Ford Ka considered for U.S.

All-new Ford Ka

By Zack Newmark
January 13, 2009 5:12 PM
Filed Under: American, Corporate/Financial, Ford

The Ford Ka may be coming to the U.S. Ford CEO Alan Mulally seems to be interested in America's renewed interest in small cars.

But he may be the only one. Word is most in the upper levels at Ford are not 100% on board with the idea. According to BusinessWeek, Mulally gives the final call to Derrick Kuzak, global head of product development. Kuzak and Chief Marketing Officer James Farley are not so keen on bringing the Ka to the States.

The second generation of the reasonably priced minicar comes with a 1.2-liter four-cylinder producing 67 horsepower. With the available five-speed manual transmission and front-wheel-drive, the pilot is lucky to get the car to 100 km/h in 13 seconds. Released just this year, the new Ford Ka also allows a 1.4-liter petrol and 1.3-liter TDCi.

Speed is not meant to be this car's selling point. 55 miles-per-gallon and a price of around £9,295 ($13,625) is. However, unless the car would get a U.S. production line, costs would likely increase. Although sold in South America already, making the car compatible with U.S. safety standards, environmental regulations, and export costs would push the price up, possibly making it a no-sale in the U.S.

Mulally, a big fan of the Ka, may continue to press the issue. And Mulally is the big boss. If he wants the car to come to the U.S., we will see the Ford Ka whipping around the streets as soon as he wills it so. Built on a Fiat Panda platform, it would become the smallest car sold in North America.

Source: businessweek.com

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Comments

AG4

January 13, 2009 5:56 PM

"it would become the smallest car sold in North America"

Isn't the Smart ForTwo the smallest car sold in America? or is that considered a toy and not a car?

daviepops

January 14, 2009 12:34 PM

The smart is a lot smaller ... and smarter :-)

jandrews90

January 13, 2009 6:00 PM

yeah i was thinking the same thing, i'm pretty sure the smart fortwo is smaller

Starscream123

January 13, 2009 6:04 PM

I thought all Americans liked huge sedans with massive V8s, not small city cars. But then again, it would be useful in New York City

rcw

January 13, 2009 6:26 PM

To starscream 123... your comment seems like such a general and blanketed statement when you suggest that "all" Americans like huge sedans with massive V8s. Although there are quite a few of us Americans that desire the vehicle you describe, "all" of us do not. So this seems like an ignorant and stereotyped generalization. Plenty of other vehicle types sell very well here and lots of individuals here are more conscious than that, namely me and the huge majority of people that I associate with.

cameroun

January 13, 2009 7:01 PM

here in Quebec it would be a sucess i am sure

joshg_5

January 13, 2009 7:12 PM

There are many markets in North America where this would thrive. Small 1.X litre engines are exactly what is needed here. This is the solution to be "green". In European and forward thinking influenced places -like New York, Montreal, Vancouver- this would be accepted so well. Put a proper price tag on it and don't degrade how it looks (as most cars do when they come to America) and you've got a niche.

Iconic

January 13, 2009 7:54 PM

Finally!! I've been rooting for this move for so long. Glad to see they are even considering bringing this little guy out here, but they absolutely can not change the looks of it... The US market Focus looks horrible. It's only an issue of coming up with an effective marketing campaign in order compete with the Toyota Yaris's and Honda Fits in the market. Hell if they can do it right, it will much bigger than a 'niche'.

politz

January 13, 2009 9:49 PM

WCF just missed a point: the car built and sold in South America as the Ka is not that cute little thing sold in Europe and shown in these pictures.

The new South American Ka, built and developed in Brazil, focused on the brazilian market, is actually a completely different car, based on the last generation's Ka, though much enlarged and improved.

It's a much bigger car, almost the size of a Fiesta, since it's aimed on families with a tight budget, and it carries 1.0 (75hp) and 1.6 (105hp) flexfuel (gas-ethanol) engines, which is standard in almost all brazilian cars these days.

It's not as sexy looking as the european one, and it's also not that cheaper, since taxes make brazilian manufactured cars really expensive. This Ka is sold here, with taxes, for around US$10,000.

Just comparing, a Honda Fit is sold here for around US$25,000; a Nissan Sentra for roughly US$35,000; and a Toyota Camry for over US$60,000. It makes the Ka really unexpensive here, but probably not enough for the little car to make a point in its attempt to enter the american market.

And being very unlikely that Ford builds it in the US in these hard times... well, then, I think americans will have to make do with the tiny smart.

fjcmetal

January 14, 2009 1:18 AM

I think Brazilian Ka wouldn't be well accepted in the US. Unless all it's interior'd be completely reformulated, as it happens with other Brazilian cars. The design and materials used in the european version is by far superior than ours. For more info, check ford.com.br, or even wikipedia, for the whole story of the car, and its generations.

joshg_5

January 14, 2009 7:26 PM

It has potential.

Plus I bet it'd be cheaper to port it from overseas in Europe.

KayGeeOh

January 14, 2009 11:04 AM

And it's 3rd generation, not second

KayGeeOh

January 14, 2009 11:06 AM

Oh, my bad.

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