Ford confirms internally that Blue Oval B-car will be built on Mazda2
Ford Motor Company is one of the few full-line automakers without a new sub-compact in the US market. That is destined to change now that company executives have declared what we've suspected for some time; the forthcoming Mazda 2 chassis will be used for one or more new Blue Oval B-cars. North America, South America, Europe, and Asia are all slated to receive some form of new B-car, based of the Mazda 2, but instead of creating a single global model, Ford will create unique top-hats to fit the needs of the market it serves.
Since Mazda has a reputation for great-handling vehicles and quick development time, they're fast becoming the defacto platform creators for much of the Ford world and the Mazda 2 platform is merely the latest example. We've been looking forward to a Ford B car for some time, but it looks like it's still two years away. Hopefully, we'll be able to enjoy the Mazda 2 way earlier than that.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
tiago do vale 8:47AM (3/02/2007)
What new about that?
Ford's current B model (the Fiesta) is already based on the current Mazda 2 underpinnings.
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ocnj179 8:53AM (3/02/2007)
Has Ford forgotten they already have the Ka and Festiva available in Europe. Bring over either or both.
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hglughl 8:55AM (3/02/2007)
What the hell is a top-hat?
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Andy, UK 9:04AM (3/02/2007)
Retards. It's called the Fiesta in Europe, not the Festiva, and has been for the last 30 years. 'Top hat' is a metaphor for customising any given platform to suit the demograph of the product. Dumb bloody yanks...
Oh, and the new Fiesta had better be good, simply because GM's Vauxhall/Opel Corsa is superb and the default small car choice in Europe.
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kanadian 9:26AM (3/02/2007)
Some poor guys dont know any better than insulting others. SAD :(
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lavardera 9:37AM (3/02/2007)
does that mean that ford will put some ugly body with a 3 bar grill on it instead of the handsome fiesta?
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SobeSVT 9:43AM (3/02/2007)
The Festiva was a US only Ford model which was simply a rebaged Kia. The Ford Festa has been Ford's B car in Europe for over 30 years now and made an American tour in the late 70s or early 80s.
The current Fiesta and the Mazda2 are basically the same car. I don't know how related is this new Mazda2 to the current Fiesta or if it is the first car out of a new global B-segment arquitechture.
Could someone in Autoblog clarify this?
http://fomoconews.com
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Paul Cebo 9:53AM (3/02/2007)
"Ford will create unique top-hats to fit the needs of the market it serves" meaning North America will get screwed once again with some sub-par ugly ass design. Why does Ford think the can give us crap in North America while the rest of the world get all the good stuff.
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Avinash machado 10:40AM (3/02/2007)
The Fiesta was in fact launched by Ford around 3 decades ago in order to compete with the original Mini which was very popular with buyers. Ford decided to get a share of the small hatch market and hence launched the Fiesta.
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Rick Lyon 10:55AM (3/02/2007)
Screw Ford, I want the Mazda2 in the states now!
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ocnj179 10:54AM (3/02/2007)
Andy well keep your bloody ass on UK sites if you think your much better than everyone. SobeSVT thanks for the correction.
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Chris 11:13AM (3/02/2007)
"Since Mazda has a reputation for great-handling vehicles and quick development time, they're fast becoming the defacto platform creators for much of the Ford world..."
Yeah, I read that this Mazda2 is based on the current Ford Fiesta chassis. And it stands to mention that the Mazda3 chassis is based on the mkII Focus chassis which was just an evolution of the last Focus chassis. And the next Mazda6 is switching to the Mondeo chassis.
So, yeah, we all like to defer to the Japanese but it simply isn't the case. Fords' best chassis tuning doesn't come from there but rather from Europe.
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Paul Cebo 1:09PM (3/02/2007)
Chris, you're absolutely right. Not all the platforms /chassis are developed by Mazda. This Mazda 2 is based on the current Ford Euro Fiest, Mazda 3 is based on the Euro Focus, Ford Fusion is based on the Mazda 6, and as you said the Mazda 6 is switching to the Mondeo chassis.
Does anyone notice something that's maybe not so obvious. Platforms developed my Mazda or Ford (in Europe) seem to make their way into cars that are sold globally.
When was the last time someone saw a car in Europe or Japan that was based on a platform that was designed in the North America?
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Jonathan Hicks 2:52PM (3/03/2007)
When it arrives in the States, call it the Fiesta.
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brocktoon 2:56PM (3/02/2007)
Paul: I saw lots of Chrysler 300M diesels in europe...
Again, Canadians will get the short end of the stick by ford by providing the american varient of the car to our market, when economic, social and driving conditions most likely favour the european model, ie: mondeo vs. 500.
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KT 5:08PM (3/02/2007)
Chris has it correct. The "new" Mazda2 was jointly developed by Mazda and Ford of Europe engineers. Both of them have much more experience developing small cars. It's "based" on the current Fiesta but will not be exactly the same.
The platforms will vary slightly between markets also (SA would be different from NA, etc.).
So, no.
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The Dearborn Observer 6:48PM (3/02/2007)
HGLUGHL (#3), a top hat in Ford parlence are fenders, doors, hood, greenhouse, trunk lid front facia and rear facia.
Paul (#13) you have unfortunately hit the nail on the head. Unless Ford starts building F150s in Germany (I have a better chance of being named the Doge of Venice), all future Ford CARS will be on platforms developed in Europe or Japan. Ford is squandering America's technological birthright, and the senior Management either is too obtuse to recognize the consequences, or dosen't care.
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