New Ford Fiesta Econetic uncovered
New Ford Fiesta Econetic brings forth green eyed rival supermini monsters
Author: Chris Barker
Published: 23 July 2008
The new Ford Fiesta is ready-and-waiting to pounce in September this year as we know, and will come in one shape and a couple of sizes. But the particular one that’s grabbed our attention this week at the British Motor Show is the new, ultra-frugal £11,845 Fiesta Econetic model, already cited as the UKs greenest family car in waiting prior to its launch before the year’s end.
Whilst rival supermini’s may not leave heavy carbon footprints, the Fiesta Econetic doesn’t even leave carbon tip-toe prints and has no need to sneak around whatsoever in either three or £12,445 five-door guise.
With all major car manufacturers’ adding a dedicated green sub brand to current portfolios, Ford’s Econetic iteration is surely up there with the best of them by offering such segment unique features as the green shift indicator.
Nothing to do with pregnancy testing, everything to do with illustrating the optimum time to change gear to maximise your fuel economy, it’s a dab hand at saving the driver money, and the polar bears another ice cap or two.
As the flag bearer of the new Ford Fiesta’s green policy, the latest Econetic incumbent lives up to its pre-Show hype and will provide the ultimate foil to the less environmental stance its bigger, uglier sibling the raucous new Focus RS insists on taking, despite flaunting such exterior greenness.
The low-emission 1.6-litre TDCi diesel engine emits just 98g/km of carbon dioxide, which immediately places the new Fiesta oil burner in the Band A column when it comes to VED road taxation on launch, which of course avoids any charge. Yes free.
And how does it achieve this we hear you ask?
Low-rolling resistance rubber wear on the wheels, low friction transmission fluid, more spacing between the gear ratios, modified engine calibrations and some aerodynamic tweaks to the Fiesta’s exterior here and there are the main culprits.
And again, any car that’s going to help keep East Anglia above water level for a while longer will automatically be good for driver’s wallets too, with the Fiesta Econetic being no exception, averaging 76.3mpg on the combined cycle.
Increasingly the supermini is the choice of car-buyers in an age where the economical, practical, easy to park and ´green´ small car is king.
Prices, pictures and reviews of all the small cars on the road in the UK.
The all-new Ford Fiesta is available to buy in the UK now, an event marked by a tango dance 'extravaganza' at the Tower of London.
Ford has wasted no time in developing a van derivative of the well-received new Fiesta hatchback. The new van will provide strong competition for the VW Corsavan and Peugeot 207 van.
The all-new Ford Fiesta will go on sale next month backed by a hugely ambitious and integrated marketing campaign.
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Hats off to Ford for creating the most economical car on sale.
However, at £11845, thats probably about £3000 more than a base model fiesta. You´ll have to do an awful lot of miles to get that back.
I´d like to see an econetic version of the smallest petrol engine too, priced a few hundred pounds above the standard model.
In fact, it would be better if all the non-sport fiestas had the econetic modifications.