#fiesta

The success of the Ford Fiesta brings with it another trend—the revival of the hatchback, long-derided in America as being cheap without the cheerfulness.

That’s probably due to the fact that the SYNC system was developed by Microsoft, and since Bill Gates is not exactly best friends with Steve Jobs of Apple, the lack of communication between the two systems was likely deliberate.

So unless you have a RIM or Android operating system, your SYNC system could not be all that it could be. However, Ford has now announced that the next generation of SYNC will feature AppLink, which will happily talk with your iPhone, and this system will be first available to Fiesta customers.

Among the first apps to work with the SYNC system include Pandora internet radio, Stitcher news radio and OpenBeak. More apps adaptability is on its way says Ford.

So if you’ve been ignoring Fords because your iPhone didn’t work in them, rest easy now, all has been resolved.

Download SYNC AppLink at www.syncmyride.com

Hit the jump to see the press release.

After taking the gold medal victory at the 2010 X Games in Super Rally, Tanner Foust took the top spot at the first ever U.S. Rallycross in his Rockstar Energy Drink / Etnies Ford Fiesta. His experience in European Rallycross has clearly paid off on American soil, not to mention his success competing in Formula Drift in the RWD Scion tC.

Even though this is the first official year that competition Rallycross has taken place in America, the idea and concept of bringing rally racing to America has been brewing for several years now. Mixing circuit racing with off-road racing and rally, all on a short course, Rallycross has everything a form of motorsports needs to be exciting: jumps, hills, turns, all in varying environments. Given Foust’s expertise in controlling a car sideways while drifting, rally wins is a nice complement to his back-to-back Formula Drift championships.

Look forward to two more Rallycross events at New Jersey Motorsports Park with the next one taking place on October 2-3rd, 2010.

Video and press release available after the break.

The Universal Technical Institute (UTI) has teamed up with Tjin Edition to design a one-of-a-kind 2011 Ford Fiesta that will debut at SEMA 2010. Best of all, the Ford Fiesta will be built as a giveaway in a sweepstakes that opens up on November 2nd, 2010, the first day of SEMA.

Not many details have been revealed about the project, but given Tjin Edition’s past history we’re anticipating that it’ll be a killer car. Prior to be given away, it’ll tour numerous UTI campuses and other automotive events, showing off what can be done with a little creativity and experience.

Several partners are already on board with the project giving us a good idea of what the car will look like. Peeking underneath the car cover in the render is clearly a site of wheels from FIVE:AD with Air Lift Suspension ensuring the car has the profile it needs no matter the situation. Baer brakes will be peeking between the spokes while Yokohama tires will be wrapping the wheels. Exterior goodies will be coming from DuPont paint, 3dCarbon and StreetGlow while interior will receive goods from Trent’s Trick Upholstery, Autometer, Status Racing, Image Dynamics and Scosche. Performance looks to be contributed by MagnaFlow, SPEC and Nitrous Express.

Official press release available after the break.

Ford is making a major push in marketing their Fiesta to the trendy, hip youth market of tomorrow…or today’s automotive enthusiasts. From teaming up with Ken Block to custom commercials on American Idol, to the impressive Fiesta Movement social marketing phenomenon, Ford seems to have a lot of bases covered. Their emphasis has been on customization and personalizing the trendy Fiesta, offering versatility and custom graphics. But now Ford has taken another leap by announcing their Fiesta body kits and accessories.

Starting with the aesthetics, Ford will be releasing a four-piece body kit for the Fiesta which includes a front air dam, side skirts and rear valence. Custom graphics ranging from tattoo-style, bubbles, flames and even ninja blades. For the interior, illuminated door sills, LED cup holder lights, armrest and a shift knob that’s illuminated with a gear number can all be added.

Obviously these aren’t for everybody, but you can’t knock Ford for trying to appeal to somebody. The more boring accessories are pretty run-of-the-mill including floor mats and splash guards. One thing’s for sure though, the Fiesta should be quite successful and we’ll be seeing quite a lot of them in the near future.

View the official press release after the break.

GALLERY: Ford Fiesta Body Kits and Accessories

Read AutoGuide’s Ford Fiesta First Drive by Clicking Here

Ford launched a website last Fall to help future Fiesta owners customize their rides a bit, with vinyl decals that can be dealer installed. Designs include flowery patterns, random, linear patterns, something that looks like the chicane on a race track, and other abstract, and somewhat cheesy options.

Tech addicts, the 2011 Ford Fiesta may be your next car. (Just as long as you don’t own an Apple iPhone, ’cause it’s not supported yet.) SYNC, the in-car technology platform developed by Microsoft in partnership with Ford, will soon allow for third-party cell phone applications to be controlled by voice commands and in-car controls.

Ford has reportedly given the green light to a hot-hatch version of the new Fiesta sub-compact, which will be called the ST. According to a report by AutoExpress, the Fiesta ST will get a version of the 1.6-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder used in the C-Max MPV. It is expected to make around 180-hp and deliver a 0-60 mph time in the six to seven second range. The car will remain front-drive and will come with Ford’s six-speed PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmission. Other highlights are likely to include a stiffer suspension, aerodynamic upgrades and larger wheels and tires.

Just a day before Ford will officially take the wraps off the U.S.-Spec version of the new Fiesta, a few CGI images of the car have shown up on the automaker’s website. Along with the hatchback version we also get our first look at the sedan, which was built specifically for the North American market. We’ll wait to see the car in person before passing judgment but so far it seems like the Euro-spec model’s more progressive style has been toned down a bit, with more soft round corners and less sporty edges. At least that’s the way the front of the car looks. Most other angles seem pretty much identical.

Ford recently launched a new website dedicated to the 2011 Fiesta (due out in early 2010) and the option sheet lists a turbocharger kit!

We’ve known for quite some time that Ford was planning on bringing its Fiesta model to North America, but as these most recent spy photos show, the U.S. automaker will launch more than just a hatchback.

In an attempt to drum-up interest in the launch of the Fiesta in North America, Ford is putting on a serious publicity stunt by running two 800 horsepower versions of the economy car in the legendary Pikes Peak race.

Ford will spend $550 million to transform it’s Michigan truck plant into a facility that bill be used to built the new Ford Focus, including an electric version of that vehicle.

By transforming the Michigan Trunk Plant into a compact car facility as many as 3,200 jobs will be saved as demand for large SUVs declines. The Truck Plant was the location where behemoths such as the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator were manufactured.

The all new Focus will begin production next year with an electric version of the compact car due out in 2011. This zero-emissions Focus is being built in partnership with Magna International and will be powered by an electric motor mated to a Lithium-Ion battery pack and can be charged though a conventional household outlet.

Ford has made a commitment to bring three more EVs to market by 2012.

“The transformation of Michigan Assembly Plant embodies the larger transformation under way at Ford,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally. “This is about investing in modern, efficient and flexible American manufacturing. It is about fuel economy and the electrification of vehicles. It is about leveraging our expertise and vehicle platforms around the world and partnering with the UAW to deliver best-in-class global small cars. It is about skilled and motivated teams working together in new ways to create the future of automobile manufacturing in the United States.”

Along with the Michigan plant, Ford will transform its Louisville, KY plant to also produce the new Focus, as well as modify the company’s Cuautitlan Assembly in Mexico, where the new Fiesta is to be produced.

“We’re changing from a company focused mainly on trucks and SUVs to a company with a balanced product lineup that includes even more high-quality, fuel-efficient small cars, hybrids and all-electric vehicles,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “As customers move to more fuel-efficient vehicles, we’ll be there with more of the products they really want.”

Official release after the jump:

Ford kicked-off what it calls the “Fiesta Movement” yesterday when 140 new European-built Ford Fiestas were unloaded at ports in Baltimore and Oxnard, Calif.