Ford Festiva

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Ford Festiva
Ford Aspire
Manufacturer Kia Motors (All LHD models including North America)
Mazda Motor Corporation (all Japanese and RHD models)
Parent company Ford Motor Company
Also called Ford Aspire
Mazda Festiva
Mazda Aspire
Production 1986–1997
Assembly Sohari, South Korea
Class Subcompact
Body style(s) 3-door hatchback
Layout Front-engine, front-wheel drive
Related Mazda 121
Kia Pride
First Generation
Ford Festiva
Production 1986–1993
Engine(s) 1138 cc SOHC, 56 hp (42 kW), 65 ft·lbf (88 N·m)
1324 cc SOHC, 71x83.6 mm, 65 hp (48.5 kW), 77 ft·lbf (105 N·m)
1290 cc DOHC, 88 hp (66 kW), 72 ft·lbf (98 N·m)
Transmission(s) 3-speed automatic
4-speed manual
5-speed manual
Wheelbase 2295 mm (90.4 in)
Length 3475 mm (136.8 in)
Width 1605 mm (63.2 in)
Height 1405 mm (55.3 in)
Curb weight 725 kg (1598 lb)
Fuel capacity 37.9 litres (10.0 US gal)
Related Nasim, Saipa 141, New P.K
Second Generation
Ford Aspire
Also called Ford Aspire
Production 1994–1997
Platform DA platform

The Ford Festiva was a subcompact car sold by the Ford Motor Company in North America, Asia and Australasia, introduced in 1986 in Japan. The car was manufactured by South Korean automaker Kia, which at the time was part-owned by Ford, and was based on the Kia Pride.

It was based on the Mazda DA platform, using Mazda's B Series engines. In later models fuel injection was used.

The Festiva was sold in North America from the 1988 to the 1993 model years. It was also sold in Europe and other markets (probably to avoid competition with the Ford Fiesta sold in these markets) as the Mazda 121 from February 1988 until 1991, when it was replaced by a rebadged Autozam Revue. It was sold as the Kia Pride in some regions. It replaced the Ford Fiesta in North America. Nasim and newer Saipa 141 in Iran and Syria.

Contents

[edit] First generation (1986-1993)

The WA Festiva was a Mazda 121 made under licence by Kia Motors in Korea. In Korea and in some markets it was sold as a Kia (in the UK it was sold as the Kia Pride).

In 1986, the subcompact Festiva was introduced to the world market, and it was introduced to North America in 1988. This Festiva sold well, and it fit into Ford's new marketing agenda of selling better built cars. Early in its life, it faced tough competition from the Yugo, which was slightly larger, and only cost $3,990 USD, but the Yugo quickly fell due to reported reliability problems. Initial sales were good, but by the 1990s, Festiva sales started to fall.

[edit] The SHOgun

In 1990, Chuck Beck of Special Editions and Rick Titus took seven Festivas, gutted the interiors, and mounted Ford SHO 3.0 L V6s behind the front seats to make the car mid-engined. There were substantial cosmetic and mechanical changes, including relocating the gas tank to the front of the car, structural bracing and improvements to the chassis, adding wider wheel arches to accommodate a wider stance and larger tires, and a complete redesign of the suspension. These changes resulted in a car that could accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds, travel the ¼ mile (0.4 km) in 12.9 seconds at 100.9 mph (162 km/h), and could achieve a lateral acceleration figure ranging from .95 to 1.04 g [1]. Of the seven, Jay Leno owns the silver one, which is number 003 [2].

[edit] Second generation (1994-2001)

Main article: Ford Aspire

The second model Ford Festiva was jointly developed between Kia and Ford USA. It retained most of the mechanical parts of the previous model, but got a larger looking, more rounded body designed in USA.

Depending on the market, some retained the SOHC, throttle-body injected motor, while others got an engine with a DOHC cylinder head and MPI designed also by Mazda.

While it was sold in certain markets as a second generation Festiva, Ford renamed it the "Aspire" in North American markets. The Ford Aspire was the first car in its class (in North America) to have standard dual air bags and optional 4-wheel ABS. This new Festiva was slightly longer, wider, and more aerodynamic.

For 1997, the Festiva/Aspire got a new front bumper with an oval grille, to keep up with the new Ford styling trend set by the Ford Contour and the redesigned Ford Taurus. The Aspire was dropped from the Ford range in the United States after 1997.

The second generation Festiva continued to be sold in Australia until at 2000 when it was replaced by the Ford Ka. It is interesting to note that Australian second-generation Festivas have US side marker light cut-outs on each side of the vehicle (driver-side and passenger-side) at the front and rear. Instead of containing orange reflectors/lights at the front sides and red reflectors/lights at the rear sides, there are non-lit orange reflectors at all four locations. These redundant reflectors, coupled with the orange side indicator repeater (which is not required in the US, and was not included on the Aspire) make for a unique side profile appearance.

Kia developed the following model, the Kia Rio, completely independently, and finished their relationship with Ford.

[edit] Safety

In Australia, the 1987-93 and 1994-1997 Ford Festivas were assessed in the Used Car Safety Ratings 2006 as providing "significantly worse than average" protection for their occupants in the event of a crash.[3]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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