Fiesta now sports Zetec
Ford has debuted its lastest Zetec Fiesta 'sportster'...Ford Australia has annouced the arrival of its sportiest Fiesta yet. The new Fiesta Zetec completes the upgrade of the Fiesta range.
Sporty is a relative term, however... First unveiled at last October's Sydney Motor Show, the Zetec is powered by the same 1.6-litre Duratec 16-valve all-alloy engine featured in all Fiestas Down Under.
Producing 74kW at 6000rpm and peak torque of 146Nm at 4000rpm, the engine is unchanged in the Zetec model.
What is different is the Zetec's new manual transmission. Featuring a taller final drive but shorter, closer internal ratios, Ford says the new tranny improves the Zetec's acceleration and responsiveness.
Says Ford: "An 8.6 per cent lower first gear greatly improves launch feel, while an 11.4 per cent lower fourth gear enhances responsiveness in the cut and thrust of city traffic."
The Zetec also gets a chassis make-over and subtle bodywork and interior changes.
As with the LX and Ghia models, the Zetec gets new body-coloured bumpers front and rear, a new grille design, new headlamps, new rear lights and a redesigned interior. The Zetec also sports special seat facings and dash treatment.
The latest Zetec's chassis changes include:
- Revised (lower and stiffer) springs front and rear
- Revised, stiffer dampers front and rear
- Upgraded, thicker front anti-roll bar
- Revised suspension bushes front and rear
- Stiffer rear suspension twist beam
- 16-inch alloy wheels with 195/45 R16V low profile tyres
The new Fiesta Zetec's price is unchanged for the manual transmission model from $18,490.
An auto variant is also available for $800 less than its predecessor, from $19,990.
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