The Zee Marathi news channel has it that Abhishek Bachhan has been appointed the brand ambassador for the new Ford Fiesta. Abhishek rushed in from a busy shooting schedule in Switzerland in time for the photo shoot. ‘It’s very simple,’ he said, 'the first time I saw this car I thought I’d really like to associate my name with that product.’ Granted the Ford Fiesta isn’t exactly designed to arouse emotion, but even so.

Brand ambassador. What a great job! So I take it that the brand ambassador is supposed to reflect the values of the brand he is representing, which I suppose also includes the product at some point. Given that, what can we expect from the Ford Fiesta? Let us see.

A comfortable acceleration, for one. This car is in no rush to get into the fast lane. Gentlemen never hurry. At times it will seem to gain momentum but this is invariably just an illusion. This must be due to faults in the delivery for it certainly is no fault of the engine. The engine, as we all know, generates the power which pushes the vehicle, and what an engine it is! It simply refuses to quit. Truly remarkable.

Then there’s the question of looks and appeal, the je ne sais quois that is the hallmark of great cars. Looking at the Fiesta one might conclude that it looks like any other family sedan, however something about this car says that it is different. Everybody agrees that the Indian market has never seen a car like this before. Although it essays a fairly straightforward role, it is the treatment that is special in each Fiesta. The Fiesta will be available in two colours - Peat and Rust. Will this car make a dent in the Santro’s market share? Some say that it might while others say damn! those dimples on that Santro sure are cute.