Ford offers 100,000 test drives of new Fiesta in lead up to next year’s U.S. launch

Ford's new Fiesta won’t be arriving in local showrooms until early next year, but the company is pulling out all the stops to promote the small car with various social marketing campaigns to build excitement. To further this, the Blue Oval has announced that it has set a goal to get 100,000 people to test-drive the new Fiesta before the North American production version is released.

Ford will be taking a fleet of Euro-spec Fiesta hatchbacks in five different regions across the U.S. over the next eight months or so in a promotion dubbed the Fiesta Movement. The plan is for the five regional teams to drive across the U.S., visiting a total of around 100 cities and offering scores of people the chance to drive the new car.

The new test-drive campaign is just one marketing project Ford has undertaken with the new Fiesta. Other projects include giving 100 trendsetters one the cars to trial for six months. These trendsetters would blog about their experiences with the Fiesta through popular social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube.

Expected to cost less than $15,000 when it arrives, the North American-spec Fiesta will differ slightly from its European counterpart. First and foremost will be the introduction of a sedan variant, although the hatchback will also be offered. Production will be handled at Ford's assembly plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico.

Under the hood, the Fiesta will likely feature a 1.6L four-cylinder with twin independent variable valve timing - which should allow it to offer above average fuel economy without the associated high expenses of a hybrid or diesel powertrain.