Comments on: Ford’s New City Ka Breaks Cover http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/ The Truth About Cars is dedicated to providing candid, unbiased automobile reviews and the latest in auto industry news. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:54:01 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: FromBrazil http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-474322 FromBrazil Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:26:43 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/#comment-474322 The new Brazilian Ka has nothing to do with this new European model. The Brazilian Ka is an "evolution" (let's be nice) of the old Fiesta platform. Ford took one of GM's ideas and applied it to the Brazilian Ka (WTF?? An idea from GM??). Call it brilliant from a bean counter's view point, but it runs like this: take the old platform, tweak it a little, use parts from existing parts bin, put on new sheetmetal and call it good!! New car!! New generation!!! In fact, what they do is go back a generation (like GM did with the Celta which is based on the Corsa's first generation) and sell it cheaper than the new Corsa (2nd generation, in Europe it's in its 3rd). Specifically with the Ka, they took the old Fiesta platform (roots in 70s), changed it a little, kept the front structurs of the current Ka (windschield, doors, suspension etc.), strectched platform a little and bang! New Ka! Though its selling better than the old Ka, I guess it's the newness thing. No threat to market leaders VW Gol and Fiat Palio. And the European Ka is food for thought for NA's Fiat haters. A Ford built by Fiat, by Fiat workers, on a Fiat platform, at a Fiat factory. Call me naive, but that's very much a Fiat car. The design came from Ford, but the execution...Seems like the blue oval boys trust the Italians just a little not to tarnish their good name (at least in Europe). I mean, if a an "Italian" Ford is good enough for Ford, doesn't that lend credence to Fiat's planned expansion into the NA market.... Anyway, just sayin' PS Stingray, hope you get the European Ka! Disclousure: I own a previous generation Brazilian Ford Ka. Fun to drive (think go-cart), but uneconomic (w/ a 1.0 65hp engine! My Palio w/ an engine same size gets double the mileage!) and troublesome since new. Still, would probably give the new car a chance. Go figure! But it's actually better in person, though the front, which used to be so characterful, is now totally generic yawn inspiring. The new Ka is better from the back. The old from the front. Can't Ford Brazil get both sides right at the same time?? The new Brazilian Ka has nothing to do with this new European model. The Brazilian Ka is an “evolution” (let’s be nice) of the old Fiesta platform. Ford took one of GM’s ideas and applied it to the Brazilian Ka (WTF?? An idea from GM??). Call it brilliant from a bean counter’s view point, but it runs like this: take the old platform, tweak it a little, use parts from existing parts bin, put on new sheetmetal and call it good!! New car!! New generation!!!

In fact, what they do is go back a generation (like GM did with the Celta which is based on the Corsa’s first generation) and sell it cheaper than the new Corsa (2nd generation, in Europe it’s in its 3rd). Specifically with the Ka, they took the old Fiesta platform (roots in 70s), changed it a little, kept the front structurs of the current Ka (windschield, doors, suspension etc.), strectched platform a little and bang! New Ka! Though its selling better than the old Ka, I guess it’s the newness thing. No threat to market leaders VW Gol and Fiat Palio.

And the European Ka is food for thought for NA’s Fiat haters. A Ford built by Fiat, by Fiat workers, on a Fiat platform, at a Fiat factory. Call me naive, but that’s very much a Fiat car. The design came from Ford, but the execution…Seems like the blue oval boys trust the Italians just a little not to tarnish their good name (at least in Europe). I mean, if a an “Italian” Ford is good enough for Ford, doesn’t that lend credence to Fiat’s planned expansion into the NA market….

Anyway, just sayin’

PS Stingray, hope you get the European Ka!

Disclousure: I own a previous generation Brazilian Ford Ka. Fun to drive (think go-cart), but uneconomic (w/ a 1.0 65hp engine! My Palio w/ an engine same size gets double the mileage!) and troublesome since new. Still, would probably give the new car a chance. Go figure! But it’s actually better in person, though the front, which used to be so characterful, is now totally generic yawn inspiring. The new Ka is better from the back. The old from the front. Can’t Ford Brazil get both sides right at the same time??

]]> By: JJ http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-473911 JJ Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:53:57 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/#comment-473911 Styling by Peugeot more likely... <a href="http://www.automotorsport.se/bigpix/2007/peugeot_308sw_front_stor.jpg" rel="lightbox[45261]" rel="nofollow">308</a> <a href="http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-pqr/Peugeot-907-Concept-Front-1024x768.jpg" rel="lightbox[45261]" rel="nofollow">907</a> <a href="http://www.hydrogencarsnow.com/images/Peugeot/peugeot-207-epure.jpg" rel="lightbox[45261]" rel="nofollow">207</a> And most of all <a href="http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/04/diesels/image/peugeot407.jpg" rel="lightbox[45261]" rel="nofollow">407</a> Styling by Peugeot more likely…

308

907

207

And most of all
407

]]> By: Stingray http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-472562 Stingray Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:21:09 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/#comment-472562 Go to ford.com.br and see their new Ka... now that is fugly. Go to ford.com.br and see their new Ka… now that is fugly.

]]> By: Ingvar http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-472542 Ingvar Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:10:36 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/#comment-472542 The reason for the 1997 Ka being very cheap, was that it was built upon the then soon to be replaced Fiesta Mk IV platform, with roots back to 1976, and with an engine from the 60's. The development cost could not have been big. The reason for the 1997 Ka being very cheap, was that it was built upon the then soon to be replaced Fiesta Mk IV platform, with roots back to 1976, and with an engine from the 60’s. The development cost could not have been big.

]]> By: Justin Berkowitz http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-472422 Justin Berkowitz Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:28:53 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/#comment-472422 @Robert Schwartz: CAFE 35 might be coming, but the Ka is not. Not this generation, at least. @Robert Schwartz:

CAFE 35 might be coming, but the Ka is not. Not this generation, at least.

]]> By: Robert Schwartz http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-472271 Robert Schwartz Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:00:04 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/#comment-472271 "its US debut never." CAFE 35 mpg. It is coming. “its US debut never.”

CAFE 35 mpg. It is coming.

]]> By: David Holzman http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-472091 David Holzman Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:40:00 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/#comment-472091 Here in Massachusetts, we call a Ka a cahr and a car a Kah. Here in Massachusetts, we call a Ka a cahr and a car a Kah.

]]> By: BlueEr03 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-471222 BlueEr03 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:41:18 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/#comment-471222 Those back wheels look funny. I feel like the car is riding too high in the back. Plus they look tiny, give me some 17 or 18 inch wheels! Those back wheels look funny. I feel like the car is riding too high in the back. Plus they look tiny, give me some 17 or 18 inch wheels!

]]> By: prndlol http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-471171 prndlol Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:17:37 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/#comment-471171 That's the existing Ka's buttocks. That’s the existing Ka’s buttocks.

]]> By: Robstar http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-471121 Robstar Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:00:35 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/fords-new-city-ka-breaks-cover/#comment-471121 Is this the same Ka that is in Brazil? If so it has the absolutely ugliest rear ever! http://novosite.alcantara.com.br/gestor2/uploads/editor_02FordKa.jpg Is this the same Ka that is in Brazil? If so it has the absolutely ugliest rear ever!

http://novosite.alcantara.com.br/gestor2/uploads/editor_02FordKa.jpg

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