October 7^th, 1999                                                 

Overseas success of Ka expected to repeat  here

Having established itself as an icon of style and fun around the world, the Ford Ka is now available for the first time in Australia.

Sold in over 30 countries around the world, with total sales of over 600,000 units since introduction, the Ka has developed a loyal following globally and continues to impress wherever it is introduced.

Ford Australia expects the same reaction to Ka here.

"The Ka is a real head turner," says Ka brand manager, Jennifer St George.

"Drive one around town and you’ll see a lot of smiles and double takes. But the appeal isn’t only in the styling. It’s a great car to drive."

Origins of Ka
The Ka program was first revealed to the public as a design concept at the 1994 Geneva Motor Show.

Key aims of the program were to develop an adventurous new styling concept and to use refined engineering methods to provide a dynamic, but simplified, compact car that would appeal to the growing number of smaller car buyers.

Functional parameters were also set by the engineering team to maintain Ford’s drive towards advanced vehicle dynamics. This resulted in a responsive and "fun-to-drive" chassis system that combines easy maneouvrability with excellent ride and handling characteristics.

Local Content
Ford Australia’s Chief Designer, Scott Strong, was the lead designer of the original Ford Ka for its European launch in 1996.

Scott is proud that the Ka went from concept phase to production in only 28 months - a short lead time that is hard to beat. "The team of designers working on the project had a very clear idea in their heads of what was needed," says Scott.

A key Ka goal was to create a car that was exciting and fun.

"The European market at that time was literally crying out for a real icon vehicle - a small, quality car that wasn’t seen as an economy car. Although Australians are used to more wide, open spaces, the trend towards inner-city living makes the Ka equally as important a vehicle for this market as the European one.

"Our design team spent a considerable amount of time following trends in other consumer goods - mobile phones, computers and mini-disc players. All these products were getting smaller and smaller but without sacrificing any quality - in fact, they were improving the quality as the goods got smaller," says Scott.

Ford’s final choice for the design of Ka was an innovative and radical vehicle. A car with unique and individual styling, Ka features elements of Ford’s "New Edge" design concept. "New Edge" integrates planes and angles with complex structural forms, creating a different approach to surface design.

"It was our goal to achieve the same standards with the Ka and we’ve done that. The Ka has spirit and cache - it stands out in a crowd for all the right reasons."

Distinctive Exterior
The body of the car features sheer, simple metal surfaces that flow together to create sweeping feature-lines. These work with the bumper and bonnet cut-lines to define the shape of the head and tail lamps. The result is edge highlights where the curved planes intersect. This was achieved in a way that is both natural and uncompromised and shows that a minimalist approach can result in elegant sophistication.

By combining a long wheelbase (in B-class terms), with extremely short front and rear overhangs, Ka provides compact overall dimensions (3.66 m) and interior space for four passengers. The glass area has been maximised throughout the car to improve visibility, with a deep direct-glazed tailgate glass and one-piece side door windows. Tinted glass is standard.

Ka is fitted with a new headlamp design that uses integrated double can reflectors with separate bulbs for high and dipped beams behind a single moulded polycarbonate lens. H7 halogen bulbs are used for the dipped beams to increase light output, and H1 halogen bulbs are used for high beams.

Interior - style, comfort and function
The Ka interior is designed around the customer. It’s modern and distinctive, with an emphasis on practicality, functionality and comfort. The passengers benefit from an improved sense of spaciousness, enhanced by an uncluttered interior. The unique, curving shape of the instrument binnacle puts the driver in command, with easy-to-read instruments, linked to an integrated centre console that is inclined slightly towards the driver. This brings the controls of the uniquely styled audio bezel and air-conditioning into hand’s reach.

One of the most striking design features of Ka’s interior is the oval-shaped analogue clock. The clock features uniquely shaped grey hands on a white, easy-to-read face.

Four comfortable seats are contoured for lateral support with a 50/50 split rear backrest. A total of eight separate stowage locations are provided in Ka, including a unique rotating instrument panel bin, two door pockets, three cup-shaped depressions and a lidded compartment beside the rear seat.

Distinctive instrument panel
The instrument panel has a distinctive diagonal centre stack that flows smoothly from the instrument cluster to the central tunnel. This original fascia treatment leaves a low panel with a softly-rolled edge in front of the passenger to provide an unusually roomy effect for such a small car. The passenger side airbag is installed in the upper instrument panel, leaving the space in the lower section for a rotating drum container with room for CDs and other small items.

Instrument layout within the cluster has been kept deliberately simple to read and has been designed to harmonise with the use of colour and form. A large diameter centreline speedometer is flanked by a fuel level gauge on the right with a group of 8 warning lights above. Total and trip odometers are set into the speedometer face, all in the primary vision area. A striking oval-shaped analogue clock is centrally-mounted on the upper fascia.

Ka has four large swivelling spherical face-level vents - two in the centre and one each side of the instrument panel, providing high-capacity air distribution. They adjust both vertically and horizontally and are directed by large soft-feel controls.

Moulded seats are covered in a warm grey patterned fabric. The cushion and backrest feature deep contours to provide good lateral support. Door trim panels are part covered in matching cloth, integrated with the sheet metal of the inner door frame, which has a painted surface finish in the exterior body colour.

Front seats incorporate anti-submarining ramps and the foams used for seat contouring are made from CFC-free materials. The rear seats are individually shaped to optimise seating comfort for two passengers.

Front seats are fitted with height adjustable head restraints, and the front seat belt upper mountings have two height positions.

CD Player Standard
High on the Ka buyer want list is a capable sound system. In response, the Australian Ka comes standard with a CD player and AM/FM sound system.

To partner the latest audio range, Ka also features the latest high-performance Ford-developed speaker installations. They are located high in the side doors for better acoustics. The speakers incorporate integrated high-frequency ‘tweeter’ units within the mid-range cones using the latest ‘Inductive Coupling Technology’ to provide a true single-point sound source and are able to cover the full frequency range at high output with low distortion.

Driving enjoyment
A key objective in the development of Ka’s chassis and suspension was that customers should find the car fun to drive.

The platform, underpinnings and technologies of Ka are all derived from the European Fiesta. Ka also shares the same twist beam rear axle and MacPherson strut suspension, but with subtle modifications to suit the car’s size and character.

To minimise body roll Ka is fitted with a 15mm diameter front anti-roll bar and an anti-roll torsion feature in the rear axle.

Flexible, responsive powertrain-easy to drive and economical
The Ka uses an updated version of the 1.3 litre Endura-E SEFI engine.

This engine is fitted with a thermoplastic inlet manifold that saves weight, has a smoother internal surface and conducts less heat than a conventional alloy casting. The plastic moulding improves fuel flow and helps make hot starts more immediate.

The application of electronic multi-point fuel injection provides an extremely responsive engine with smooth running characteristics.

The engine produces 43kW at 5,000 rpm. It has been calibrated to provide extremely flexible and responsive driving characteristics by developing high levels of low end torque. The engine also produces 100Nm of torque, 90% of which is available between 1700 and 4400rpm.

The Endura-E engine is controlled by the latest generation of Ford’s EECV electronic engine management module.

B5S five-speed transmission
The Ford B5S manual transaxle fitted to Ka was upgraded to maximise reliability and durability in service. It has internal design NVH improvements, additional external stiffening ribs to reduce vibration, and an isolated gearshift mechanism.

Brakes
The Ka braking system uses 12 mm thick 240 mm diameter front discs matched to 180x30mm rear drums. Single-pot sliding pin callipers at the front operate the latest generation asbestos-free pads that give a long life to both linings and disc faces and capable stopping power.

Hydraulic clutch for smooth, light operation
As well as providing responsive steering and a rewarding chassis, Ford was determined to make all controls, both major and minor, easy and pleasant to use. In line with this philosophy, an hydraulically operated clutch system is used on Ka.

Compact and manoeuvrable
The design provides the maximum possible interior cabin space within a minimum ‘footprint’ on the road, for easier parking and manoeuvrability. The turning circle is 9.9 metres.

Safety package
Ford engineers designed Ka with occupant safety and security in mind. While the supplementary restraint system is designed to protect the occupants in the event of a collision, Ford engineers started from the concept of accident avoidance. Ka has a number of engineering features designed to provide extremely responsive driver control and improve visibility, both key factors in avoiding hazards in accident situations.

These include dynamically optimised suspension and steering systems, an advanced braking system, climate control equipment with efficient demisting performance, a heated backlight as standard and new technology high-output headlamps. In addition, the contoured seats, high-output ventilation, switchgear and large, easy-to-use audio controls, all contribute to driver alertness.

Structure developed for top crash performance
The new structure developed for Ka provides an integrated body design that distributes crash forces evenly to provide high levels of impact protection. The front structure has been specifically optimised for energy absorption utilising the widely-spaced longitudinal side members that support the engine mounting system.

Safety-related features of the structural design include specific reinforcement of the cowl structure and A-pillar connections, upgraded upper A-pillars, B-pillars, C-pillars and roof rails, reinforced pressings between rocker panels and floor, and between floorpan pressing and central tunnel. A cross-car beam behind the instrument panel, braced to the central tunnel, is designed to absorb and distribute side impact energy more uniformly and braces the steering column mount.

Other structural features that contribute to the crash performance include high strength steel door beam pressings intended to improve side impact resistance and connect front hinge posts with the centre pillars, reinforced waistline pressings, centre tunnel, door apertures and door hinges, and B-pillars designed to resist roof crush forces.

Supplementary Restraint System (SRS)
Key elements of SRS are standard dual airbags, front seat belt pretensioners and anti-submarining front seat cushions. Ka is also fitted with height-adjustable upper seat belt mounts and dual latching front seat tracks.

Passive anti-theft system
Ka is fitted with an electronic Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS) designed to prevent the engine being started without the correct key. It extends the mechanical protection provided by the doors and steering lock into a smart, high-security engine lock-out system that can only be switched on by the correct electronic signal from a total of 50 billion possible codes. This prevents ‘hot wiring’ the ignition and effectively makes unauthorised use or vehicle theft extremely difficult.

Recommended Retail Price: $16,500

Option:
Prestige Paint $ 400
[Includes painted Bumpers: available in Karyptonite, Kaligula, Kalypso, Kayak and Kakadu]