Ford‘s intense internal trans-Atlantic debate about whether or not to replace the Fiesta name, when the supermini’s replacement goes on sale in November, next year, continues.
The blue oval’s European marketing executives are believed to favour the Verve badge, which will feature on the Fiesta preview concept car at next month’s Frankfurt motor show, despite Detroit-based CEO Alan Mulally’s recent strong endorsement of Fiesta.
Mulally, who dealt with aircraft type numbers rather than sensitive car names when running Boeing, has been a traditionalist as chief executive, restoring the Taurus saloon badge at the expense of the 500.
The Verve concept, which indicates the Fiesta will be substantially bigger than the current model, will be joined on Ford’s Frankfurt stand by the Focus-based Kuga compact 4×4 and the revamped Focus.
Ford has also still to resolve when to show the production version of the Fiesta’s successor, with Geneva next March and the July London shows vying for that privilege.
Ford of Britain is lobbying strongly for London to prevail particularly as the Fiesta, for 29 years the UK’s best selling supermini, was the brand’s second highest fleet seller behind Focus last year and third placed business car with a fleet ratio of 42%.
Meanwhile, the next generation Ka, to be built alongside Fiat‘s new 500 in Poland, will appear in final form at September 2008’s Paris show.
Earlier this year Ford admitted that three potential new model names, Genesis, Isis and Phoenix were “under investigation” by Ford in the international car titles’ register.
A Ford source said: “Mr Mulally has expressed the view that Fiesta, which debuted in the UK market in February, 1977, has strong brand equity and credibility and few negatives. Some middle management want a break for the new car, which is radically different from its enduring predecessors and they are excited about Verve.”
