Ford Vehicle

Given the car’s importance in the European market, Ford will unveil the new Fiesta at the Geneva motor show next month. “With the all-new Fiesta, we want to create a world standard for small car quality, design and comfort in a vehicle that is as exciting to drive as it is to look at,” Ford CEO Alan Mulally said. “We believe this model will attract a whole new generation of small car buyers, whether they are in Britain, Spain, China or California,” he said in a statement.

Developed in Europe, the Fiesta is the first major model to emerge from Ford’s new global product development process. Through that process, Ford aims to speed up development times and cut costs by tapping its far-flung resources and eliminating the duplication of efforts. General Motors Corp. has introduced a similar approach and draws on the resources of overseas affiliates, such as GM Daewoo Auto & Technology, to produce small cars affordably.

“In most of the world, the subcompact, or B, segment is very significant,” said Erich Merkle, vice president of forecasting at IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids. Merkle saw the new Fiesta on Thursday and was impressed by how much it resembles the Verve concept, which has been well-received at recent auto shows. “I think the Fiesta will make them much more competitive,” he said. Young won’t recall name Auto consultants wondered about Ford’s decision to go with the name Fiesta instead of Verve.

“The name Verve is good. It has attitude,” said Daniel Gorrell of Tustin, Calif.-based AutoStratagem. “Fiesta sounds a little lightweight.” But he said the target audience for the car — entry-level buyers in their 20s — will not associate the new model with the Fiesta sold in the United States from 1978 to 1980. “I don’t think you’ll get a negative reaction from young people,” said Wesley Brown, partner at Los Angeles-based research and consulting firm Iceology.