Will Ford replace Ka with production version of Start concept?

Filed under: Concept Cars, Budget, Hatchback, Ford, Rumormill

Ford Start Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

If the rumors circling the internets concerning the Ford Ka are to be believed, the tiny three-door may be looking at the end of the line… eventually. Inside Line is reporting that Ford is making bigger waves about bringing a production version of its Start concept to market as a replacement for the Ka, and the new car is likely to come packing a tiny EcoBoost three-cylinder engine under the hood. Word has it that the direct-injection, turbo 1.0-liter could be good for as much as 120 horsepower all while going easy on the gasoline.

The production version of the 2010 Beijing Motor Show starlet is expected to carry a price tag of $13,000 and bow in markets like India, South America and China before spreading to the rest of the globe. As of right now, there’s no indication as to whether or not the Start will show up in the U.S., but it could prove to be a viable competitor to the likes of the Fiat 500 and Mini Cooper. Of course, the rumors say that the Start isn’t slated for production until 2014, so this could all be smoke and mirrors. Besides, there’s no clear indication that even if the production car is Start-based, that it won’t be called the Ka when it arrives.

Gallery: Beijing 2010: Ford Start concept