Ford Verve concept car will be sold around the world as Ford Fiesta

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Jeff - 15 Feb 2008 04:04 GMT

Ford is going to sell the same vehicle around the world, the new Fiesta.
Ford is taking its lead from Honda and Toyota, which sell the same cars,
such as the Corolla and Civic, in many different markets under one name.

Ford sold basically the same car, the Contour, Mystique (aka Mistake)
and Mondeo in many different markets about 10 to 15 years ago, with a
lot of success (it was a C&D 10Best and top-ten seller for a period of
time).

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/business/15ford.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

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C. E. White - 15 Feb 2008 18:01 GMT

> Ford is going to sell the same vehicle around the world, the new Fiesta.
> Ford is taking its lead from Honda and Toyota, which sell the same cars,
> such as the Corolla and Civic, in many different markets under one name.

Who is taking the lead from whom.....

Remember the Model T?

> Ford sold basically the same car, the Contour, Mystique (aka Mistake) and
> Mondeo in many different markets about 10 to 15 years ago, with a lot of
> success (it was a C&D 10Best and top-ten seller for a period of time).

Although the US Contour was a variation of the Generation 1 European Mondeo,
there were significant differences (engine choices, transmissions, interior
appointments). And Ford has sold Fiestas in the US in the past. I owned a
1978 Fiesta. A really good small car. Better than any of the comparable
Japanese cars of the same era, but more expensive.

Of course Ford's history of importing designs from other geographies has
been spotty (see Cortina, Capri I, Capri II, Australian Capri Convertible,
Fiesta, Merkur, Courier, Festiva, Aspire). And other "world designs" have
tended to diverge relatively quickly (see Escort, Contour).

Ed

> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/business/15ford.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

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