The first volume production example of the new Ford Ka rolled off the production line at a special ceremony today in Tychy, Poland, 12 years after the original Ka was launched.
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Polish Deputy Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak was guest of honour at the ceremony.
With sales due to begin across Europe from early next year, the new Ka will be fully revealed to the public at the Paris Motor Show next week.
The new Ka is the result of a joint vehicle development and production co-operation agreement between Ford and Fiat.
While it shares some components with the Fiat 500, which is also built in the Tychy plant, both vehicles look different.
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By GlobalDataFord says its designers have given the new Ka a fashionable, modern appearance based around the company’s ‘kinetic design’ form language. A number of visual cues provide a connection to the original Ka, but with its distinctive face and chunky proportions the new model has its own unique character, it says.
“It was three years ago that we reached agreement with Fiat to produce the new Ka here in Tychy,” said Ian Slater, vice-president communications and public affairs, Ford of Europe.
“One of the strengths of this co-operation has been that both parties wanted to produce vehicles which would be very different in looks and character. I’m satisfied that in doing so, we’ve set up a ‘win-win’ opportunity for both companies.”
Annual production of the Ford Ka will be 120,000 units a year.
The introduction of the Ka to Tychy has resulted in 1,000 extra jobs being created in the plant and many more among locally-based suppliers.
Ford investment in the project amounted to 210 million Euros. A new paint shop represents the biggest single investment. Using water-based paint and very low levels of solvent, Ford claims it is a state of the art, environmentally friendly, facility.
Ford says that with the introduction of the new Ka, Ford of Europe will have changed its entire car range in record time. In 2008 alone, the company has brought more than 20 new and improved models to market.
The new Ka will also feature from November in the highly-anticipated new James Bond adventure, ‘Quantum of Solace’. The car will make its screen debut being driven by Camille, the film’s beautiful leading lady played by Olga Kurylenko.
