2011 Ford Fiesta seen testing in India

The Ford Fiesta – which was recently renamed the Ford Fiesta Classic – was a nice car. But it never managed to take the fight to the segment leader Honda City (now displaced by Volkswagen Vento).

Updated 13 April: The official launch of the 2011 Ford Fiesta will take place in new Delhi tomorrow. We have received an official invite from Ford and will be there covering the launch of this sexy sedan. The invite itself is quite innovative, with a QR code that when scanned, lets you download a video of Michael Boneham, President and MD of Ford India, inviting you for the launch. You can view the video invite by clicking here.

The price of the car as well as variants that will be launched will be announced tomorrow. The Ford Figo changed the fortunes of the company in India, the Fiesta Classic gave the company a value for money sedan, and now the 2011 Fiesta will be its challenger for the crown of the mid-size segment. Currently, there is a fierce battle raging there with the Honda City displaced by Volkswagen Vento and Maruti SX4. The SX4 got a second life thanks to the new diesel engine, and we hope Ford India gives us a capable diesel option tomorrow. A diesel will be there for sure, but it is the specifications of the diesel – and its fuel efficiency – that will probably decide the winner in this segment. We expect the 2011 Hyundai Verna to launch soon afterwards, making this effectively a five way battle.

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We are going to see the 2011 Ford Fiesta in India very soon. The launch should happen in April, soon after we see the launch of the 2011 Hyundai Verna – another challenger to the small mid-size segment leaders City and Vento.

We believe that the new Fiesta would be priced between Rs 7 and Rs 10 lakh. Check out the links below for more detailed information.

Spy photos of the new Ford Fiesta from Chennai

2011 Ford Fiesta India launch confirmed

A heavily camouflaged Ford Fiesta sedan has been seen testing near Chennai. The test mule (B299 – codename and based on Mazda 2 model) gets a new age design theme.

Update 22/2/2011: Ford has confirmed that the 2011 Fiesta is coming to India this year.

The test mule’s hidden form proves that it’s the same model sold in China since March 2009. Built at the Changan Ford-Mazda Automobile Company manufacturing facility in Nanjing, China, the Fiesta sedan stirred the small sedan market as thousands of Chinese booked the car before its official launch.

Designed in Europe and tailor made for the Chinese market, the Fiesta’s design won acclaim in the Chinese press with Fortune China naming the new Fiesta as the “Most Successful Design of 2008”. Unlike the current Fiesta model sold in India, the new Fiesta will have a sharper, aerodynamic character with ascending shoulder lines giving a brand new profile all over. On the inside, expect a funky dashboard, loaded with features and durable interiors, modern color combinations and additional comfort.

The next generation Fiesta will likely get a more powerful 1.6-litre petrol engine that produces 118bhp. The upcoming diesel Fiesta will get a powerful 1.6-litre diesel engine that produces 90 bhp and 20.7 kgm of maximum torque, making it a peppy engine comparable to its petrol counterpart.

The new Fiesta with its brilliant aerodynamic sculpture and modern interiors is born out of the happy marriage between Ford and Mazda and hence, its presence on road would be radically different, perfectly suiting buyers seeking a sporty, yet comfortable drive.

Expect Ford to launch Fiesta in the early months of 2011 with prices starting from Rs. 6.8 lakh. The Fiesta will stack up against the Maruti Sx4 and Hyundai Verna. There is news of a new Verna coming at the end of 2011, with equally radical styling, but the SX4 could do with some refreshment.