Ford -A Happy Return to Normality

Well it's all gone a bit loopy in Britain this week. Forget the fact that we're officially in recession, ignore the rising fuel costs and cover your eyes at the amount of money the Government is borrowing to sort it all out because there's only one topic on everyone's lips - Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross' phone prank. Now if you're not familiar with who these people are or what they've done let me enlighten you - they've enraged every Ford driving family of four - i.e. the average person in the UK.

Brand and Ross are both comedians and presenters at the peak of their popularity, hosting their own TV and radio shows including slots on the BBC - the largest broadcaster in Britain. Both are known for courting controversy, Brand insulting America whilst hosting the MTV Awards, Ross often sailing dangerously close to the wind interviewing celebrities on his chat show 'Friday night with Jonathan Ross'. Yet this edginess and unpredictability is why they are so popular and why their latest stunt really shouldn't have caused much surprise.

During Brand's weekend radio show, Ross was a guest and co-presented. The pair were due to interview actor Andrew Sachs, famous for playing the character of Manuel in the legendary British comedy Fawlty Towers. Unfortunately Sachs couldn't honour the telephone interview he'd arranged with the pair, but undeterred they phoned him to be greeted with the inevitable answer phone message. Now the problems began...

Brand began by asking the interview questions to the answer machine with Ross answering, before he blurted out that Brand had slept with Sach's granddaughter - in more colourful language than I'm permitted to use here. For the next ten minutes the pair phoned a further three times, each time apologising before compounding the situation with a song or further abuse. Having listened to the clip there is no doubt in my mind that the two got overexcited and despite humorous intentions, ended up humiliating a 78 year-old man unable to defend himself.

At the time of writing the pair have been suspended from their considerably high-paid jobs whilst an investigation into how this pre-recorded prank was firstly sanctioned and secondly why it was passed as being fit to broadcast. Personally I did find the clip funny, but only because I wasn't on the receiving end. Without doubt this has raised the profile of both celebrities in Britain, whilst asking the question of decency. For me it's also raised the issue of whether something completely off-the-wall will ever be accepted by the masses.

It's the same dilemma at Ford. Much like Brand and Ross they were at the peak of their powers with their 'new edge' designed Ka, Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo to name but a few, taking the late 90s and early noughties by storm. However upon launching the latest Fiesta do they risk upping the anti and risking a backlash from lovers of the current model, or playing safe and re-cover the same ground? Without wishing to sound like a politician, the answer is both yes and no. With sales dipping dramatically in its American homeland, Ford has said this is the most significant car it has built since the Model T in 1908 which was the first production car in the world.

In doing so, Ford has retained all that was good about the current Fiesta and much like a guitar amplifier, turned everything up by one. The styling is very classy but retains the sense of fun and cuteness a small hatchback should produce. The waistline rises up as the roofline glides down, the front headlights are long and slender and the rear is compact and neat.

Inside Ford have taken inspiration from the mobile phone generation and given the dials and centre console a very modern look and feel. The materials used are of high quality - a must in a market that contains the Volkswagen Polo. To drive, the Fiesta is very responsive and loves to be thrown around corners, although with engines currently limited to a 1.2 litre or 1.6 litre Zetec S, it's hard to judge how the middle of the range cars will stack up.

It's a fair bet that the range will be a good one however, as I found so much to like about the Fiesta, although none of it was vastly different from the current model. The Fiesta entry price will be £8,695 in the UK and for that you get a slight improvement on an already great car.

The new Ford Fiesta is imminent, it won't offend a soul and it'll no doubt turn Ford's fortunes around. It's just very predicable.