Ford Fiesta Econetic – Australia’s most fuel efficient car

[vztrt]

http://www.caradvice.com.au/44542/fo...efficient-car/

Ford Fiesta Econetic – Australia’s most fuel efficient car

October 16, 2009 by Alborz Fallah

Updated 3 pm: Ford Australia has revealed details of Australia’s most fuel efficient car, the Ford Fiesta Econetic.



Using just 3.7 litres of fuel per 100km, and producing 98 grams of CO2 emissions per kilometre, the Fiesta takes the title from the Prius and Mini Cooper D.



Pricing is $24,990 drive away and the Fiesta comes with a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Ford Australia President and CEO Marin Burela told CarAdvice the development of the Fiesta Econetic, which has been on sale in Europe for some time, was heavily supported by Ford Australia. The eco-friendly Fiesta has so far sold to over 60,000 buyers in Europe, despite having an initial target of around 2-3,000.



Australia’s most fuel efficient car is expected to go on sale in December and Ford Australia believes its priced just right to appeal to young and young-at-heart buyers alike.

Mr Burela said Ford’s own testing has shown to car to use around 3.2-litres per 100km on a normal urban cycle. According to Ford’s research the new third generation Prius is indeed more fuel economical in city traffic, however given the massive price gap between the two cars, Ford has worked out that it will take 115 years (based on September fuel prices) to make up the cost of the additional fuel the Fiesta uses over the Prius during city driving.



The diesel powered Fiesta makes use of a 1.6-litre 66kW engine with 200Nm of torque. Fuel saving technologies used include low resistance tyres (tyre size: 175/65 R14), uniquely tuned transmission, lowered suspension for better aerodynamics, low friction oils and weight reduction everywhere possible.

In regards to the transmission, the Fiesta Econetic is only available with a five-speed manual with no current plans for an automatic. The Fiesta weighs 1088kg (kerb weight).





























You can see the full technical specification document: Ford-Fiesta-Technical Specifications

[vztrt]

$25K Fiesta fuel-miser eclipses Prius

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2576510016E3FE

Ford’s $24,990 driveaway Fiesta Econetic pips Toyota hybrid to be fuel economy king

16 October 2009

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS

FORD has confirmed that its long-awaited Fiesta Econetic officially will be Australia’s most fuel-efficient car when it goes on sale at driveaway price of $24,990 on December 1, edging out the latest Toyota Prius and BMW’s Mini D.

As forecast by GoAuto Media last month, the Fiesta Econetic averages 3.7 litres per 100 kilometres in the just-released Australian Design Rule 81/02 combined fuel consumption rating, putting the German-built diesel-powered light car 0.2L/100km ahead.

Furthermore, the Fiesta Econetic achieves 3.2L/100km on the extra urban (highway) cycle, half a litre less than what the Toyota can muster, and 0.3L/100km better than the Mini.

And while the $24,990 driveaway pricing is slightly more expensive than predicted, the smallest Ford sold in Australia still comfortably undercuts the Mini D by around $10,000 and the Prius by almost $20,000 ‘on the road’.

According to Ford Australia president and CEO Marin Burela, an Australian motorist averaging 15,000km a year would take about 115 years to recoup the price difference with Prius if petrol was priced at $1.23 per litre.

But the Fiesta Econetic still lags behind the Toyota hybrid for low carbon dioxide emissions, managing 98 grams per kilometre against just 89g/km.

Nevertheless, it still means the Blue Oval greenie is the only other vehicle to breach the sub-100g/km barrier.

As revealed earlier in the year, the Fiesta Econetic uses a revised version of the 1.6-litre TDCi turbo-diesel engine found in the Mini D, as well as several Peugeot and Citroen models and the up-coming Volvo C30 DRIVe.

Putting drive to the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox, it delivers 66kW of power at 4000rpm and 200Nm of torque from 1750rpm.

We understand that an automatic gearbox may be offered later, but none has yet been confirmed for the Fiesta Econetic by Ford.

The fuel consumption figures are aided by a 10mm lower ride height compared to other Fiestas (ground clearance is 93mm), as well as improved aerodynamics courtesy of air deflectors, specially designed wheel caps for the slim 14-inch steel wheels running on 175/65-section low-rolling-resistance tyres.

Other fuel-saving devices include low-viscosity engine and transmission oils, a taller final drive ratio, the replacement of a spare wheel/tyre with a ‘tyre mobility kit’ and driver aids to encourage environmentally friendlier driving, specifically a green ‘shift indicator’ light in the instrument panel.

At 1088kg, the Fiesta Econetic is at least 7kg lighter than the conventional five-door CL model, but the base three-door CL weighs slightly less at 1085kg.

It also manages a five-star ANCAP crash-test rating, since it includes seven airbags including one for the driver’s knee, as well as electronic stability control and ABS anti-lock brakes.

Also standard will be air-conditioning, front power windows, electric mirrors, remote central locking, cruise control and fog lights.

Mr Burela believes the Econetic is the more relevant car for Australia, since it makes better-than-hybrid economy more affordable for the masses. “This is clearly a game changer for the industry in Australia,” he declared.

“This is not business as usual. We are not tinkering around the edges. We are being very bullish. And more importantly, we are delivering to our customers what it is that they have been asking for and looking for, for many years.”

Ford Fiesta Econetic pricing
Econetic $24,990

[Yellow_Festiva]

Very nice indeed......

While reading up on this model from the UK site it will get all the way down to 3l flat per 100!

No fancy batteries or inflated pricetag either... I think at that price it will sell very well.

Ford has worked out that it will take 115 years (based on September fuel prices) to make up the cost of the additional fuel the Fiesta uses over the Prius during city driving.

Why would anyone choose a Prius over this? Only benefit I can see is that it is prob a tiny fraction larger.

Love the finger at the top of the photo... lol

[Iggypoppin']

Awesome car by the looks of things and 200nm in a car weighing just a ton, that's incredible. This thing will sell like nothing else(let's hope). Well done ford

[SVD]

yeh but this looks 11tybillion times better! i'd drive one of these quite happily as long as it was like my girlfriends or something.... i could never actually 'own' one :P

[madmelon]

Originally Posted by vztrt

$25K Fiesta fuel-miser eclipses Prius

The fuel consumption figures are aided by a 10mm lower ride height compared to other Fiestas (ground clearance is 93mm), as well as improved aerodynamics courtesy of air deflectors, specially designed wheel caps for the slim 14-inch steel wheels running on 175/65-section low-rolling-resistance tyres.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2576510016E3FE

What so now we're allowed to have less than 100mm ground clearance?

[LeadFoot81]

Great work by Ford here. Why would you buy a Hybrid?

[cheek]

i wannnnnnnnnt one!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fairlane]

hmmm. Nice car, but I cant help but wonder who the target market is Citroen C4 buyers?, Audi A3 buyers?

25G is a lot of dosh for a small car even as ones as good as the Fiesta, and in manual only form it really limits its market appeal (then again the fiesta auto is a big let down to the side). Dont get me wrong i love the Fiesta but in base 1.6 manual mode.

I know its more economical than one but this is Hyundai I30 and Cruze diesel money, and well the govt fleets will just buy a Civic hybrid cause it is an auto.

[Falc'man]

HSE2's next car! :P

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Fairlane

hmmm. Nice car, but I cant help but wonder who the target market is Citroen C4 buyers?, Audi A3 buyers?

25G is a lot of dosh for a small car even as ones as good as the Fiesta, and in manual only form it really limits its market appeal (then again the fiesta auto is a big let down to the side). Dont get me wrong i love the Fiesta but in base 1.6 manual mode.

I know its more economical than one but this is Hyundai I30 and Cruze diesel money, and well the govt fleets will just buy a Civic hybrid cause it is an auto.

This will be a niche vehicle to start with, people will pay the premium knowing that they are driving Australia's most fuel efficient car. After that, once the fanfare has worn off the price may drop slightly.

Look at other niche vehicles such as Smart for 2 / 4, the Mini, The Beetle, PT Cruiser, Prius, Fiat 500, Kia Soul etc all unique in their own way, and all priced at a premium compared to other cars that offer similar engine and space.

I agree that the lack of an auto is a huge mistake.. People ready to spend will buy elsewhere because of this.

[vztrt]

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

New fuel-miser Ford knocks Prius off its perch
RICHARD BLACKBURN
October 16, 2009 - 2:19PM

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.

[irish2]

Auto's cost power and create higher consumption. I highly doubt it would be Australias' most fuel efficient car with an auto. It would also be a slug with an auto.

[Joe5619]

I'll go on record as saying this car will sell like a dog!! Who is going to pay 25K for what looks like a base model when you can get the top of the line petrol model that looks 100% better & already has good ecomony!!

[GT69]

I can't believe people pay $40,000 for a bloody Prius.....surely someone is taking the pi$$.

I got my XR6T for $42,500......geez I no there in different games here...but i just cant understand the logic at play with these people. All the blows back and forth against our holden brothers....atleast they understand us.....

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

I'll go on record as saying this car will sell like a dog!! Who is going to pay 25K for what looks like a base model when you can get the top of the line petrol model that looks 100% better & already has good ecomony!!

I reckon the same thing, the official figures are only about 2L more for the petrol version. I have the base model and it actually isn't bad though, the zetec does look better though.

[Dave R]

Manual-only is going to limit its appeal!! I don't think the Fiesta's target market (being younger, 'hip' people?) are going to want to shift the gears themselves. Particularly in a $25k small car, you would expect auto. But I guess this car is all about economy, which auto would obviously degrade.

Regardless, 3.7l/100km is insane. The consumption of three Fiestas = one Falcon! One would wonder if Ford actually plans to sell a bucketload of these, or is this a brand image exercise? Having the "most fuel efficient car in Australia" is certainly a bragging opportunity.

[Swordsman88]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

I'll go on record as saying this car will sell like a dog!! Who is going to pay 25K for what looks like a base model when you can get the top of the line petrol model that looks 100% better & already has good ecomony!!

Who cares!!! As noted by journos already (and ford itself) and mentioned by adrenaline above...it is brand building. If you think Holden spent millions of bucks on those SIDI engines (which aren't going that great in the real world...) just to be nice to the consumer or the environment you are nuts. They did it so they could claim to be the most fuel efficient petrol large car (omega 3.0 9.3L/100km). This car is all about that. Ford has tried unsuccessfully to illustrate that they have a full line up of cars that suit peoples needs, from luxo large cars, to hot hatches, family suvs and top level performance vehicles. Now they can use this to further momentum on the small car front.

They only sell 700-750 fiestas a month anyway...if they sell 50 of these a month (which believe me there is more than enough demand for that...they are probabl limited to 100 australia wide due to supply anyway) then who cares. Fact is people will see the ad and think...oh Ford really is doing some good stuff..hell they have the most fuel efficent car in australia now. I reckon a 'Ford of Course' ad for the fiesta may be launched soon with this car as the primary message.

Yes it is expensive...but fact is people will pay it (witness hybrid sales) because they effectively will sacrifice the look (alloy wheels/body kit) and top level performance (though this fiesta would't be all that slow) for the 'good feeling' of burning less fuel. Don't forget the car is pretty well kitted out in other areas too..and you still get what is accepted as the best light car on sale in australia while you're at it.

If this car sells even half well (i.e. maxes out supply) Ford will probably pull the trigger on the Focus Econotic too (though not sure about mondeo..) Focus Econonetic uses the 1.6 diesel (may be 2.0 version too??) in Europe too if i remember correctly...so parts commonality there. It woud be a good way to get traction for Focus next year to tide it over till the all new model. Also note that Econotic falcon's could be launched using econo tuned I4T engines (with less power/better fuel burn) come 2011 too..... Either way it is good spin for Ford....especially if this car is able to take out the Global Green Challenge on soon.....

[GK]

Ford continues to work at building the brand. It's taken many years of negative hits from a pro Holden media (and country) but slowly and surely, they are starting to be better placed in the market.

It all takes valuable time, but I reckon they're slowly getting there.

GK

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by GK

Ford continues to work at building the brand. It's taken many years of negative hits from a pro Holden media (and country) but slowly and surely, they are starting to be better placed in the market.

It all takes valuable time, but I reckon they're slowly getting there.

GK

I reckon you are right. Having had good product across the range for probably 5years now is helping. Falcon, Ute, Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo & Territory are all at or near the top of their class as far as the vehicles themselves go. Sales wise, they aren't.

Ford's advertising is now in line with what Mullaly has asked for. Confident, but not cocky. No need to apologise, we have great products.

This could be a great platform for Ford to use. Plus the launch itself gets plenty of positive media! Free advertising sure beats paying for it.

[Nikked]

Pow. Take that Toyota!

[Nikked]

Hopfully The Ecoboost Falcon won't arrive too late.

[351capri]

excellent, bring it on , build the brand back up to where it deserves to be, no. 1.

[SVD]

Originally Posted by vztrt

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

is no one noticing that last line... THEY CANT BUILD ENOUGH! it looks as though it is a damn succesful car in europe which is a bigger market then australia, if it can work there im sure that they are gonna sell pretty damn well here too! only time will tell with this but regardless the car is succesful and must be making a big impact.

[ebxr8240]

Auto cars are not as popular in Europe..
There auto's tend not to be as good as Jap cars also..

[Bossxr8]

I seriously think Ford could not care wether they sold well or not, the main reason they want to sell this car is solely for brand image. Ford seem to have a brand perception of being gas guzzlers, even when they aren't, and this car will go a long way towards changing that perception. I think a few people will be suprised when Ford advertise one of their cars being the most fuel efficient you can buy.

Thats worth it weight in gold.

They have also said if the Econetic Fiesta sells ok then they will possibly introduce the Econetic versions of the Focus and Mondeo.

[mik]

for the budget conscious this will be a winner i think, second car/ runabout anyone?

[irsa76]

I tried to convince the wife to get one of these to replace her, 6 month old, Colt. I did some sums and it's not actually worth it! Ford claims 3.5L/100km, great numbers but I was able to get that out of a '97 121 Metro 1.3 10 years ago during a fuel economy challenge, our Colt gets 5-6L/100km so the price difference, nearly $8k in our case, is too great to justify the purchase.
Shame because I like the Fiesta.

[kocho]

Ford would you PLEASE advertise the **** out of this car...

[The Monty]

I would love one of these, leave the big car for long trips, use this for everything else.