With the dwindling oil stocks making the
headlines daily, small cars should be the go for everyone
these days. The Thai government is also pushing the
‘e-car’ concept, and after reading about this small Ford,
I just wish that Ford Thailand would bring these out here.
Apart from everything else, the small physical size would help
the dreadful traffic congestion in Thailand’s major cities.
Our
Down-under correspondent John Weinthal was so impressed with
the Fiesta, he entitled his report, “A touch of class”.
“Among the host of different categories
of cars perhaps the most competitive is the less expensive
small to medium sector. It covers everything from the Hyundai
Getz and Kia Rio through Mitsubishi Lancer and Nissan Pulsar
to lower-end Corolla, Ford Focus and Holden Astra.
“Size
is certainly not the lone factor in this category, nor is it
entirely price-based. There are Peugeots and Volkswagens,
Renaults and even the odd-ball Mercedes A Class.
“But today we are looking at a new Ford
which could prove a powerful competitor to the established
order. The German-engineered Ford Fiesta fits my subjective
category to a tee. It comes with a 1.6 litre 74kW engine
across its range and costs from AUD 15,000 to 23,000. It is
available as a three or five door hatch.
“Fiesta has a touch of class to its
styling and a reasonable kit of standard equipment. Of course
things are rarely simple in this motoring business, nor are
they when defining the Fiesta.
“The
range opens with an LX three-door manual for AUD 14,990 which
rises to AUD 17,490 with a four-speed automatic and ABS
brakes. These come as a package. The same applies to the LX
five-door hatch with prices of AUD 16,000 for manual and the
same three grand premium for the auto and ABS combo.
“Next up is the Zetec. Antilock brakes
and a host of other gear are standard at AUD 19,000 for the
manual and AUD 21,290 for the auto. The Fiesta range tops out
with the still more lavish Ghia manual at AUD 21,490 and AUD
23,790 with auto.
“Zetec is available only as a three-door
hatch and the Ghia as a five door. The three-door Zetec
impressed immediately with both its external and internal
styling and distinct look of quality.
“A comfortable driving position was
easily achieved. The only mild surprise was finding a Ford
with the wiper stalk on the right and indicators on the left
of the steering wheel. One adjusts to this within a day or two
and it is a feature common to most cars from Europe, Korea and
America, including the somewhat larger and excellent Ford
Focus.
“In other words, one is ‘at home’
with the Fiesta right from the start - simple,
straightforward, comfortable, appealing to the eye and
effective and logical in all of its controls.
“But the Fiesta stands out in the
driving. It is well above class average in refinement and
quietness. It has pleasingly communicative steering. The gear
change is slick. The brakes are reassuring. The performance
delivery is such that it always felt that, at the very least,
its 74 kW were honest.
“This car can be brisk and likes to be
driven in that manner. The ride is impressively bump absorbent
but not at the expense of the handling which can actually
encourage enthusiastic driving over any road. The Fiesta was
not fazed by cracked suburban street surfaces. It was also
happy over corrugated dirt.
“The base LX misses out on air/con,
remote audio controls on the steering column, alloy wheels,
front fog lamps and ABS brakes except as a package with the
auto transmission. However, it does have remote keyless entry,
power windows and mirrors and a CD player.
“The Zetec scores all of the above, but
makes do with a single slot CD against the Ghia’s six
stacker. The Ghia, as well as being a five door, also gains
front fog lamps which, no doubt, some idiot owners will use to
try to blind other road users. There is also some minor trim
differentiation.
“However one looks at it, the Fiesta is a
class act in its styling and driver appeal and a big advance
on Kia-based Festivas of the recent past.”
(Thank you John, and as I wrote in the introduction, how I
wish we had them here! Dr. Iain.)
Tony
George, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, was
almost single-handedly responsible for bringing F1 racing back
to the United States. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway had to
be brought up to standard in order to host the United States
Grand Prix, including a new Paddock area which would allow
cars to exit from the garage directly onto Pit Lane. Also, in
a major concession to the traditions of F1 racing, the 2000
USGP marked the very first time that a race had been run in
reverse (clockwise) direction at the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway.
Matthew
Marsh in the A-Ha Porsche leading the field