kW/240Nm 1.6-litre turbo, producing in the order of 172kW to trump the existing 160kW/320Nm Mountune-enhanced version available overseas.  A tricky diff is possible to help put such power to the ground, along with widened tracks, monster brakes, and pumped wheelarches and other agressive body enhancements to help link it with the RS-liveried Fiesta WRC racer. Development mules have already been sighted of a Focus with the same treatment, with the likely motive source a version of the 2015 Mustang’s circa-227kW 2.3 litre EcoBoost engine. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn  

If Santa didn't bring what you really wanted for Christmas, here's a hint to leave him for next year. Remote control car maestros HPI have released their second Ken Block replica -- sanctioned by the world's top hoon himself.Watch the desktop version of the Ken Block HPI RC replica video here.The meticulous 1:18 scale replica is the Ken Block 2013 GRC Micro RS4 With Ford Fiesta H.F.H.V. Body. And it echoes the real car in every important way -- as HPI sets out to demonstrate in a miniature salute to Block's insane Gymkhana 6.Watch Ken Block's Gymkhana 6 drift mayhemWith a track set up to mimic Block's 'ultimate gymkhana grid obstacle course', you get the signature manoeuvres and slides through tight container tunnels and overpasses, some fun with construction equipment, a spiked wrecking ball and a couple of other cars filling in for the Lamborghini Aventadors in the original.Watch Ken Block's Gymkhana 5 'ultimate urban playground'While the HPI car can't quite match Block's Fiesta in a 0-100km/h time of 1.9 seconds, it has enough acceleration and handling ability - and the hands on the remote control clearly have enough skill -- to show the potential fun you can have with the scale model. All that's missing is the cloud of tyre smoke.Watch the Ken Block Gymkhana in a Target store spoofHPI says the RC Block Fiesta is kitted out to easily handle an outdoor course as well, with an electronic speed control for the high-powered 180-size motor powering all four wheels with a full-time 4WD belt drive, coil-over shocks and waterproof steering servo.Watch Ken Block's backwards entrance into ClipsalIt's controlled via 2.4GHz radio system that automatically prevents frequency conflicts, with the pistol grip control has adjustable steering and throttle trim, steering dual rate, end points, servo reversing switches, and a third channel for optional extras.HPI points out that the car's GRC Spec replica wheels are also true to the originals on Block's Rallycross car, right down to the colour and the 'high-performance, grippy rubber' -- perfect for shredding.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Ford of Europe have revisited the Ken Block Gymkhana phenomenon with their second Snowkhana video Christmas card. Like Snowkhana 1, it uses stop-motion animation with toys to recreate Block action -- with 'Mental Block' at the wheel of a scale model of the real rallying Ford Fiesta ST. If you've seen the latest Ken Block exploits in Gymkhana 6, you'll recognise some of the stunts, in particular the scenes with earthmoving equipment, the signature obtacles ... and with plenty of cotton-wool 'smoke' from the tyres. Watch Ken Block Gymkhana 6 video And Ford has assembled a great cast of supporting talent for Snowkhana, including Darth Vader, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, a classic Ford Mustang and Ken Block himself. Watch Snowkhana 2 video Also watch: Snowkhana 1 video This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

The little Ford Fiesta EcoBoost proved to be winner with women judges, and Ford of Europe's chief operating officer Barb Samardizch was handed the trophy for 2013 Women's World Car of the Year in a ceremony in Cologne, Germany.The panel of judges from around the world cited the 1.0-litre EcoBoost Fiesta's fuel efficiency, plus its premium look and feel, as key factors in selecting it from a tough 2013 field that included vehicles as diverse as the Porsche Boxster S, Audi Allroad and Range Rover."It was clear from the outset that the new Fiesta 1.0-litre EcoBoost had struck a chord with our panel of female motoring experts from around the world," Myhre said. "Women play a significant but often overlooked role in buying a car and the new Fiesta's high-end look and feel, remarkable fuel economy and surprising performance are just some of the features which clearly chime with the needs of many female drivers."The award is judged on a range of factors women focus on when shopping for cars, including safety, value-for-money, appearance, storage, child-friendliness, ease-of-driving, colour, sex appeal and environmental impact."The success of the new Fiesta, both in terms of this award and impressive sales, has been achieved with a car which is sharp looking, better connected and even more fuel efficient and fun-to-drive," said Barb Samardzich, chief operating officer, Ford of Europe, accepting the WWCOTY trophy. 

The insanity of Ken Block's Gymkhana video series has gone beyond jumping the shark and reached self-awareness. This is a shark jumping a pyramid of sharks on shark skis.More precisely, it's a custom-built -- and wickedly powerful -- turbo AWD Ford Fiesta EcoBoost rally car four-wheel-drifting around the 'ultimate gymkhana grid obstacle course'. That means: through teeth-grittingly tight container tunnels and overpasses, under construction equipment, around a spiked wrecking ball, around a couple of moving Lamborghini Aventadors, around a couple of cops on Segways, and off of a bunch of low ramps -- while filling the circuit with smoke.The car does 0-100km/h in 1.9 seconds, and Block puts that acceleration potential to good use in raising the madness bar and managing to one-up himself again in No 6.Watch Ken Block's Gymkhana 6 video on our desktop site here.www.motorauthority.com

The 59-year-old, one of the last senior executives from the tumultuous Jacques Nasser era, started as Ford's vice president of design in 1997 after working with BMW, Audi and Volkswagen.