Ka keeps its edge for 2005

Press Release

Ka's striking, avant garde design

• Amsterdam Show introduction for Ford's updated small car
• Biggest Ka art project reaches tenth anniversary climax

Just like the children's storybook hero, Peter Pan, the Ford Ka seems to have the secret of eternal youthfulness. The latest version of the Ka debuts at the Amsterdam Motor Show on February 9 and only detail changes have been needed to maintain its freshness and fun-loving appeal.

The Ka's striking, avant garde design pioneered New Edge design for Ford and its individual look has contributed greatly to a continuing appeal. Ka enters its ninth year on sale with well over one million units produced and a cabinet full of trophies, including three major international design awards - the American Design Excellence Award, European Award for Auto Design and the 'Golden Marker' award from Japan.

A combination of individual looks with great practicality and driving appeal make Ka especially popular with women buyers and city dwellers. It has also attracted many new buyers to the Ford brand since more than half of Ka buyers have not owned a Ford previously and a huge degree of owner enthusiasm - Ford Ka Clubs being set up by owners in the UK, Turkey, The Netherlands and Japan.

New features and changes

The latest Ka model offers useful improvements to practicality, style and sophistication.

For Ka owners the most significant revision will be a revised dashboard and the introduction of a glovebox on the passenger side. Ka's curvaceous fascia was always a cornerstone of its innovative interior design but customers reported that while they liked the look, they would prefer a traditional glovebox to the cylindrical bin. A subtle re-design of the dashboard has responded to this request without compromising the distinctive styling. The new 3-litre glovebox drops down from under the dash and a smaller cubby locker is retained on the fascia above it.

A variety of detail interior and exterior styling changes brings a crisp new flavour to Ka. Outside, a new six-spoke design 14 inch alloy wheel becomes available, as does tinted glass for the rear side windows. The self-coloured grey moulded bumpers and tailgate handles familiar on some versions of Ka have also been replaced by two new finishes, Torque Grey and Steel, depending on body colour.

Innovative materials

There are two new interior cloth trim patterns for the seats and door panels - Meridian and Tic-Toc. These join one carry-over trim Cascade. Tic-Toc cleverly uses coloured threads woven through a grey base cloth to create an almost iridescent effect. Depending on vehicle body colour the colours featured are Garnet Red, Aquarius Blue and Plum. Ka is also available in a new Verona leather trim for Luxury, in either Ebony or Pale Sage.

Ka's characteristic instrument binnacle also has new bezel colours for 2005, with Sage trimmed cars receiving Liquid Sage instruments and other models Polar Grey bezels.

Large-car features

Other improvements for 2005 have been made possible by the adoption of an entirely new wiring architecture including a GEM Module (Generic Electronic Module).

This brings to Ka some of the large-car features found in upscale Ford models. These include variable intermittent wipe with anti-drip action (a delayed action final wipe which clear the screen of any drips) and reverse-gear interlinked intermittent rear wipe which activates automatically if reverse is selected when the front wipers are in use.

In addition there is 'theatre dimming' style delayed switching off for the interior courtesy light and an auto-relock facility that locks the vehicle if it has been unlocked but not opened for a certain period.

All of these features are standard on Ka models with remote keyless entry and in addition a perimeter alarm will be available as an option

Sportka gains its stripes

Since the introduction of Streetka at the Paris Motor Show in 2002, Ka has evolved into a family. First addition was the two-seater open roadster Streetka, brimming with fun and style and built by Pininfarina in Italy. In 2003 Streetka was joined by the Sportka, a performance-orientated version of the original hatchback, featuring the Streetka's 95PS, 1.6 litre engine together with wider-track, sports-tuned suspension.

For 2005, both will have the instrument panel changes of Ka and in addition Sportka gains the new glovebox and tinted glass. To match its sporting nature, the Sportka is also available with GT stripes - parallel front-to-back white stripes on Red and Blue versions and silver on Magnum Grey, Panther Black and Imperial Blue models. This stripe treatment is inspired by the new Ford GT supercar, and is also available on the new Ford Fiesta ST performance model.

Ka limited editions

Over the years, Ka's style, urban practicality and fun-loving nature have inspired Ford's designers and engineers to create more than 25 special editions for its different European markets.

These include such diverse versions as Germany's Lufthansa Ka with its luxury 'business class' interior, the even more luxurious Ka Royal in the UK and the Ka Kipling from Austria, featuring an original six-part Rudyard Kipling travel set with each model.

One of the latest special editions is the Ka Colourline where three different exterior colours are offered each of which is matched to a unique two-tone coloured leather steering wheel, gear knob, scuff plates and B-pillar appliqué with Swarovski coloured diamond highlights.

Ka designer models

Ka's design-led nature has also inspired many artists across Europe. British artist Rob Scott combined the genres of installation art and car design in the Ka Aquarium exhibition shown at fashionable bars, nightspots and shops throughout the country. German artist HA Schult created 50, hand-painted exclusive editions of the Globe Ka, based on his famous World Globe in Cologne.

One of the most extraordinary collaborations was with British fashion designer, Bruce Oldfield, who created a unique dress made from 85 parts of the Streetka. The bodice of the dress was made from the pink glass-fibre of the removable hard-top, while the clock was redesigned as a choker. Streetka's colourful wiring was used as embroidery on the skirt, and the parcel-shelf was turned into a matching hat!

Tenth anniversary Karel Appel Ka

However the biggest art linked venture has been in the Netherlands where the Kunst met een grote Ka project premieres its tenth edition at the Amsterdam Show. Each edition has been created in collaboration with a renowned Dutch artist and the buyer of the limited edition Ka also receives a specially commissioned piece of their art as well.

The tenth anniversary edition, unveiled at the Show, has been developed in cooperation with the world famous Dutch artist, Karel Appel, whose initials appropriately are KA.

"Ka continues to be a fabulous success for Ford, " says Martin Smith, Executive Director of Design Ford of Europe. "It has carved a special niche for itself in the Sub-B segment and with its timeless youthful style that has won the approval of artists, designers and customers alike."