FORD may be planning a cabriolet version of its new Fiesta which has only just been revealed in hatchback form at the British Motor Show.
It will be the first time that Ford has produced a rag-top version of the Fiesta and it is expected to be on sale within 18 months.
Then it will go head-to-head with a similar version of Fiat's chic 500 model to cash-in on the frenetic downsizing that is expected to permeate through to small convertibles soon.
Currently the biggest sellers are in the compact class and include models such as Ford's Focus coupe-cabriolet.
However, in the case of the Fiesta and Fiat 500 the canvas roof option is preferred because it saves weight, which means that the smallest and most economical engines can be used.
A picture of the Fiesta cabriolet, which has yet to be officially acknowledged by Ford, has been fed to a motoring magazine in Germany and has been published this week in Auto Express.