Ford unveils EcoSport and Fiesta EcoBoost at KLIMS
Having recently refreshed the Fiesta with a facelift, Ford’s product-led transformation strategy is set to continue with the new Fiesta EcoBoost and all-new EcoSport SUV, both set for early 2014 launches. Malaysians will get to see these two vehicles live for the first time at the ongoing Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2013 (KLIMS13) beginning today at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).
With the Fiesta EcoBoost, Ford will be bringing its double award-winning 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo powertrain into Malaysia for the first time. It will line up alongside the recently-launched and facelifted Fiesta 1.5 Ti-VCT, and based on confirmed outputs of 123hp and 170Nm, will be positioned as the higher-specced alternative in the range. The KLIMS13 display car is a hatchback; it remains unclear if a sedan alternative is being considered.
Since its Europe launch in the spring 2012, the diminutive engine has won considerable praise from various European reviews, with the crowning glory being back-to-back wins in the International Engine of the Year Awards of 2012 and 2013, becoming only the third ever engine to do so. Worldwide, Ford currently features the engine in various B- and C-segment products including the B-Max, C-Max, Focus, and even the next generation Mondeo.
Developed by the collective efforts of over 200 Ford engineers based in Germany and the UK, the revolutionary 1.0-litre EcoBoost is the first three-cylinder engine in Ford’s history and boasts the highest specific output (hp/cc) ever mustered by a Ford production engine. Its compact cast iron engine block is small enough to fit in the overhead luggage compartment of an airliner (whether it would get past airport security is another story).
Three-cylinder engines are also known to produce severe vibrations, particularly on idle, and the typical solution is to use a counter-rotating balance shaft to cancel out the inherent vibrations. Ford’s solution the problem is an impressively elegant approach, by deliberately unbalancing the pulley and flywheel with precisely-located weights to cancel out the harmonic forces generated by the engine.
Based on the same B-platform as the Fiesta, the all-new EcoSport SUV offers B-segment buyers the footprint (and hopefully price) of a sub-compact vehicle but with the ride height of an SUV. Able to traverse up to 550mm of water, the EcoSport will prove handy in flash floods, but we don’t recommend off-road excursions – it is FWD only. Powering the EcoSport will be the same 1.5-litre Ti-VCT engine found in the facelifted Fiesta. Outputs are identical to the Fiesta at 110hp and 140Nm, but unlike the Fiesta, it gets a conventional 6-speed torque converter transmission.
The display car at KLIMS shows the EcoSport in its opulent Titanium spec, which includes goodies such as smart keyless entry, power start button, and Ford SYNC with Voice Command. Safety features include Hill Launch Assist, dual frontal airbags, driver knee airbag, side and curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS), and electronic stability control.
Also on display from the Fiesta family is the Fiesta ST powered by the 1.6-litre EcoBoost T4 engine from from the Kuga. Pushing out 180hp and 240Nm, the Fiesta ST features a 6-speed manual transmission, 17″ alloy wheels, and a uniquely-tuned ST suspension set up featuring enhanced torque vectoring control. Clad in a three-door hatchback body, the Fiesta ST has a rated top speed of 223kph.
Next to the Fiesta ST sits the Ford Kuga Titanium+ that comes with even more kit than the current Kuga Titanium on sale, adding 19″ alloy rims, panorama roof, adaptive cruise control with speed limit control, and multi-colour LED interior ambient lighting. This variant is being considered for introduction as a premium alternative to the Kuga Titanium, although as per our findings during the Kuga’s international drive experience in Adelaide early this year, we believe that the current 17″ alloys, whilst less attractive aesthetically, is the sensible and superior dynamic choice.
Themed ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’, the Ford booth at KLIMS is a showcase of the brand’s heritage with a total of eleven display cars from the brands past, present, and future including the ones mentioned above. Displays worth checking out include the Fusion Hybrid, Mustang Shelby GT 500, Model A Pick-Up, and two units of the Focus, one a race car, the other being the Sport+ Graphite Edition, a dressed-up unit produced specially for KLIMS13.
In addition to a line-up of cars on display, the Ford booth will also be accepting bookings for the Fiesta EcoBoost and the EcoSport. Customers who place a booking for any new Ford vehicle at Ford’s KLIMS showcase will receive a special gift, while stocks last. Finally, Ford’s Big Deal promotion is back with the offer of only 1.38% interest rate per annum, for new customers of the all-new Focus Sport+ and all new Focus Titanium+, in addition to free shopping vouchers. These free shopping vouchers are also extended to new customers of the all-new Kuga.
Visitors who wish to learn more about the Ford vehicles on display can attend scheduled product sessions at KLIMS 2013. Ford will also be running contests and trivia quizzes to give away attractive prizes, including exclusive Ford merchandise.
On Sunday, 17 November, popular YouTube personality and hitz.fm Morning Crew DJ Jinny Boy will be making a special appearance at the Ford stand from 3-5 pm. Ford will arrange for a limited number of specially designated Ford-only parking spaces at PWTC, available at a discounted parking rate of RM5 on a first-come, first-served basis. The Ford stand is situated at the Merdeka Hall.
