Ford is going to sell the same vehicle around the world, the new Fiesta. Ford is taking its lead from Honda and Toyota, which sell the same cars, such as the Corolla and Civic, in many different markets under one name.
Ford sold basically the same car, the Contour, Mystique (aka Mistake) and Mondeo in many different markets about 10 to 15 years ago, with a lot of success (it was a C&D 10Best and top-ten seller for a period of time).
Who is taking the lead from whom.....
Remember the Model T?
Although the US Contour was a variation of the Generation 1 European Mondeo, there were significant differences (engine choices, transmissions, interior appointments). And Ford has sold Fiestas in the US in the past. I owned a
1978 Fiesta. A really good small car. Better than any of the comparable Japanese cars of the same era, but more expensive.Of course Ford's history of importing designs from other geographies has been spotty (see Cortina, Capri I, Capri II, Australian Capri Convertible, Fiesta, Merkur, Courier, Festiva, Aspire). And other "world designs" have tended to diverge relatively quickly (see Escort, Contour).
Ed
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