New Fiesta to make its marque

It's one of the best known cars on British roads – and today Ford confirmed that its next supermini would continue to bear the popular Fiesta name.

The blue oval badge firm was thought to be considering changing the name of its top-selling supermini after branding concept versions of the new car as the Verve. But bosses eventually decided to stick to the name which has served them well during the course of the car's 32-year history – and they will also be selling the car across the globe as the Fiesta.

Ford of Europe's chief executive John Fleming said: "We know there isn't a better name for the new model and we have over 30 years of investment in the Fiesta brand to consider."

There have to date been six versions of the Fiesta which have together accounted for sales of around 12 million across Europe, with nearly 3.5 million sold in the UK alone.

Over three decades it has built up an unrivalled reputation for being the small car you can trust – which is why it remains a popular buy on the second-hand market to this day.

But the new model will be light years away in terms of sophistication and equipment from the basic four-geared car which made its debut in 1976.

The Fiesta Mk 7, which makes its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in a fortnight, features a stylish modern look with racy looking headlights, Ford's corporate double grille and flared wheel arches.

There's a hint of Italian styling about the design, but the car it most resembles is the new Mazda2, which has itself been winning rave reviews since its launch last year.

The new Fiesta will come with a radical-looking interior designed to cater for the needs of today's 'iPod generation'. There will be full MP3 connectivity and drivers will be able to use voice activation to control a number of features.

The car is expected to retain its class-leading driving dynamics, as well as offering a range of engines from 1.25 litre petrol up to a 1.6 litre diesel. There will also be an eco version featuring emissions of under 100g/km.

Visitors to the British Motor Show will be able to see the car in the summer but it will not arrive in showrooms until October. Prices have not been announced but are expected to start at around £9,000.

By Peter Carroll, motoring editor.