From Brazilian magazine Motor Show (no source stated for the pics):
Quote, originally posted by bolita »
Found the pix elsewhere and reposting:
same source - Motor Show Magazine - Brazil
Still according to Motor Show, it will be launched by Ford do Brasil in 2007, to compete with the Chevrolet Celta (wich will be facelifted in the beginning of 2006). It's based on the Ka platform (the doors are the same), but with more space in the rear seat. Total lenght=3,75m, width=1,71m. Engine will be the same 1.0 Rocam from Ka/Fiesta, with 65 cv. Only 3 doors at launching, maybe 5 later. Those are pics from a 1:1 clay mock-up, subject to changes.
The B402 will fit in the Ford line between the Ka and the Fiesta. Ford will drop the Brazilian Ka price, to compete with the Fiat Mille (Uno), the cheapest Brazilian car currently. The Ka became a niche car in Brazil, mostly because the Chevrolet Celta offers more space and the 5-door option for the same price. The B402 will try to compete with the Celta with better arguments.
I wonder were Motor show got all this info... Maybe from the stolen documents from Ford of Brazil... Rummours is that someone inside Ford copied all their prototypes, strategy and new products into a CD and delivered it to the press.
That's interesting... the june issue of Motor Show (wich has the B402 cover and pics) spent only one or two weeks in the racks... it was recovered by the distributors after that. Damage control, pehaps? I only got mine after ordering online.
I dunno....It seems that everything that had been leaked about this car was supposed to replace the Ka. I would guess that this is what is known as the Ka Family project.
I had also heard/read that the intention was to have a car that competes at the volume level in the Brazilian "popular" class size and that this new Ka Family would have 3 versions: 3dr, 5dr and sedan as the Fiesta is not considered an entry level car.
Those picture do look real and I am certain FMC Brazil must be very upset with this leak!!! Cool though
For an entry car, this looks the part. I just hope that the Real currency doesn't continue to re-value itself against the dollar so that it is a cheap product!!
Ford's all-new baby is taking its first steps, Auto Express can exclusively reveal. Work has already started on a replacement for the Ka - which is set to go on sale first in South America.
Launched in 1996, the Ka is the oldest model in Ford's range and has come under increased pressure from ever stiffer competition in recent months, including the Toyota Aygo-Citroen C1-Peugeot 107 trio. The mag's images, based on leaked pictures of a secret prototype from Ford of Brazil, show what lies ahead for the next-generation European version, which is being developed separately.
Called project B402, the Brazilian Ka is set to go on sale in two years. The mag's pictures show that it keeps the current car's wheel-at-each-corner stance and extended arches.
But it loses the famous curves, swapping them for a more edgy Fiesta-like design, with a new three-slat grille and elliptical Ford family headlights. A rising waistline, distinctive C-pillar and high tail finish the look. Bigger than the current Ka, project B402 aims to address many of the criticisms levelled at Ford's smallest car. At 3,750mm, it adds around 190mm to the body length, which slots the newcomer between the current model and the Fiesta in terms of size. And with an increased wheelbase, it will offer more space for passengers and luggage.
Ford has revealed further details of the European replacement to Auto Express. Set to be radically styled, the new Ka will feature upmarket technology including connectivity for MP3 players and satellite-navigation. To cut costs, it is likely to share technology with Mazda, possibly mirroring Toyota's tie-up with Citroen and Peugeot. An on-sale date of 2008 for the new Ka has been mooted.
A spokesman said: "Replacing the Ka was always going to be a big challenge, as we have no intention of giving up the market share that the current car has.
"Its successor needs to be a viable business proposition. Buyers are young and style-conscious, and the new Ka should reflect that, but be affordable, too." The spokesman added that legislation was also complicating matters. "The new Ka must be heavier to perform better in crash tests - but increased weight then impacts negatively on emissions," he told us.
As a result of ever-tightening accident safety laws and a need for more interior space, expect the Ka to increase in size slightly. Major improvements to cabin quality are likely, as is a more refined, though still fun, drive. Engines will be developments of those seen in the current Fiesta and Focus, including 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrols and the 1.4-litre TDCi diesel powerplant. Prices should start from around £7,500.
2007/8 Ford Ka (B402 - Brazilian Market)
Linear Mode
