To quote the famous Scottish author Sir Walter Scott, "Oh what a tangled web we weave..." In this particular case, the web in question is a global vehicle market with automakers and product lines so intertwined with one another that Fiat's expected partnership with Chrysler could actually allow Ford to bring its small and super efficient Ka city car to the U.S. market. How so?

The latest version of Ford's diminutive Ka shares its basic underpinnings with the Fiat 500, which is one of the first small cars Fiat hopes to sell in the United States through Chrysler's under-utilized dealer network. Early projections indicate that the little Fiat 500 may be built in Toluca, Mexico for sale in the U.S. market. In Poland, both the retrotastic Fiat 500 and modern Ford Ka roll off the same assembly line, and something similar could potentially happen in Mexico.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally has repeatedly expressed a desire to sell the Ka in America, but it's never made financial sense to do so. Maybe – and it's still a bit of a stretch – that time has finally come.



[Source: The Detroit Free Press]

Ford is justifiably proud of the sales figures that its new Ka and Fiesta small cars have been able to rack up amidst a struggling global market. These two products have helped the automaker increase its European market share by 0.5 percentage points to 8.8 percent. More importantly, it proves that consumers do want to buy small cars as long as they are stylish, comfortable and modern. Legislation from various governments that promotes the purchase of fuel efficient, low-emission cars has also boosted demand for the two vehicles.

Both models were released late last year to a great deal of fanfare from the European automotive press, and U.S. sales of the new Fiesta are slated for 2010. To keep the hype machine in top gear, Ford will select 100 individuals in America and plans to give them keys to the Fiesta ahead of its official debut as they take part in the Fiesta Movement program.

In somewhat related news, Ford has also announced its new Product Sustainability Index, a program that looks to improve the environmental, social and economic impact of automobiles through 8 product attributes that it believes are the key sustainability elements of a new vehicle. Click past the break for the full rundown on what goes into the PSI, how it applies to the new Fiesta and why Ford believes it's important.


[Source: Ford]

When Ford introduced the world to its latest Ka microcar last year at the Paris Motor Show, we had serious doubts as to whether the diminutive little hatch would ever make it over to the United States. A few months have passed, and we're still left wondering. A few days after the car's first appearance, it was said that Blue Oval CEO Alan Mulally would like to see the Ka make it Stateside, and now news comes that the man at the helm is still championing the car's U.S. arrival. Still, no matter how much Mulally may want to see the Ka in Ford's home country, the final decision reportedly lies with Derrick Kuzak, who is said to disagree with his boss's opinion that it would sell in sufficient quantities in America. What's the problem? Remember that the Ka is built overseas and is an inexpensive machine, so there are serious questions as to whether it could possibly be profitable in the U.S.


[Source: Business Week]

Ford sure know how to place its product. From the small screen (see Fringe) to the silver screen, the company works hard to get its vehicles featured and then tell us all about it. The latest example is in the new Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, but it's not good old Jimmy whose ride we're supposed to be watching; it's new Bond Girl Camille (Olga Kurylenko) in a Ford Ka. Aside from the movie, Ford is plowing money into other promotional outlets that feature Kurylenko and the Ka, like an MTV special on the Bond Girls, shows on E! and a Glamour magazine special.

For us real-world types, Ford has announced the prices for the new Ka, which goes on sale in the UK in January and starts at £7,995. All five engine options will produce fewer than 120 grams of CO₂ - the 1.3 TDCi produces just 112 - but none come with 007's driving partner. Also, there's no hydrogen option. Full details after the jump.


[Source: Ford]

Ford CEO Alan Mullaly told Detroit radio station WJR that the company is reconsidering whether to bring its smallest car to the U.S. market. Ford officially introduced the second-generation Ka last week at the Paris Motor Show and up until now has not planned to offer the car in the U.S. The Ka is much smaller than even the Fiesta that will arrive in early 2010. The rising demand for small cars in the U.S. market has prompted Ford to reconsider its marketing plans for the Ka. The Ka is available in Europe with a choice of 1.2L gas or 1.3L diesel engines. If Ford does decide to bring the Ka to the U.S., it likely wouldn't arrive before 2010 or '11 at the earliest. The one thing that could make help the Ka arrive earlier would be if federal regulators grant a waiver to allow automakers to temporarily bring in small cars that don't meet current U.S. regulations until they can be modified. If that were to happen, the Ka could arrive sooner. The diesel Ka with a start stop system is rated at 60.3 mpg (U.S.) in Europe.

[Source: BusinessWeek]

Click on the Ka for a high res gallery

As we approach next month's Paris Motor Show, Ford is releasing more details on its new baby, the second-generation Ka. We now know that it will be launched with a pair of engine options, one each running on gas and diesel. The gas engine will be a 1.2L 69 hp unit while the Ka gets a diesel for first time with a 1.3L unit that generates 75 hp. The gas engine reduces fuel consumption by 21 percent compared to 1.3L unit in the old Ka. The diesel goes even further getting a rating of 56 mpg (U.S.) and both powertrains get CO₂ ratings under 120 g/km. Like other European Fords, the Ka has been tuned for good handling including spending some development at the Nurburgring amongst the ZR1s and GT-Rs. Production kicks off alongside the Fiat 500 this fall in Tychy, Poland. Unfortunately, it's unlikely we'll see it here in the U.S., but you never know. The Ford press release is after the jump.


[Source: Ford]

Click the Ka for a high-res gallery

The world will get its first official look at the new Ford Ka at the Paris Motor Show in about 6 weeks. However the production crew of the new James Bond flick have been seeing and driving it for months. Ford's new city car will be wielded by the the female lead in Quantum of Solace starting in November. The rampant product placement of the Casino Royale looks set for a re-run in the new movie. We still don't know if or when Americans will ever get a chance to tool around in a Ka, but if gas prices spike again, it's not beyond the realm of possibility. In the meantime you can check out the Polish assembled Ka in the gallery.


[Source: Ford]

Click the new Ka for a high-res gallery

Ford's new super-mini won't be making its live debut until the Paris Motor Show in October, but we now have official photos of the new Ka. Ford hasn't released any notable details of the new city car yet but we do know some things about it. It shares a platform with the Fiat 500 and will be built at a Fiat factory in Poland. Ford has done a masterful job of migrating the kinetic design themes of its European lineup to the diminutive Ka. Now if only they would bring it to the US to take on the likes of the MINI and Smart ForTwo.


[Source: Ford]

Click above to enlarge this image of the 2009 Ford Ka.

We've been seeing spy shot after spy shot of Ford's upcoming second-generation Ka minicar, so it's nice to see it in production form via a leaked photo on the internet ahead of its official unveiling. While the original Ka has been around since 1996, the New Edge vehicle still commands good sales numbers in the U.K. due to its good fuel mileage and low cost. Therefore, Ford's got plenty riding on the new redesign, and the look follows the current Kinetic Euro design ethos used by Ford while still featuring some of the key Ka styling trademarks, such as the pronounced wheel arches.

We have high hopes that the Ka will make the jump from Euro-only model to the United States as part of Ford's current U.S. strategy of offering small cars in lieu of SUVs and trucks. After all, who wouldn't like to see a mild hybrid variant of the next-gen Ka that can achieve 60.3mpg (U.S.)? Plus, it's attained Sub Zero status on Top Gear's Cool Wall.

[Source: Car Tribe]

Ford's upcoming baby, the Ka, won't be making its public debut until October's Paris Motor Show, but it seems to be turning up all over the place these days. The latest sighting of a new Ka was outside of the Tychy, Poland factory where the Ka and its platform mate the Fiat 500 are built. This latest batch of photos shows the Ka wearing nothing but duct tape. Perhaps now that F-150 sales are in free-fall and the decision has been made to offer American consumers the option of the Fiesta hatchback, the Dearborn product planners will see fit to offer us the Ka as well. The powertrain options in the Ka should be more palatable to most Americans than the engine in the Smart ForTwo - and the Ka at least has a back seat. Come on Ford, bring us the Ka.

[Source: World Car Fans]