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Ford Ka
The Ford Ka is a small car which was manufactured by Ford Motor Company from 1996 to 2021 over three generations. It entered its second generation in 2008, produced by Fiat in Tychy, Poland. A third generation was introduced in 2014. The first two generations have been described as city cars,[citation needed][according to whom?] whilst the third generation has been called a subcompact car.[citation needed][according to whom?]
The first two generations have a three-door hatchback body style, with the first generation also having a two-door convertible version that was marketed as the StreetKa and a sporty hatch version, the SportKa. The third generation was produced as a five-door hatchback and as a four-door sedan. It was initially only available in Brazil, and later was introduced in India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, South Africa (where it was marketed as the Ford Figo), Argentina, and Poland. European sales ended in 2020, and in 2021 was taken out of production in Brazil.
The name Ka has three possible pronunciations. It can be said using a long or short "a" (/ˈkɑː/, /ˈkæ/), or with the letters pronounced separately (/ˈkeɪ eɪ/). Ford's press office has used all three. According to Auto Trader, Ford "top brass" have given the correct pronunciation as "Ka as in cat" (/kæ/).
The first Ford Ka was introduced on September 11, 1996, as a small and low-cost addition to the Ford range. Developed under the BE146 development code, it was based on the Mark 3 Ford Fiesta platform, but with a completely different exterior design. The design borrowed from Ghia's "Saetta" show car, a roadster designed by Filippo Sapino. The Ka evolved from concept vehicles to production with minor changes. The large, one-piece, moulded bumpers and wheel arches made the vehicle more durable and easier to repair. The vehicle was manufactured on the existing Fiesta production line in Almussafes, Valencia, minimising new model investment costs. The chief program engineer was Kevin O’Neill. The designer of the car was Chris Svensson of Sunderland, who had designed a similar-shaped car when at the Royal College of Art in 1992.
When the Ka was first introduced to the public, it provoked mixed reactions due to its unusual New Edge design, overseen by Jack Telnack and executed by Claude Lobo.
Besides the styling, the Ka, like its sister cars Fiesta and Puma, was lauded in the motoring press for its handling. Under Richard Parry-Jones' supervision, the suspension and steering settings allowed for hard cornering and high levels of grip, providing strong handling characteristics.
At launch, the Ka was created as a single model with a number of production options, including air conditioning, power steering, height-adjustable driver's seat, adjustable position rear seat with head restraints, passenger airbag, central locking, and power windows. However, anti-lock braking was only added as an option, and not until January 1997.
The car's main drawback was the 1,300 cc overhead valve four-cylinder Endura-E engine, a derivative of the Valencia unit used in all the previous generations of the Fiesta and based on the older "Kent" design, which dated back to the 1960s. Although not very modern, it provided enough torque to allow relaxed if not spirited driving. In 2002, the Endura-E was replaced by the overhead-cam Duratec engine, with claims of improved fuel efficiency and increased refinement, mostly caused by taller gearing on the cars without air conditioning.
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Ford Ka
The Ford Ka is a small car which was manufactured by Ford Motor Company from 1996 to 2021 over three generations. It entered its second generation in 2008, produced by Fiat in Tychy, Poland. A third generation was introduced in 2014. The first two generations have been described as city cars,[citation needed][according to whom?] whilst the third generation has been called a subcompact car.[citation needed][according to whom?]
The first two generations have a three-door hatchback body style, with the first generation also having a two-door convertible version that was marketed as the StreetKa and a sporty hatch version, the SportKa. The third generation was produced as a five-door hatchback and as a four-door sedan. It was initially only available in Brazil, and later was introduced in India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, South Africa (where it was marketed as the Ford Figo), Argentina, and Poland. European sales ended in 2020, and in 2021 was taken out of production in Brazil.
The name Ka has three possible pronunciations. It can be said using a long or short "a" (/ˈkɑː/, /ˈkæ/), or with the letters pronounced separately (/ˈkeɪ eɪ/). Ford's press office has used all three. According to Auto Trader, Ford "top brass" have given the correct pronunciation as "Ka as in cat" (/kæ/).
The first Ford Ka was introduced on September 11, 1996, as a small and low-cost addition to the Ford range. Developed under the BE146 development code, it was based on the Mark 3 Ford Fiesta platform, but with a completely different exterior design. The design borrowed from Ghia's "Saetta" show car, a roadster designed by Filippo Sapino. The Ka evolved from concept vehicles to production with minor changes. The large, one-piece, moulded bumpers and wheel arches made the vehicle more durable and easier to repair. The vehicle was manufactured on the existing Fiesta production line in Almussafes, Valencia, minimising new model investment costs. The chief program engineer was Kevin O’Neill. The designer of the car was Chris Svensson of Sunderland, who had designed a similar-shaped car when at the Royal College of Art in 1992.
When the Ka was first introduced to the public, it provoked mixed reactions due to its unusual New Edge design, overseen by Jack Telnack and executed by Claude Lobo.
Besides the styling, the Ka, like its sister cars Fiesta and Puma, was lauded in the motoring press for its handling. Under Richard Parry-Jones' supervision, the suspension and steering settings allowed for hard cornering and high levels of grip, providing strong handling characteristics.
At launch, the Ka was created as a single model with a number of production options, including air conditioning, power steering, height-adjustable driver's seat, adjustable position rear seat with head restraints, passenger airbag, central locking, and power windows. However, anti-lock braking was only added as an option, and not until January 1997.
The car's main drawback was the 1,300 cc overhead valve four-cylinder Endura-E engine, a derivative of the Valencia unit used in all the previous generations of the Fiesta and based on the older "Kent" design, which dated back to the 1960s. Although not very modern, it provided enough torque to allow relaxed if not spirited driving. In 2002, the Endura-E was replaced by the overhead-cam Duratec engine, with claims of improved fuel efficiency and increased refinement, mostly caused by taller gearing on the cars without air conditioning.