Ford’s new Fiesta family

The wait is over... it’s the new Ford Fiesta – at the double! Our spies caught both three and five-door versions of the sleek new hatch being put through their paces for the first time. And they confirm how close the roadgoing car will be to Ford’s Verve concept, which debuted at the Frank­furt Motor Show earlier this year.

As you can see, its distinctive features include new Mondeo-style head­lamps and a large lower air intake, complete with chrome trim.

The sporty three-door also hints at the look of the hot ST model. Bigger alloy wheels, a rear spoiler and heavily profiled door sills help to provide it with a truly purposeful stance.

Inside, the Fiesta replacement will use high-quality soft-touch plastics, while a stylish layout sets it apart from rival superminis. Hi-tech features include a panoramic glass sunroof and the firm’s new Sync system. This has been developed with computer giant Microsoft. It will provide user-friendly connectivity for MP3 players and Bluetooth mobile phones.

However, uncertainty still hangs over the name of the new hatchback. Only last week, Auto Express reported on how the Fiesta badge was set to continue. But a spokesman for the blue oval denied the Verve name had been completely ruled out. “We haven’t decided yet – the jury is still out,” he claimed.

The all-new model shares its platform with the Mazda 2, which looks set to provide Ford’s supermini with some stiff in-house competition. The lightweight Mazda has already proved a big hit, but the Fiesta is expected to be even better to drive.

Ford has forged a reputation for producing vehicles with sparkling dynamics, and the new model is set to raise the standard. The firm’s engineers have tuned the car’s suspension to provide sharper handling and agility than the current Fiesta. The supermini will also be the first in a new generation of lightweight models.

Ford boss Allan Mulally spelled out the company’s plans to reduce the weight of future models at the Los Angeles Motor Show last week. The strategy will help the firm lower vehicle emissions across the line-up. And from 2012 to 2020, Ford aims to cut bet­ween 125kg and 375kg from its cars without compromising safety.