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| Road Test: Ford Streetka (2003-) |
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| Small Sports Convertible |
by: Farah AlKhalisi |
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 Streetka history
Ford first teased us with the Ghia Saetta concept at the 1995 Turin Motor Show - the open-topped taster for the Ka hatchback, launched the following year. Although an open-topped Ka was predicted to follow the hatch soon after its debut, the project didn't get the go-ahead until February 2000, as Ford Europe had decided to concentrate on more mainstream products in the interim. The Streetka concept was unveiled, again in Turin, later in 2000, and its reception was enthusiastic enough for Ford to sign it off for production at the end of that year.
 Media hype
Whatever pundits may think of Ford's forward-model strategy (why didn't it get made sooner?), the company played the Streetka's pre-production promotion by the book. Ford sponsored Kylie Minogue's 39-date European tour, and the resulting photo opportunities of the small-but-perfectly-formed songstress with the Streetka must have been worth every penny spent on the deal. Also press-worthy was the collaboration with fashion designer Julien Macdonald, who customised a Streetka for his 2002 London Fashion Week catwalk display; his bright pink, decal-plastered showpiece, accessorised with diamonds worth a million dollars, made it into all the papers and even the snooty fashion mags. The paparazzi were out in full force again at the 2002 Paris Motor Show, when the car was officially launched with a little help from Kylie. That's when good Neighbours become good friends...
 A one-engine range
Just the one engine: an eight-valve, 1.6-litre Duratec unit, developing 95bhp and 99lb ft of torque. This accelerates the Streetka from 0-60mph in a relaxed 12.1 seconds, and on to a top speed of 108mph. Fuel consumption is 35.8mpg, and carbon-dioxide emissions 191g/km. Don't expect a more powerful engine to be offered at a later date, either: this is the largest unit that will fit under the bonnet, says Ford of Britain MD Paul Thomas, and the most powerful that can be fitted without substantial re-engineering of the basic platform and chassis, a programme Ford doesn't think is cost-effective, given the small numbers of cars involved and the general age of the chassis/platform design. Which all rather begs the question of why Ford Europe didn't design a new roadster off the all-new Fiesta platform, rather than the underpinnings of the current Ka (i.e. the last-generation Fiesta), dating back to the early '90s? Because the company was concentrating its resources on more important things such as new diesel engines, apparently, and there was a limited budget to be spent on the project, so the engineers had to make do with what they already had. This all seems a little short-sighted from the outside, and is probably partly why the Streetka will be produced in small numbers, with a short production lifespan.
 Structural stiffening
A modern roadster or convertible is more than just a hatchback with the roof lopped off; its whole structure has been revised for extra stability and strength. The Streetka is no exception; it is not "a conversion of the Ford Ka, but rather an all-new vehicle engineered and manufactured from the ground up," says Ford. The project was carried out by specialist coachbuilders Pininfarina of Turin, who worked with Ford for the first time to engineer the car's body structure and roof, Ford supplying the chassis, powertrain and electrical systems, as well as the interior elements.
 Stiffer suspension
The Streetka's front suspension shares the same layout as the Ka hatchback, with independent MacPherson struts and L arms, but with a new structural crossmember and springs that are 12.5 percent stiffer than those of the standard Ka. The front track (distance laterally between the front wheels) is 22mm wider than that of the Ka, and the Streetka also sits lower. It is not as stiffly sprung, however, as its sister model, the 1.6-litre Sportka hatch, which has been developed to have a bit more sporting intent. The Streetka's rear track is 35mm wider than that of the front, for improved core stability, and its rear twist-beam axle is 14.6 percent thicker than that of the standard Ka.
 Six-spoke shiny wheels
Six-spoke six-inch alloy wheels are standard, and the Streetka sits on 195/45 R16 low rolling-resistance tyres. The brakes are ventilated front discs up front and drums at the rear; ABS anti-lock brakes are standard on UK-market cars.
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Introduction Ford's Streetka two-seater roadster is one of the most hyped cars of t... |
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