One of the most popular small cars in South Africa, the Ford Fiesta is now available in automatic guise. Dubbed Powershift, the automatic transmission is dual-clutch gearbox, which most of us have become accustomed to on higher specification vehicles.

Combined with the Ford’s acclaimed and award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, the new Powershift enabled Fiesta promises excellent responsiveness and fuel efficiency.

The 74kW/170Nm 1.0-litre 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine is paired with Ford’s advanced, six speed dual-clutch PowerShift automatic transmission – the first time Ford has combined the two technologies – delivering CO2 emissions of only 114 g/km and a clamied 4.9 I/100 km fuel consumption.

“With its exciting design and technology features, the Fiesta is capturing the imagination of customers around the globe and South Africa is no different,” said Marketing Manager, Gavin Golightly. “The first combination of our award-winning EcoBoost 1.0-litre engine with PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmission is a major step forward in this segment and will appeal to many new customers – especially those looking for the latest cutting edge technology.”

[Read more…]

Based on the previous generation Ford Fiesta, the Ford Figo has been an unprecedented sales success in South Africa, offering consumers a well proven formula of bullet-proof mechanicals combined with a high specification level, at an unbeatable price.

“The Figo’s contemporary design, solid performance credentials and desirable safety features are refreshing for a vehicle in its class,” says Gavin Golightly, Ford Marketing Manager. “It is well-positioned as a value-for-money prospect and with the addition of some new enhancements its overall appeal is further cemented.”

Available with a choice of two fuel-efficient engines, the 1.4-litre 62kW petrol and 1.4-litre 51kW turbodiesel, both mated to five-speed manual transmissions. Torque figures are 127Nm and 160Nm respectively.

Customers can choose between two trim levels, the Ambiente being the entry level option available in both petrol and diesel guise and the Trend, the high spec model, available in petrol configuration.

[Read more…]

Ford has unveiled a very rugged and manly new Ford Everest recently in Beijing, China, thankfully ushering in a seven-seat Ford SUV you’ll actually be proud to own.

Dave Schoch, president, Ford Asia Pacific reckons, “The new Ford Everest is an exceptionally versatile vehicle, equally prepared for the everyday commute as it is for the most extreme off-road terrain.”

Ford mentions rugged quite a few times in their press release and indeed, compared to the previous generation which had the uncanny ability to resemble an equivalent seven-seater from China, this all-new model certainly pulls off the Built Tough bravado we’ve come to expect from Ford, but have only really seen in the US markets.

With a body-on-frame design, assuring the torsional strength required for challenging terrains. Together with an intelligent four-wheel drive system (gives drivers four preset settings – Normal, Snow/Gravel/Grass, Sand and Rock– that alter the vehicle’s throttle response, transmission, [Read more…]