Ford Ka backgrounder for the Museum of Modern Art exhibit

NEW YORK, – The Museum of Modern Art's summertime automotive exhibit, "Different Roads: Automobiles for the Next Century," includes the Ford Ka, Ford's unique European small car. The exhibit runs now through Sept. 21, 1999.

The Ford Ka incorporates a daring and creative style, a modern and inviting interior, advanced vehicle safety engineering and an unequaled handling standard that makes the car truly "fun to drive." Highlights of the Ford Ka include:

Concept unveiled:
1994 Geneva Motor Show

Introduced:
Late-1996 in Europe

Major Markets:
Europe, Latin America, Japan (launched 1999), Australia (launched 1999)

European Sales:
Calendar 1998 – 202,853. In its first year on the market, Ka was the segment leader, and customer satisfaction ratings were among the highest ever recorded by Ford.

Built:
Valencia, Spain, and San Bernardo, Brazil

Design Concept:
"New Edge," which integrates planes and angles with complex structural forms. Designed for roominess and to be fun to drive.

Development:
Development took just over two years using the latest design and engineering methods and the mechanical platform of the Ford Fiesta. Ka uses only 1,200 parts, compared with more than 3,000 for the previous Ford Fiesta.

Dynamics:
Designed to give customers a vehicle that is fun and exciting on the open road, yet practical and comfortable in city driving. Based on the acclaimed Ford Fiesta chassis, the Ka provides high steering precision with direct response, good maneuverability, excellent driving stability and high levels of driver control and safety.

Safety:
One of the most comprehensive safety packages in its class, including driver air bag and passenger bag, optional anti-skid brakes, rear head restraints, central locking and antilock brakes.

Award Highlights:
Belgium:
1997 European Award of Automotive Design United States: Gold Award, Industrial Designers Society of America's 1997 Industrial Design Excellence Awards

Britain:
1996 Autocar Magazine Car of the Year; 1997 Best Small Car of the Year for What Car? and AutoExpress magazines. Sunday Telegraph voted Ka its favorite car of 1996.

Croatia:
1996 Car of the Year Design Award

Italy:
Automobilia Most Beautiful Car in the World

Netherlands:
Autoweek Dutch Car of the Year 1997

Japan:
Car Styling Magazine Golden Marker for innovative design