Flippin' Heck, Ford: Overkill, Much?

Pay attention Ford fans strong, the Blue Oval’s just released a slew of new cars in what it's calling the biggest product offensive ever

Tom Harrison

18 May 2015

Pay attention Ford fans, the Blue Oval’s just released a slew of new cars in what it's calling the biggest product offensive ever. The "Go Further" event - held in Amsterdam on Thursday before a 2500-strong audience - saw the European debut of the new Mondeo and Ford's redesigned range of commercial vehicles.

We’ve watched the 90 minute press conference - so you don’t have to, and for which you owe us big time - and our highlight is the refreshed 2013 Fiesta. Lets take a closer look at the latest version of Europe's best selling car, before briefly covering the event's other announcements.

Arguably the Fiesta's most striking revision is its new trapezoidal grille and slimline, LED headlights. Do feel free to disagree, but we think it looks rather shexy.

Ford's taken some stick for its new grille, largely because it looks very Aston-esque. There are worse things than owning a supermini that looks like an Aston Martin, though. Complaining that this affordable, everyday car looks "too much like an Aston" is like complaining that a lass from Manchester looks "too much like Emma Stone". It's not really a valid argument.

The 2013 Fiesta will boast an entirely new range of engines when it goes on sale later this year. Existing 1.4 and 1.6-litre diesels are likely to be replaced by the all-new 1.5-litre TDCi that'll be making it's debut in the B-pillarless B-Max soon. The most welcome addition, though, is the 1.0-litre EcoBoost.

Earlier this week, we brought you the news that a Formula Ford fitted with the 1.0-litre lapped the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 22 seconds - the 11th fastest time for a road legal car. In the Fiesta, the engine will produce 123bhp at most, but this engine's already proven itself in the bigger, heavier Focus - so logic dictates it should be an absolute riot.

Perhaps not as much of a riot, however, as the long-awaited ST which also took a bow yesterday. It's the only Fiesta to have had its chassis uprated, and the only one to use the company's 1.6-litre EcoBoost motor. It's good for 177bhp and a sub - 7 second 0-60mph time.

Making its European debut in the Fiesta is Ford's MyKey technology. This allows parents, in particular, to limit the cars top speed and the volume of the stereo when their teenagers are driving it. We literally couldn't hate this feature more. Spoil all our fun, why don't you. It'll also feature Ford's emergency braking tech' and the Ford SYNC voice command system.

Ford's all-new Mondeo was the primary focus of the event. It too will be available with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost (our question is, will it move?), as well as a host of new technology. In all seriousness, Aston could've slapped the Rapide badge on this (and the Cygnet badge on the Fiesta ST - now there's a thought), and no one would've been any the wiser.

The company also took the opportunity to announce the new Fiesta-based EcoSport. To all intents and purposes, it's a Fiesta with four-wheel drive and chunky styling to rival the Fiat Panda 4x4.

Some of the best news though, came at the very end of the event. The iconic Mustang will at some point in the next few years be available in the UK, in right hand drive. The Edge SUV will make it to Europe too, though whether we'll see it in the UK in RHD remains to be seen. The odds are good, though.