Soon to fall into the hands of the European public will be Ford’s most fuel-efficient car to date. With up to a projected 86 mpg, the new Fiesta ECOnetic will not only be extremely frugal, but the little hatchback will manage to be remarkably clean to boot. Motivated by a 1.6 liter Duratorq TDCi diesel four cylinder engine, the new model pumps out just 87 g/kilometer of C02 emissions. To make matters more interesting, the ECOnetic Fiesta manages to be the cleanest fuel burning Ford while receiving zero help from overweight and complicated hybrid systems: this is a quintessential European diesel hatchback.
“Fiesta is already hugely successful across Europe and the ECOnetic Technology model takes its fuel efficiency and low-C02 offering to another level,” said Stephen Odell, CEO and chairman, Ford of Europe. Joining forces with the 94 horsepower turbocharged diesel are technologies such as Auto-Start-Stop, Smart Regenerative Charging, ECO Mode and an early shift light. Also assisting the ECOnetic Fiesta are specific gearing, a lower suspension, undersheild and wheel deflectors as well as low-rolling resistant tires. All of this was done in order to make the little Ford as efficient as possible without jumping up production and sales costs. But don’t think that just because it can out mileage an expensive hybrid, the ECOnetic will be boring. Making sure it can churn up some souls will be 151 lb-ft of diesel torque.
Production of the Fiesta ECOnetic is currently underway at Ford Europe’s Cologne Assembly plant in Germany.
Source: Ford
