Ford is thinking about taking its redesigned European Ka supermini across the Atlantic to the US as consumers there trade in large SUVs and pick-ups for small, fuel-efficient cars.
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Chief executive officer Alan Mulally told Detroit radio station WJR-AM the company was revisiting an earlier decision not to sell the Ka in the world’s largest car market.
The original Ka – built on an adapted Fiesta platform and initially using an ancient 1.3-litre overhead-valve engine to keep costs down – was launched in 1996 and was a hit across Europe, selling strongly throughout its extraordinarily long 12-year run, virtually unchanged apart from trim and equipment upgrades and newer OHC engines. A sporty convertible derivative was also offered for some years.
The redesigned Ka was shown at the Paris show last week. It has just gone into production and sales start later this year.
Ford’s current smallest US offering is the locally-built Focus – an update of the original first-generation European model rather than the second generation line sold elsewhere – though the automaker plans to launch the latest Fiesta Stateside in 2010.
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By GlobalDataThe Ka would follow Smart’s tiny Fortwo in trying to end the US buyer’s obsession with big ‘gas-guzzlers’ now that fuel is at about US$3.50 a gallon (it had recently been around the $4 mark).
Mulally did not say when Ford would decide if the Ka had a US future but added that one reason it remains uncertain is that the smaller car isn’t significantly more fuel-efficient than the Fiesta.
The Ka is built in Tychy, Poland, in a joint venture with Fiat that also produces the 500 city car. Both share platforms and some components.
