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.
Ford Ka considered for U.S.
By Zack Newmark
January 13, 2009 5:12 PM
Filed Under: American, Corporate/Financial, Ford
Comments
jandrews90
January 13, 2009 6:00 PM
Starscream123
January 13, 2009 6:04 PM
rcw
January 13, 2009 6:26 PM
joshg_5
January 13, 2009 7:12 PM
Iconic
January 13, 2009 7:54 PM
politz
January 13, 2009 9:49 PM
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
joshg_5
January 14, 2009 7:26 PM
Plus I bet it'd be cheaper to port it from overseas in Europe.
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Isn't the Smart ForTwo the smallest car sold in America? or is that considered a toy and not a car?