Geneva show: Ford high-fives Fiesta

FORD'S next-generation Fiesta hatch has been officially uncovered in public for the first time, with a five-door version of the Blue Oval's all-new light-car star making its world debut at the Geneva show last week.

Based on the new Mazda2 platform, the redesigned five-door shared the Swiss limelight with a three-door production-ready Fiesta, pictures of which were revealed prior to the show.

Both European-targeted hatch bodystyles are expected to go on sale in Australia following the commencement of right-hand drive production on Thailand in early 2009.

A production version of the four-door Verve concept, shown at the Detroit motor show in January following the debut of the three-door Verve show car at Frankfurt last September, will be directed primarily at the US market, but may also be sold here.

As Ford Australia's light-car combatant alongside everything from Holden's Barina, the Kia Rio, Proton's Savvy and Satria and Hyundai's Getz and Accent' to Toyota's top-selling Yaris, Suzuki's Swift, Honda's Jazz, Nissan's Micra and Mitsubishi's Colt, the new Fiesta has a lot riding on it.

More than 12 million examples have been sold since its global introduction in 1976, but the Fiesta nameplate hit Australia relatively recently in April 2004, when the Europe-built WP-series (replaced by the facelifted WQ model in February 2006) superseded the long-running Festiva name here.

Full specifications won't be issued until closer to the new Fiesta's UK launch in the third quarter of this year.

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First look: Ford flouts new Fiesta

Ford Thais up Fiesta

First Look: Ford previews next Fiesta with Verve