Engine
As expected, we won’t get any of the European super fuel-miserly engine options, just the largest gas engine in the Fiesta catalogue — the 1.6-litre I4. But this is a state-of-the-art global engine, with Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing), and lots of aluminum and composite construction. It develops 119 hp at 6,000 rpm and 109 lb-ft of torque at 4200 rpm.
New Double-Clutch Auto Transmission
The 2011 Fiesta will be available with a five-speed manual transmission, or PowerShift, the new six-speed double-clutch automatic.
Ford believes PowerShift will be a “game changer,” because most automatics in the segment are CVTs, and that historically, an automatic-equipped small car has always been slower and less fuel efficient than its manual-tranny counterpart.
PowerShift turns the tables. Projected city/highway mpg ratings (in the smaller US gallons) are 29/38 for the 5-speed manual, and 30/40 for the Powershift-equipped model.
For this small-car application, engineers chose a dry-clutch design, with “sealed-for-life” lubrication. The lack of pumps and hoses reduced complexity and weight.
Electric Steering
Ford’s electric power-assist steering system (EPAS) is part of the Fiesta story, as it is one of the numerous efficiency advances that help Fiesta achieve that magical 40-mpg number. Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice-president of global product development, told us it took the R&D department five years to give it the satisfying steering feel of the best hydraulic systems.
This is the first time Ford used EPAS in this segment; a tricky proposition noted Kuzak, because customers in Europe look to this segment for razor sharp handling. He then added that Ford was adamant about not “dumbing down” the dynamics for North American customers.
The only changes to NA models are slightly different EPAS programming and up-sized 22-mm front stabilizer bar to incorporate all-season tires (vs. Europe’s pure summer tires). EPAS features Pull Drift Compensation (for straighter tracking), and Active Nibble Cancellation (to compensate for uneven rotor wear and wheel balance issues).
Safety
North American safety standards necessitated some tweaking of the body structure. “We built on the success of the European Fiesta and are really proud of how little has changed,” said chief engineer, Steve Pintar, who added that 50 percent of the car’s welded body structure is made from high-strength steel.
As expected, we won’t get any of the European super fuel-miserly engine options, just the largest gas engine in the Fiesta catalogue — the 1.6-litre I4. But this is a state-of-the-art global engine, with Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing), and lots of aluminum and composite construction. It develops 119 hp at 6,000 rpm and 109 lb-ft of torque at 4200 rpm.
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New Double-Clutch Auto Transmission
The 2011 Fiesta will be available with a five-speed manual transmission, or PowerShift, the new six-speed double-clutch automatic.
Ford believes PowerShift will be a “game changer,” because most automatics in the segment are CVTs, and that historically, an automatic-equipped small car has always been slower and less fuel efficient than its manual-tranny counterpart.
PowerShift turns the tables. Projected city/highway mpg ratings (in the smaller US gallons) are 29/38 for the 5-speed manual, and 30/40 for the Powershift-equipped model.
For this small-car application, engineers chose a dry-clutch design, with “sealed-for-life” lubrication. The lack of pumps and hoses reduced complexity and weight.
Electric Steering
Ford’s electric power-assist steering system (EPAS) is part of the Fiesta story, as it is one of the numerous efficiency advances that help Fiesta achieve that magical 40-mpg number. Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice-president of global product development, told us it took the R&D department five years to give it the satisfying steering feel of the best hydraulic systems.
This is the first time Ford used EPAS in this segment; a tricky proposition noted Kuzak, because customers in Europe look to this segment for razor sharp handling. He then added that Ford was adamant about not “dumbing down” the dynamics for North American customers.
The only changes to NA models are slightly different EPAS programming and up-sized 22-mm front stabilizer bar to incorporate all-season tires (vs. Europe’s pure summer tires). EPAS features Pull Drift Compensation (for straighter tracking), and Active Nibble Cancellation (to compensate for uneven rotor wear and wheel balance issues).
Safety
North American safety standards necessitated some tweaking of the body structure. “We built on the success of the European Fiesta and are really proud of how little has changed,” said chief engineer, Steve Pintar, who added that 50 percent of the car’s welded body structure is made from high-strength steel.
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