Ford releases info on Aussie Fiesta ECOnetic

[dannyhilton]

The Age

http://www.theage.com.au/drive/motor...1016-h0ck.html

To be launched in December. Official web: http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Conte...ction=econetic

Ford has released details of a new fuel-sipping small car that uses less fuel than any hybrid on the market. By RICHARD BLACKBURN.

The Toyota Prius hybrid is no longer Australia’s most fuel-efficient car. The car, which has held the mantle since its local launch in 2001, has been knocked off its green perch by a fuel-sipping diesel small car from Ford.

The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic model uses just 3.7 litres of fuel per 100km in official tests, shading the Toyota by 0.2 litres per 100km.

But the Prius still puts out less C02, emitting 89 grams per kilometre, compared with the Ford’s 98g/km.

At today’s pump prices, the Ford will cost just 14c less than the Prius for every 100km driven, but company spokeswoman Sinead McAlary says the title of Australia’s most fuel efficient car is worth much more than that.

“The bragging rights are important because this is a real brand changer for Ford. It’s something people wouldn’t expect from Ford,” she says.

“More and more people are concerned about fuel consumption. No matter what type of vehicle they are buying, they still want the most fuel efficient in that segment.”

The Fiesta ECOnetic will also have a big price advantage over the Prius, with a driveaway price of $24,990, compared with more than $40,000 for the Toyota.

The ECOnetic version of the Fiesta uses an efficient diesel engine matched to a manual transmission with gear ratios specially calibrated to reduce fuel consumption.

Other fuel-saving tricks include low rolling resistance tyres, low friction engine and transmission oils, aerodynamic aids and weight reductions, including the replacement of the spare tyre with a repair kit.

The car also has a green shift indicator light in the instrument cluster that tells the driver the most efficient time to shift gears.
The ECOnetic is the latest of a range of ultra-efficient conventionally-powered small cars developed to combat the increasing popularity of petrol-electric hybrid vehicles.

Aside from Ford, BMW, Mini, Audi and Volvo all have special frugal models that use similar fuel-saving technology.

The trend highlights the importance of being the greenest car on the block in a world increasingly focused on petrol prices and CO2 reduction.

Buyers have flocked to more fuel-efficient cars in recent years as concerns about dwindling oil supplies and global warming have become front page news.

McAlary says Ford will launch a wide-ranging communication campaign to promote the new car and compare it with hybrids already on the market.

“The car has been extremely popular in Europe since its launch eight months ago. They can’t build enough of them,” she says.