Photo: Ford
Ford is one of the few major car companies that doesn't have an A-segment hatchback to offer its European urban customers. The current Ka model is a re-bodied Fiat 500 assembled in Poland. That means it has an impractical 3-door body, a tiny trunk and a huge starting price.
Last week, the Warsaw Daily reported that, after eight long years of production, the Tychy factory in Poland that currently makes Ford Ka models would stop as of April 2016.
No problem, since a Ka replacement has already been developed in Brazil and is ready to take its place, right? But when the preview concept was shown back in 2013, a 2015 debut in Europe was promised. That date came and went, so now we are waiting to see when Ford plans to launch its new A-segment car.
European customers have shown that they are clearly not interested in cheap cars developed for the Brazilian market. The EcoSport subcompact crossover needed a rapid refresh after disappointing initial sales figures. That's probably why the all-new Ka is taking longer to reach showrooms.
The old Ka is also being discontinued because it doesn't fit the "One Ford" strategy because of its Fiat 500 underpinnings. Due to the Italian's architecture, it takes longer for Ford to implement its newest technologies. But the all-new Ka will be all-Ford. Almost everything comes from the Fiesta in one way or another. The platform belongs to the old Fiesta that was discontinued in 2007.
Meanwhile, the engines will be borrowed from the current generation Fiesta supermini. According to our insider information, the 2016 Ka will be offered with two types of engines. One will be a naturally aspirated version of the 1.0 EcoBoost. This 3-cylinder unit will have the same integrated exhaust manifold and low-friction internal components, but because of the lack of a turbocharger, the output will be limited to 80 PS and 105 Nm.
Ford is also considering a turbocharged model, a successor for the old and very popular SportKa. That will take longer to develop, so at launch, the only turbo you should look for is the 1.5 TDCi with 75 PS.
Despite very low-profit margins, Ford is not the only European carmaker to invest into an all-new A-segment hatchback. Opel dropped the big bucks to make the Karl, which is now assembled in Korea alongside the Chevy Spark.
Volkswagen currently has no plans to replace the Up! and its two sister models. Due to economic constraints, they could be discontinued at the end of this decade.
For now, our best bet is that the 2016 Ka will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, though a private event is also possible.
No problem, since a Ka replacement has already been developed in Brazil and is ready to take its place, right? But when the preview concept was shown back in 2013, a 2015 debut in Europe was promised. That date came and went, so now we are waiting to see when Ford plans to launch its new A-segment car.
European customers have shown that they are clearly not interested in cheap cars developed for the Brazilian market. The EcoSport subcompact crossover needed a rapid refresh after disappointing initial sales figures. That's probably why the all-new Ka is taking longer to reach showrooms.
The old Ka is also being discontinued because it doesn't fit the "One Ford" strategy because of its Fiat 500 underpinnings. Due to the Italian's architecture, it takes longer for Ford to implement its newest technologies. But the all-new Ka will be all-Ford. Almost everything comes from the Fiesta in one way or another. The platform belongs to the old Fiesta that was discontinued in 2007.
Meanwhile, the engines will be borrowed from the current generation Fiesta supermini. According to our insider information, the 2016 Ka will be offered with two types of engines. One will be a naturally aspirated version of the 1.0 EcoBoost. This 3-cylinder unit will have the same integrated exhaust manifold and low-friction internal components, but because of the lack of a turbocharger, the output will be limited to 80 PS and 105 Nm.
Ford is also considering a turbocharged model, a successor for the old and very popular SportKa. That will take longer to develop, so at launch, the only turbo you should look for is the 1.5 TDCi with 75 PS.
Despite very low-profit margins, Ford is not the only European carmaker to invest into an all-new A-segment hatchback. Opel dropped the big bucks to make the Karl, which is now assembled in Korea alongside the Chevy Spark.
Volkswagen currently has no plans to replace the Up! and its two sister models. Due to economic constraints, they could be discontinued at the end of this decade.
For now, our best bet is that the 2016 Ka will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, though a private event is also possible.
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