MOTOR-BLOG from Coventry

Well it’s here at last, the new Ford KA. I’ve a sneaky feeling that the prototype car I’ve seen around Coventry recently could well have been a new KA getting some mileage put on it. Anyhoos, We have a brand spankers German registered car on test at work at the moment, and I must say, I’m a little disappointed.

I’ve not driven it you understand, and I’m sure like most new cars it will be fine to drive - easy to control, so good as to be bordering on the boring. It’s just the way it looks, It’s based on the same platform as the Fiat 500 but without the charisma. I liked the new 500 when it came out, but I’m a little bored with them too now, it has to be said. But at least the retro styling gives it a little something…

I know that Ford have tried to go for a completely new look with the new KA, but they could have kept a little of the original’s styling, which was lets not forget, quite daring at the time.

OK, so the original version didn’t get the envisaged 3 cylinder possibly turbocharged petrol engine that it was meant to and it had to make do with a development of the rattly decades old Kent engine with no diesel option (could you imagine that these days?) But it made a splash when it first appeared in 1996.

Not so the new one in my opinion, it looks just like a Corsa to me and that is dull. Nope, no matter how good it is to drive if I was after a brand new small car it would have to be a new Twingo.

Now that’s more like it…

And now for your entertainment is the official launch press release - let it not be said that motor-blog does not give a balanced view of opinion…

ALL-NEW FORD KA MAKES GLOBAL DEBUT AT PARIS MOTOR SHOW

• Replacing the iconic original, the all-new Ford Ka is stylish, modern and great fun to drive
• Expressive styling combines Ford’s latest kinetic design language with the youthful and cheeky spirit of the original Ka
• Suspension, steering and chassis have been meticulously tuned by Ford engineering specialists to deliver the most exciting driving dynamics of any small car
• Efficient to run and environmentally friendly with two economical, low emission engines: 1.2-litre 69 PS Duratec petrol and the first Ka diesel – a
  1.3-litre 75 PS Duratorq TDCi – delivering 67.2mpg
• Both petrol and diesel models available with sub-120g/km CO₂ emissions
• Available in the UK by late 2008/early 2009

Brentwood, Essex, September 8, 2008 - The exciting all-new Ford Ka makes its global debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It replaces the iconic original Ka, which brought new levels of style and enjoyment to the small-car market when it was launched in 1996.

The all-new Ka retains all of the qualities which made the Ka brand so popular – compact size, great looks, lively dynamics and fun personality – but presents them in a fresh all-new package.

With its striking interior and exterior design, outstanding dynamics and unique character, the all-new Ford Ka sets a new standard for affordable small cars. Practical, safe, cheap to run, and friendly to the environment, this bold new model starts a new chapter of the Ka success story.

Production of the all-new Ford Ka commences in the autumn of 2008, and the vehicle will go on sale in the UK in late 2008/early 2009.

Stylish and fashionable
With the introduction of all-new Ka, Ford has extended its kinetic design language to the smallest car range.

The all-new vehicle has a stylish, fashionable appearance which combines Ford’s latest design thinking with some of the youthful and cheeky spirit which made the original Ka so popular.

Designed for a young target audience who enjoy making a bold statement in their choice of car, the all-new Ka has the same compact proportions as its predecessor, but with a chunky and expressive style all of its own.

A number of visual cues from the outgoing car ensure that the new design is recognisably a Ka, yet it has the dynamic qualities which mark it out as a member of the kinetic design family.

Bold, colourful interior
The interior of the all-new Ka has a stylish, dynamic design, just like the exterior. The same kinetic design philosophy used to shape the body is applied inside the vehicle, ensuring that the fresh and modern character of the external design is matched by the interior style.

Bold contrasts and expressive colours have been deliberately chosen to reflect the more adventurous tastes of the typical Ka customer. These are combined with some imaginative design details to give the interior a fashionable and fun personality which is quite unique in the B-car segment.

The all-new Ka is practical too, with generous interior space and comfortable accommodation for four adults and their belongings. The high seating position, carefully placed controls and excellent visibility make the all-new Ka a pleasure to drive for drivers of all ages.

Exciting driving dynamics
The original Ka was renowned for its go-kart like handling, and the all-new Ka has been designed to be just as fun and rewarding to drive, with the most exciting driving dynamics of any small car.

Ford’s own chassis engineering experts have tuned the suspension, steering, and chassis, with the same meticulous attention to detail which has made Ford a leader in vehicle dynamics.

Final testing was conducted using a combination of public roads, proving grounds and race tracks – including the legendary Nürburgring in Germany.

During the engineering process, information was exchanged with the team developing the all-new Fiesta, and certain components, such as the tyres, were jointly developed for both models.

Economical and environmentally friendly
The affordable all-new Ford Ka is designed to be both cheap to run and kind to the environment. It uses two economical, low emission engines: a 1.2-litre 69 PS Duratec petrol engine and, for the first time on Ka, a 1.3-litre 75 PS Duratorq TDCi turbodiesel.

Both petrol and diesel models are available with sub-120g/km CO₂ emissions.

The 1.2-litre petrol model, which is expected to be the largest seller in the all-new range, has cut fuel consumption by 21 per cent compared to the previous 1.3-litre Ka.

The diesel model – available on the Ka for the first time – improves economy still further, achieving a combined fuel consumption of 67.2mpg.

Safe and secure
The all-new Ka may be a small vehicle, but it has been engineered to meet Ford’s strict in-house safety design guidelines.

At the heart of the vehicle is the bodyshell, which has been developed to provide an incredibly strong, stable crash structure to protect passengers in case of an accident.

The bodyshell is combined with an Intelligent Protection System (IPS), which integrates airbags, restraint systems and seating technologies to provide a highly effective occupant safety system.

Ka choice
The all-new Ford Ka is available in four series –Studio, Style, Style + and Zetec – each offering a combination of value and equipment.  Option packs are available to provide customers with maximum choice when specifying their vehicle.

Specify the Bluetooth-enabled Connectivity Kit, and the Ka comes equipped with Bluetooth® mobile phone connectivity, a USB port to play music files through the sound system and steering wheel controls.

Combine this with the superb six-speaker CD sound systems, and the all-new Ka provides all the necessary equipment to keep its passengers connected and entertained.

Unique among vehicles in the small-car segment, the all-new Ka also offers heated windscreen and heated seats, invaluable for safe and comfortable driving in cold winter conditions.

Development and production
The all-new Ford Ka has been developed as part of a common project with Fiat. The vehicle is produced at the modern Fiat manufacturing plant in Tychy, Poland, sharing the production line with the Fiat 500 model.

Ka history
The original Ford Ka was launched at the Paris Motor Show in 1996. It was immediately acclaimed for its exciting “All-new Edge” styling and for bringing new levels of driving enjoyment to the class.

Sales soon took off across Europe, and the Ka gained the popularity which has stayed with it throughout its lifetime, with a total of over 1,460,000 vehicles produced. In the UK alone, the Ka has found 500,000 customers, and has been segment leader since 2000.

Derivatives, such as the exciting StreetKa and SportKa models expanded the Ka family, and helped to broaden and reinforce the model’s appeal.

The Ka has inspired tremendous loyalty amongst its customers, with many owners coming back to the model time and time again. Based on Ford research, Ka customers have the highest customer brand loyalty of any Ford model.

Talk about flogging a dead horse… Citroën has released details of a special edition of what they call their ‘funky’ convertible supermini, the C3 Pluriel. What everyone else calls it in this, the age of electric hardtopped CC cars, is pointless. The Pluriel has not been an altogether success - removing the roof was a faff, and where do you put the bits you take off?

Well you leave them at home don’t you - and hope that it doesn’t rain when you’re out. Not ideal. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one out and about with the roof removed - too much like hard work for today’s drivers. I’ve always applauded Citroën for trying something different, but in this case, it just doesn’t work - especially considering the fact that the roof often leaks too.

Well anyhow, for what it’s worth, here is the new special edition - the Charleston, due to be unveiled at next month’s Paris Motor Show and on sale in the UK by early 2009. Here’s what the press release has to say about it:

The C3 Pluriel Charleston fashions a contemporary reinterpretation of a design theme that once decorated Citroën’s famous 2CV - a stylistic nod to one of the most iconic cars in history, which this year celebrates its 60th birthday.

With a blend of nostalgic and contemporary styling the C3 Pluriel Charleston should strike a chord with both 2CV fans and buyers looking for a vehicle with individual design flair. With its bold two-tone colour scheme of black and Bordeaux red, the sophisticated Charleston special edition will be positioned at the high-end of the Pluriel range with premium touches throughout such as gloss-black fittings, leather upholstery and chrome trim.

Also fitted as standard are stylish 15” aluminium wheels which feature red embellisher centres that add elegance and definition.

Hmm, good luck with that. To be honest though, they probably should have pitched the Pluriel as a fun, silly, 2CV replacement in the first place, rather than trying to pitch it as a premium aspirational lifestyle car. If they had, they might have sold a few more and not have to release gimmicky special editions, which is always the manufacturers’ last gasp to try and shift a few more units of a failing or soon to be replaced model…

Yep, I’ve seen another one. This one was parked up at my local shops as I was driving past on Friday. Usually when I see these cars they are on the move, so this one was too good an opportunity to pass up. I parked the car, grabbed my camera and bounded over to the car to get some close up pics.

This kinda worked. Rear three quarters - check. Rear shot - check. Then I made my mistake - I went for an interior shot before grabbing a front picture - big mistake. The test driver inside spotted me as I made my move to grab a pic of the interior architecture and promptly drove off.

So there we are - I’ll be doing it differently next time and make sure I get a frontal pic (although it was pretty heavily disguised anyway). So what is it? Well having recently had a Hyundai test car myself, I’d say that it was one of this ever-improving breed - perhaps an i-30. But it also sort of looked like a Mitsubishi.

I’d be interested to know what you think and I am already preparing to stand corrected!

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars revealed the first design sketches of its next new model. Known as RR4, the car is due to be launched in 2010 and will sit alongside the Phantom model line-up. RR4 will be smaller than Phantom and powered by a new engine, unique to Rolls-Royce.

The design was signed off in 2007 and engineering development is now fully underway. The Goodwood manufacturing facilities are being completely reconfigured to accommodate the RR4, with extended paint, wood and leather shops as well as a second assembly line. The company will move to a two shift system next year as it gears up for full production of the new model.

Chief designer, Ian Cameron, said, “Effortless performance and standard-setting levels of comfort and efficiency, executed with the utmost care and attention, remain fundamentals of Rolls-Royce design. The RR4 has a more informal presence than the Phantom models with a greater emphasis on driving. In design terms this is expressed through its slightly smaller dimensions and more organic form, yet with powerful, purposeful proportions. It is a true and uncompromising Rolls-Royce in every sense.”

“RR4 will mark a milestone in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars”, Chairman, Ian Robertson added. “The business continues to go from strength to strength and the introduction of this new model will expand the appeal of the brand. We look forward to this next chapter with anticipation and confidence.”

Further design and engineering details will be announced during the course of 2009.