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The stylish Verve concept previewed Ford’s promised subcompact challenger to Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and other “B-Class” cars. The styling will change--as well as the name--but a Mazda foundation ups the chances for success.

Fuel-stingy minicars are back in vogue, thanks to unstable gas prices. Ford has long promised such a car for its U.S. lineup. In fact, it had one ready several years back, but canceled it on learning the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris would show up.

Since then, the Blue Oval has been working on what it thinks will be a more competitive minicar. The three Verve concepts, unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, 2007 Guangzhou Motor Show, and 2008 Detroit Auto Show preview the showroom version of the new Fiesta. So does the debut of a new Mazda 2, which will parent the U.S. baby as well as a redesign of Ford’s popular European Fiesta. Right now, sources predict the American version--which will also be badged Fiesta--will arrive in 2010 as a 2011 model.

The 2011 Ford Fiesta is another “world-car” project a la Ford’s 1981 Escort and 2000 Focus. Like the original VW Beetle, the idea is a basic design that can be built and sold profitably the world over, because one car serving many markets drastically cuts development costs and raises profit potential. That’s why General Motors still dabbles with world cars, too.

In the past, though, Detroit “world cars” ended up with so many regional design and engineering changes that economies of scale were diminished, if not erased. The Focus is one example. At first, the U.S. and European models were quite similar. Then Ford Europe did a 2005 redesign that U.S. marketers deemed too costly. In other words, a Euro-based Focus would have been priced out of its U.S. market slot. Which is why our Focus still uses the original design, already paid for, albeit heavily updated for 2008.

Ford says Focus will be a “world car” again in its next incarnation, expected around 2011. There’s not much choice. Ford, like many automakers, is running low on cash and must leverage its global resources--that timeworn Detroit cliché--to get the most new model bang for the bucks it has. That’s why Ford CEO Alan Mullaly is busy spearheading a global product plan that aims for big savings by greatly trimming the number of platforms and parts in Ford Motor’s worldwide inventory. The increased sharing won’t be confined to small cars, either. Ford also plans to merge two different midsize sedans, the American Fusion and European Mondeo, into a single basic design, with only modest tailoring for various markets.

All this explains why our 2011 Ford Fiesta will be closely related to the next-generation Fiesta sold in Europe and elsewhere, but sourced from low-wage Mexico to achieve a competitive El Norte price. And because Ford now assigns small-car development to Japanese affiliate Mazda, which is plenty experienced that way, the Fiesta will be derived from the recently-released second-generation Mazda 2. That model isn’t coming here, but its good UK and Continental notices bode well for the upcoming North American Fiesta.

The 2011 Ford Fiesta will share a new B2E corporate platform with the Mazda 2, but have different styling (penned by Ford designers in Europe) and perhaps different powertrains, too. It will look more conservative than the Verve concept, which Ford says suggests the general “design language” of the production car. But the concept is certainly expressive, as is the wedgy Mazda 2, so the showroom Fiesta won’t be another plain two-box appliance like the Fiesta sold here way back in 1977-1980. 

Size wise, the 2011 Ford Fiesta should be close to the Fit, Yaris, ChevroletAveo and other so-called “B-Class” minicars, but a generous wheelbase versus overall length should make for a surprisingly roomy four-seater, judging by the Mazda 2. It’s front-wheel drive, of course, and a 4-door sedan body style is assured for the U.S. Two- and 4-door hatchbacks are available for Europe and possibly the 4-door hatch will be offered on our side of the pond as well.

Powertrains should come from the Euro-market Fiesta, which offers twincam 4-cylinder engines of 1.3, 1.4, and 1.6 liters. We’d guess the U.S. 2011 Ford Fiesta will get the 1.6, or perhaps a 1.8-liter enlargement providing the extra low-end torque that’s always so helpful for U.S. driving conditions.

Transmissions should comprise a 5-speed manual and an optional 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Dubbed PowerShift, Ford's new dual-clutch transmission behaves much the same as a conventional automatic transmission, but Ford says it weighs less than a 4-speed auto, and helps increase fuel economy by about nine percent. Standard equipment should include antilock brakes, front torso side airbags, and curtain side airbags. Traction control will certainly be available, maybe even standard. Stability control is a likely option, as it is on the Mazda.