Ford Sportka: New Sporty Derivative Of The Ka

Like the exciting sequel to a million-seller, the latest derivative of the novel Ford Ka is difficult to put down. It’s the new Ford Sportka, which adds a performance edge to Ka’s distinctive curves, having been conceived especially for driving enthusiasts.

Inspired by the all-new Streetka roadster and sharing key elements of its powertrain and chassis, the new Sportka sharpens Ka’s fun-to-drive character. It features balanced performance from a new 1.6-litre Duratec engine and exhilarating dynamics more reminiscent of the engagingly energetic Ford Puma rather than a typical ‘hot hatch’.

Sportka debuts in 2003 along with the new Streetka, bringing the Ka range to three models.

“We’ve engineered the new Sportka to be an enthusiast's car for the enthusiast driver,” said Peter Mott, Sportka Chief Programme Engineer. “With just the right balance of punchy engine power and spirited dynamic capabilities, Sportka handles every curve with eagerness, confidence and agility. It’s the athletic brother in the Ka family, with inherited traits of Fiesta Sport, Puma and, of course, the new Streetka in its DNA.”

Sharper Curves: Sportka’s Purposeful Attitude

A blend of the Ka’s enduring small hatchback shape and the Streetka’s attention-grabbing styling and equipment, the Sportka has a purposeful air. It appears lower and sleeker with a more planted stance, thanks to larger alloy wheels and tyres together with front and rear design elements that visibly accentuate the lower half of the body shape.

Yet, Sportka retains the coherence and simplicity of the original Ka design, its designers having set out to avoid giving the car the sometimes flashy touches of 'hot hatch'.

Sportka is available in two solid exterior colours, Blue Print and Colorado Red. Customers can also opt for a choice of four metallic paint colours, Imperial Blue, Magnum Grey, Moondust Silver and Panther Black.

Sportka’s striking body-coloured front bumper incorporates Streetka’s distinctive front grille and integrated fog lamps flaring out at the sides into exaggerated wheelarches, framing the angular headlamps that are one of the Ka family’s design signatures.

A first glance at Sportka’s profile highlights the new six-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels with low profile 195/45R16 tyres, also Streetka-derived. The wheels and tyres accentuate Sportka’s confident handling capabilities, complementing a poised, planted stance and lowered ride height. The B-pillar is signed with a new Sportka logo, in homage to the original badge that has become part of Ka’s identity and heritage.

At the rear, Sportka features a standard, body-coloured roof spoiler that continues the driving enthusiast theme. Sportka’s rear bumper, also body-coloured, is uniquely shaped to complement bolder wheelarch flares. Together with the new Sportka badge on the tailgate, it provides additional subtle hints that the Ka on the road ahead has a driving enthusiast at the wheel. The bumper incorporates twin fog lamps and a central reversing lamp and twin reflectors, distinctive styling cues inspired by the Streetka design.