The Streetka looks identical to the original Turin show car because Ford's original design brief was to exactly replicate the lines of the one-off concept car, with modifications limited to making it a safe and road-legal road car.
Designed by an in-house team lead by Ford design chief Chris Bird, Streetka has been engineered from the ground-up in a new relationship with the renowned Italian design house and coachbuilder, Industrie Pininfarina. Working closely with Ford, Pininfarina has taken Streetka from show car plinth to production reality in around 24 months.
The windscreen has been shortened to enhance Streetka's roadster appeal, while the doors boast frameless windows that do not impede on the car's clean roof-down lines. There's no B-pillar either, enhancing Streetka's uncluttered looks - a pair of integrated steel roll-over bars that sit behind the driver and passenger seats are the only projections above Streetka's waistline when its hood is stowed away.
Streetka is powered by a new 1.6-litre Duratec engine that develops a lusty 95PS at 5,500 rpm and 135 Nm at 4,250 rpm. Built in South Africa, the 8-valve engine has been designed to deliver muscular mid-range response, imbuing Streetka with exceptional urban agility and motorway overtaking capability. Nearly 90 per cent of maximum torque is available between 1500-4500rpm.
Developed specifically for the European market, the 8-valve engine complies with stringent Euro IV emissions legislations. It features a low-friction overhead cam valvetrain operating valves opposed at 16°. On the combined cycle the electronically fuel-injected unit delivers 34.7mpg and has a CO2 emissions rating of 190g/km. It powers the front wheels through a close-ratio five speed manual gearbox and exhales through an exhaust system acoustically tuned to deliver a sporty note at idle and under acceleration.
At the front, the track has been widened to 1417mm, 22mm wider than the standard Ka. The MacPherson strut suspension now boasts off-set uprated springs - 12.5 per cent stiffer than standard, a thicker anti-roll bar that's increased from 15 to 17mm and completely new dampers. The result is a 27 per cent increase in roll stiffness, equating to enhanced cornering stability and sharper, more aggressive front end bite when turning into corners.
Streetka's rear suspension is entirely new. The wider 1452mm rear track has allowed Ford to fit a wider and stiffer twist-beam layout which offers increased toe-in stability and heightened camber stiffness during cornering. In comparison with the standard Ka, Streetka's V-shaped twist beam is 14.6 per cent thicker and is fitted with thicker tubular arms and reinforced gussets. The result is an 18 per cent increase in longitudinal stiffness.
"Streetka is an accomplishment on many levels. It further extends our line-up of exciting and stylish models, it demonstrates how derivatives can quickly and accurately tap into customer appeal and it's the most tangible example yet of Ford's commitment to produce fun, stylish and affordable cars. Streetka is a winner in every sense," concludes Paul Thomas, managing director, Ford Motor Company Limited. |
