After a weekend which saw the streets of London swap jam-packed vehicle traffic for thousands upon thousands of runners, Ford has chosen to highlight the class-winning long-distance achievements of its Fiesta model.
Before the London Marathon began, the Ford Fiesta drove the 26.2 mile route this week to mark its victory in the auto industry's annual fuel-saving endurance race in October. The vehicle, which is the subject of the most new car deals in the UK, clocked up over 88 mpg on the journey.
Ford's engineers believe the smooth driving offered by the car means it would take just a third of a gallon of fuel to cover the London Marathon – seen as the ultimate test of endurance to runners. The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic has already been confirmed by mandatory EU-prescribed lab tests to be capable of delivering up to 85.6 mpg – the equivalent of 29 marathons – on one tank of fuel.
The Fiesta is something of a homegrown talent too, as it is powered by the 95PS 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine, which is produced at Ford's Dagenham plant to the east of London.
In addition to the amazing engine, the ECOnetic model is aided by other bits of efficient technology features, including Auto-Start-Stop, lowered suspension, aerodynamic rear under-tray and wheel trims and low rolling resistance tyres.
As the car's world-class fuel economy is not its only selling point, it is easy to see why it leads the race to be the UK's most popular car.
The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, show there was a total of 25,753 Ford Fiesta registrations across the UK in March, boosting its year-to-date sales to 39,240 units, which means the car is still miles ahead of its nearest competitor.
Posted by Bob Fletcher