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2008 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Verve
DETROIT — Ford's North American marketing department can thank Martin Smith, executive director of design for Ford of Europe, for creating a breath of fresh air that could help sweep a few cobwebs from the Blue Oval's musty U.S. portfolio. Case in point: the Ford Verve.
The Verve — for all intents and purposes, the next-generation Fiesta that arrives later this year in Europe and China — is the embodiment of an emerging family styling theme that Smith has dubbed "kinetic design." It is far more graceful, elegant and appealing than the blunt, ham-fisted three-bar grilles that Ford has pasted on most of its U.S. products in recent years.
The good news for Americans is that at least one version of the Verve — unfortunately, with that three-bar grille tacked on — will arrive stateside in 2010. That would be the four-door, which was first unveiled several months ago at the Guangzhou auto show. Detroit visitors will also get a look at the sexy Verve three-door that made its maiden voyage in September at the Frankfurt show; Ford hints that it, too, may see duty in the U.S. market.
Apart from the grille, the U.S. edition of the Verve doesn't swerve much from the original. The car still features a panoramic glass roof, pillarless side glass, projector-beam headlamps and LED taillamps. The latest version of the concept rides on 18-inch, 12-spoke alloy wheels.
Ford isn't furnishing a lot of details on the hardware, but the production-bound Verve/Fiesta will offer a selection of four-cylinder gas and diesel engines in Europe, from fuel sippers to tire lighters.
What this means to you: Possibly Ford's sexiest new model in years. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
The Verve — for all intents and purposes, the next-generation Fiesta that arrives later this year in Europe and China — is the embodiment of an emerging family styling theme that Smith has dubbed "kinetic design." It is far more graceful, elegant and appealing than the blunt, ham-fisted three-bar grilles that Ford has pasted on most of its U.S. products in recent years.
The good news for Americans is that at least one version of the Verve — unfortunately, with that three-bar grille tacked on — will arrive stateside in 2010. That would be the four-door, which was first unveiled several months ago at the Guangzhou auto show. Detroit visitors will also get a look at the sexy Verve three-door that made its maiden voyage in September at the Frankfurt show; Ford hints that it, too, may see duty in the U.S. market.
Apart from the grille, the U.S. edition of the Verve doesn't swerve much from the original. The car still features a panoramic glass roof, pillarless side glass, projector-beam headlamps and LED taillamps. The latest version of the concept rides on 18-inch, 12-spoke alloy wheels.
Ford isn't furnishing a lot of details on the hardware, but the production-bound Verve/Fiesta will offer a selection of four-cylinder gas and diesel engines in Europe, from fuel sippers to tire lighters.
What this means to you: Possibly Ford's sexiest new model in years. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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