Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Ford Fiesta 2011: Six-Speed Dual-Clutch Automatic


Just two weeks more to go for the all new 2011 Ford Fiesta. No doubt the Fiesta subcompact is one of the more keenly awaited cars arriving in the U.S. market. Ford announced finally that the deliveries of the first Fiestas to its dealers will be available starting two weeks later.

Ford Fiesta has also made winning points for styling, equipment, and performance before its launch. The Fiesta is Ford’s first high-volume European car to be sold in U.S. However, Ford said that the deliveries are postponed up to two weeks, blaming the delays on storm damage to railroads in northern Mexico. So eager buyers and test drivers will have to take a breath and wait for just a little longer.

Many dealers already have waiting lists for the 2011 Fiesta, which starts at $13,995 but can go well over $20,000 if lavishly optioned, leading some to wonder whether Ford’s expectations for the Fiesta are too high.

The 2011 Fiesta offers one engine, a 119-horsepower 1.6-liter four cylinder, fitted to either a five-speed manual or a six-speed dual-clutch automatic that Ford calls “PowerShift.” Two body styles are available, a five door hatchback and four door sedan. Fitted with the five-speed, the Fiesta is rated at 29 mpg in the city, 38 mpg highway. The PowerShift automatic gives 30 mpg in the city, 38 mpg on the highway. For ultimate fuel economy, a special SFE package boosts highway fuel economy to 40 mpg.

For North American markets, the Fiesta is assembled at the huge Ford complex in Cuautitlan, outside Mexico City. That means all Fiestas for the U.S. market get packed onto train cars and hauled north.

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