That leaves the way...

That leaves the way clear for the all-new Ka revealed here to take over the helm in what is one of Ford"s most lucrative markets. The Ka currently accounts for more than 30 per cent of city car sales in the UK, and while rumours were circulating round Europe that the blue oval wouldn"t replace the model, insiders have confirmed that the market is too important to ignore. That means a new model will be with us by 2007, and the company will be looking to continue the current machine"s im-pressive sales success.

But whereas the original Ka was cutting-edge in its design, the new model will take a much softer approach. It will still be offered as a three-door, to appeal to its traditional market of young, single buyers or commuters who travel alone.

However, a five-door machine is also planned on the same platform, but will be sold as a stand-alone model. The Ka replacement"s nose will be similar to that of the all-new Focus and Fiesta, while its rear styling and profile will echo those of other Ford offerings. Design cues include the circular reversing lamp integrated into the bumper.

The conservative theme is likely to continue inside, although there will be more luxury than at present, with fewer exposed metal surfaces. A more upmarket dash will contain a Sony sound system similar to that currently fitted to the Focus, C-MAX and Mondeo. And we understand that a clever rear seating arrangement is being looked at, with two separate chairs that can be tumbled flat or slid forwards on runners to free up extra boot space when not carrying rear passengers.

Yet despite its plusher cabin, the Ka replacement will remain a budget car, aimed at taking on vehicles such as the Citroen C2, Fiat Panda and next year"s Peugeot 107. As with the Focus and Mondeo, the Ka will be sold as a global model. In addition to being offered in Europe, it"s anticipated to be a sales success in South America, plus rapidly developing markets such as India and China, where Ford is quickly trying to increase its sales presence.

In all countries, the new Ka will be available with a petrol engine, expected to be an updated version of the 1.25-litre unit from the current Fiesta. But for the first time, European buyers will be able to get their hands on a diesel Ka, which is likely to use the Fiesta"s 68bhp 1.4-litre TDCi motor, co-developed with PSA Peugeot-Citroen.

Another first for the new model is the possibility of an auto gearbox, which will either be a standard four-speeder or a selectable Durashift CVT. Ford will evaluate both transmissions before deciding which one gets the go-ahead.

And More On The Way...

So what else is on the horizon for the Ka when it finally arrives in showrooms? Ford has already hinted that its future platforms will be engineered to be more versatile than ever before, and given the spin-off versions of the current Ka, it"s likely that the new model will also spawn some more unusual variants.

Of these, the one most hotly tipped to appear is a five-door mini-people carrier, which is likely to be called the A-MAX. Ford built a one-off five-door Ka, called the Turing Ka, for the 1998 Turin Motor Show, and received a highly positive response - but the model never saw the light of day.

A replacement for the Streetka is also on the cards. However, it will probably come with a folding metal hard-top and will be marketed as a direct rival to the Vauxhall Tigra and Nissan Micra C+C.

A hot version is also expected to arrive midway through the next-generation Ka"s lifecycle but, unlike with the current version, it probably won"t be known as the Sportka.

Instead, it is expected to follow the naming policy that Ford has introduced for all its performance models, and it will wear ST badges. Ford fans face a long wait, though, as it is at least four years away.