Ford’s new global Fiesta is hardly a year old, but the Dearborn-based automaker has already seen fit to expand the subcompact’s interior color choice list to include some bright new hues, as well as to add some cosmetic bits to the outside for an aftermarket look.
When Ford first began showing off the new Fiesta during the 2010 auto show circuit there were a half a dozen or so customized Fiestas that were enlisted to do the trick, many with custom body kits, blacked out headlamps, carbon fiber odds and ends and a sporty rear spoiler that has been mysteriously missing despite previously being promised as an option. But alas, Ford is ready to deliver many of the attractive bits it used to tease and lure in buyers for the 2011 model year with three new packages for 2012.
The automotive aftermarket in is good for around $6 billion a year, and Ford hopes to tap into that income with accessories and OEM-installed options that would historically be acquired only through aftermarket customization, cutting Ford out of the profit equation. As it stands now, Ford says roughly four out of ten Fiesta buyers adds at least one OEM accessory at the time of a purchase, a figure that Ford wants to increase.
One way to do that is to tap into the well-received European Fod Focus RS’s bag of styling tricks, pulling out the “premium sport package” which includes 16-inch polished alloy wheels, blacked out and smooth side mirrors, headlamps, grille surround, license plate header and a rear upper hatch spoiler with a little more flair than the standard spoiler.
But before you cry “all show, no go” for the sport package, Ford says that if ordered on a manual car, the package will also entail a final gear ratio upgrade to 4.25, rather than the fuel-friendly 4.07.
What about the inside?
The interior changes will likely garner far more attention – and order sheet check boxes – than the somewhat stealthy changes to the outside found in the premium sport package, as they include radical amounts of colorful accents to be added throughout the car. The premium interior package – available on SEL and SES models – is centered around high-contrasting (read: bright) interior accent coloring in either Oxford White or Race Red, which stretch from the seats to the doors to the dash to the steering wheel.
“The inspiration for this package is mainly a result of the trends we’re seeing in fashion,” explained Mark Conforzi, chief designer, Ford Vehicle Personalization. “Designers like Stella McCartney use bold, contrasting color similar to these interior packages, adding a one-of-a-kind design.”
It will be interesting to see take rates for Ford’s new customization packages, as they will surely add to Ford’s already strong profit margins – a welcome change as Ford and other automakers reliant on profitable truck sales will likely see a shift to small cars if gas prices continue their upward trend.
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