ECOnetic Fiesta confirmed for Oz

Ford will go gunning for the title of Australia's most fuel-efficient car with the launch of the Fiesta ECOnetic later this year. Local Ford boss Marin Burela confirmed the ultra frugal diesel-engined light car would be added to the local Fiesta model range in quarter four of 2009 at last week's regular Ford Australia media briefing.

The Fiesta ECOnetic was launched in mid-2008 in both three and five-door models at the London motor show. Powered by a tweaked 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine, the ECOnetic features aerodynamic changes, lower ride height, lower rolling resistance tyres and even special low friction engine lubricants. Available as a manual model only, it also gets a taller final drive ratio and the driver is assisted via economy and gear change indicators.

The local Blue Oval chief confirmed the Fiesta ECOnetic launch timing almost as an aside to part of his explanation of how Ford would target its underperformance in the Sydney new car marketplace (more here).

"The other thing that's going to be a really, really major player for us [is] the ECOnetic," Burela said.

"The ECOnetic we are launching in the fourth quarter of this year. [And the] Key message -- what do these customers want? They do not want to compromise on the [connectivity and other] technologies [offered by Fiesta], but what they want is 'give me fuel economy'..." added the Ford boss.

Burela said the ECOnetic would deliver fuel economy of 3.7L/100km and CO2 emissions of 98g/km. Such stats would beat the current fuel economy champ, MINI's Cooper D (3.9L/100km) and also better Toyota's Prius hybrid.

"Who else in Australia can go out and provide that?" Burela enthused.

The Ford boss dismissed criticism from competitors that the ECOnetic is aimed at fleet business only. 

"I'd ask my competitor to go and talk to the 28 year olds, like I do. And the 30 year olds. And go an ask them what's important to them.

"The [first] thing that they will say to you is they are very aware of world events, when it comes emissions... Incredibly aware... The second thing they will say is I love my car and my car has to be my space -- my lifestyle outside has to be replicated inside... And the third thing they say is... I don't expect to pay a premium for all of those things," Burela explained.

"So when we went out there and defined the key strengths of this particular vehicle, to go out and compete in the Australian landscape, we had to go and tick all three of those boxes... The car had to be sexy; the car had to give the lifestyle needs and wants, and then finally the car had to go out there and have the credentials in terms of sustainability and cost of usage," Burela stated.

"I'm looking forward to the battle. We'll see then whether it's a fleet thing or whether it's something [private] people are moving to.

Burela was coy about local pricing, however. In Europe the ECOnetic is at or near the top of the Fiesta price walk. This appears to fly in the face of Burela's "no premium" proclamation.

"We haven't set the pricing strategy yet...

"It is more expensive [in Europe]. There are some technology enhancements that we have to do to the car to get it to that level [of fuel economy and emissions]. What that will mean in Australia is something we still need to finalise. The team's working on that right now," Burela told the Carsales Network.

"What we need to do is make sure it is suitably priced so there's value for money. We need to make sure we bring in the technology with it so we don't disappoint and we need to make sure it's in the reach of people that are out there looking for that type of product," the Ford boss concluded.

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