Fiat 500 & Ford Ka

As I've said elsewhere.... I really hope it's Ford cash funding a Fiat Design.

It can't be Fiat doing the same, they don't have the financial means.

I don't know what'll happen but I'll wager both parties use different suspension settings, different engines and transmissions and different bodies.

But it would be nice to see Ford dump the Peugeot HDI unit in favour of the Unijet. :)

I just had visions of Ford doing the styling or providing engines.

How about Ford do the steel and electrics, and fiat do the design and the engine? Nice little twink in a cute shell with some proper metal.

I'll give them the electrics, but I wouldn't let them anywhere near the metalwork.... previous shape Festers and the Ka have a tendancy to rust a long time before their Wop counterparts.

You so need to try a modern Ford engine.

Go try the Focus with the variable valve 1.6.

That's precisely why the Ka is being replaced..

'Ford seek Fiat's help in rustproofing shocker'

Why? - An Alfa 147 is just as cheap and has a better engine.

On car bits, the Focus rides better, handles better, has superior build quality, cheaper to service, more room... blah blah blah...

Engine wise, because the engine manages to deliver similar outright performance as the Alfa Romeo donk if you squeeze it, but it won't chew a sump of oil and it also delivers great low down thump too.

Not quite.

The Ka tooling is wearing out and the Ka is the only Ford that uses 1980s derived rust proofing (in the remote context). It needs to be replaced, as does the production methods - Fiat's involvement or otherwise.

There are of course bad ones, but the majority of Mondeos don't have corrosion coming through, nor does the Focus nor the current generation Fiesta.

Ride and handling are subjective. The old Focus was supposed to be good at that, but I found it like piloting a rather wallowy MPV.

The Alfa 1.6 has an extra 5bhp. Not a lot, but it's several years older and due for replacement within the next couple of years, when they'll move the goalposts again.

'wearing out' ? Let's be honest, it was hardly 'new tech' when it was released...

Lol.

Fraser

The tooling? In the early 1980s?

Or the Ka? Was there anything that _looked_ remotely old school about it?

And the underpinnings, derived from the Fiesta, something that moved the goalposts forwards for all small cars in all respects.

Engine, old tech. That's about it.

With italian electrics and build quality

There isn't a decent engine in a Ford badged Ford until you get to the V6 mondeos or the 5 cyl Focus.

RS and ST variants are good, the Focus ST170 motor was a cracking piece of machinery.

Other than that they're all bland and breathless - like most mainstream midsize motors. Never understood it myself - the 1.8 mondeo and Vectra are popular, and torquey for the size but they don't rev, yet the 1.6 despite being gutless feels more fun to drive.

I disagree.

Four cylinder donks?

But for most people this is all they would ever need; relatively few people use every single last rev.

You are entitled to your incorrect opinion.

Indeed - but not bland and breathless.

Well they should, and would if they weren't driving breathless Fords.