2011 Ford Fiesta / Verve

[bblair77]

I'm a Ford Engineer working on the 2011 Ford Fiesta and a fellow F2000 / 125cc Shifter Kart Racer here in the Mid-West.

I personally don't like the Fiesta name and am trying to get it changed to the Verve. I feel the Fiesta name "cheapens" the car and "Verve" gives it a bit more cool factor

If your not familiar with the Fiesta/Verve, it is a 40 MPG, 1.6l 4/5 Door. It's in the "B" car class. Our competitors are Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, and Scion xD

You can see a few pics at this site;
http://motortrend.automotive.com/71042/112-0805-2011-ford-fiesta-spied/index.html

Unfortunately I cant show you actual pics.

I'm going to keep this poll open for a few weeks. I would like to gather a lot of opinions

[TimW]

Will whatever engine it has have the same rear block bolt pattern as a kent?????

[rickb99]

Fiesta:
Holiday, religious event or a party.. Hmmm car doesn't look big enough to have a party in it.

Verve:
Vitality, liveliness. If you only have two choices better this then Fiesta.

But I looked at this as a clue due to the above link not working.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/04/g...w-ford-fiesta/

Nice flow of lines over the car and an 'aggresive' looking front end. It is NOT a Fiesta looking car.. much better then that.

With the lights, grill, ducting and badge in this shot:

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2x0y0...fiesta/675467/

The name that came to mind was 'RAPTOR" but I'm sure somebody has already trade marked or used that name.

However you could call it a Rahonavis (pronounced rah-hoo-NAY) a member of the Raptor family that's only 1 foot long and weighs one pound. Would make a neat car badge too

Rahonavis:
http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/carniv.../rahonavis.htm

[D.T. Benner]

With the Growing Hispanic population they will think it's cool!

[Keith Carter]

I misread it and though you were meaning Festiva.... Maybe Verve is better to not be confused.

[bblair77]

Tim W - It is the 1.6 sigma engine. Not sure of the bolt pattern?

Rick - You are correct, the Raptor name is taken.... Thanks for the cool name tho... My only choices are Verve or Fiesta.

DT- It is being built in Mexico!

Keith - I agree with your thoughs exactly. Festiva was launched back in the early/mid ninties. Followed by Aspire. I'd like to forget both of those!

[rickb99]

Well, you could go after the women's car market.

Combine the idea of Verve and Raptor.. call it the Ververtor

[D.T. Benner]

I arrived at the Airport in Maui and the Rental car lady said I could have an Aspire. I ask "what the heck is an Aspire?" never forgot her reply "Well IT Aspires to be a car"
I took the Escort insted.
Ford's other forgettable name Probe-women didn't buy them. They didn't want to tell their friends "I just got a new PROBE!!!"

[Stan Clayton]

If Ford renames it the "Verve" will it come with a pre-installed rainbow ribbon on the back?

A '78 Fiesta was our first race car.

Oh, I forgot to make input...

I think the car looks good from the side, but that baleen whale front scoop is over the top in an econobox, No wonder it only gets 40 mpg.

Oh yeah, I also forgot to point out that laughed when I saw that "none of the above" out-polled either Ford choice.

[bblair77]

Rick - Its funny but you are correct. The target market for this car is "Kristen". Age 25.

I'm asking the question on this site because ALL of you are car guys and I can appriciate real feedback from all of you.

DT- Yeah I know! Ford doesnt have a great track record when it comes to some of our names. I'm trying to change that! At least one of them!!

Stan - Lol, no rainbow included!

[rickb99]

Rick - Its funny but you are correct. The target market for this car is "Kristen". Age 25!

Well, I for one can hear Kristen telling the other girls in the office... ' I just purchased a new Ververtor'.

Or, telling the guy sitting next to her in the bar..'Would you like to go outside and take a look at my rah-hoo-Nay'

[dc]

What happened to Ford's plans of naming all of their vehicles starting with "F"?

Festiva, Fiesta... they both conjure up bad pre-conceived notions of the car. You might as well call it a Yugo. Most people think the same of the fly specks of cars.



If Verve is your only choice, it's the lesser of two evils, but that doesn't make it a good name. Makes me think of that song, "Bittersweet Symphony."





What's the planned price point? That would be the determining factor in the choice between it and the Fit. Oh, and my wife said she liked it better than the Fit or the Versa, you your target market it right on target.

[Jeff Owens]

Fiesta!!!!

What memories. We use to thrash one of those and a vette, thats chevette in the grocery store parking lot after the closing shift. GOOD TIMES

Verve is too close to Versa, the buying public may see it as a copy!

[bblair77]

Rick - I'd much rather tell someone I drive a Verve than a Fiesta! It's like the new Chevy Malibu, I actually like that car but who the hell wants to tell people you drive a Malibu!

Doug - Base price for the Fiesta/Verve is $13,500. Fully Loaded is about $18K. And BTW I like that song/band!

Jeff - I dont have any memories of the late 70's Fiesta's. I was just a boy then... I was just in Cologne Germany and they love their Fiesta's!! But my point in all this is we are not living in Europe, what has good tradition there does not make it right for the North American market.

[Rick Kirchner]

What - no Ka???

[bblair77]

Rick - Your reading my mind!! Ah yes, the Ka!! My second proposal would be to Import the Ka and call that the Fiesta!! So we would have a 3 door Fiesta and a 4 and 5 door Verve. I still am not fond of the name Fiesta but it seems to fit the Ka.

Here are a few pics of the Ka

[Jeff Owens]

I was just a boy in the 70's too. I think I have confused the Fiesta with the Festiva. Oh well. Who knew!

[Mark_Silverberg]

As a former marketing research manager for your (formerly) fine company we used to refer to the vehicle nomenclature process as "the sport of kings".

There is a defined process which evaluates up to 10 or 12 potential names

(There is also a process for generating an checking the names for potential copywrite issues).

The names are tested through a marketing research process which includes factors such as un-aided associations with the proposed names. Imagery associated with the proposed names. Opinion regarding the proposed names. At that point it is revealed that the names are for a vehicle. Often is is asked what type of vehicle would the name best fit. Then imagery associated with the name if used for a vehicle is measured. Finally preference for the proposed name as used on the proposed vehicle type is measured.

This process created a very detailed report and is costly to generate. While it can not identify a truly good name - as these seldom exist - it will prevent adoption of a name with bad CAR-MA.

Then these detailed reports are read and discussed by upper management and they then name the thing what ever they please. It is a prime way of asserting your influence in a corporate structure of an automaker.

Yes, at once time Ford did have a directive to name all sedans starting with F. Internally within marketing it was know as "our effin strategy". I don't think this was a complimentary term.

This was blown up when Mullaly made a unilateral decision to restore the Taurus name to the Five Hundred and try to convince people it was a new car.

[bblair77]

Mark - Thanks for all the feedback. I kinda figured that is how it worked. I know I'm fighting a losing battle but I figured I would at least try to make a difference.

[bblair77]

Bump to the top! Still need more votes/suggestions.
Thanks!
Bryan

[Tom Sprecher]

I'll buy which ever one fits in the bed of my '04 diesel F250 4WD Crew Cab in case I get a flat or something like that.

[EYERACE]

I think you should call it the FORD FREEDOM.........maybe the name is taken....but then also there's the thoughts [sophmoric though] that it will neither be free....nor is it dumb

if my only choices are verve or fiesta.....call it verve.........or nerve.....or swerve.....or nerd..or the vern......as in, "Hey there Vern!" and Vern grins back at you with his buck teeth and bib overalls



and the thought of answering your forced question phrased as....would you rather this or rather that......is unfair. who knows maybe we're all being subliminally set up to buy one.



you see....... i'd rather buy an F-250 with a Diesel engine that HAD ALL THE BUGS WORKED OUT .......whether it be a 6.0 or the 6.4 engine

[Shep]

Looks like "Fiesta" it is, and i'm okay with that, because it's a cool looking car regardles of the name. Now if only Ford NA and the dealership association don't f#ck it all up by "Americanizing" it... but based on some of what bblair has said above (such as a $15k price tag when it was $11k according to the article) they already have...

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...8/newsletter01

Now, the truly exciting thing here (assuming Ford NA doesn't get it all wrong again) is the potential to unify UK FF and US FF once again, both running the duratec 1.6L engine... (hey, it's not even the offseason yet! why is he starting that thread already?...lol)

[rickb99]

...Now, the truly exciting thing here (assuming Ford NA doesn't get it all wrong again) is the potential to unify UK FF and US FF once again, both running the duratec 1.6L engine... (hey, it's not even the offseason yet! why is he starting that thread already?...lol)

Man oh man. That's a highly emotion charged issue my friend. Led to the demise of one FF Forum and the growth of the Apexspeed FF section. DON'T even go there.

Most FF guys in the USA would rather lose their jobs, go through a divorce and be run over by a MAC truck before giving up their Kents.