Spy shot: New Ka to have an Italian slant

Peel back the bin bags from this heavily disguised prototype, and you’ll find the new Ford Ka.

Believe it or not, today’s Blue Oval runaround has been on sale for 11 years and Ford is now readying its long-overdue successor.

It might not be called Ka next time around, we hear, and the marketing bods are examining possible new names. And it’ll be based on the cutesy new Fiat 500, after the two car makers struck a deal to co-develop their two minis and build them together in Poland.

However, both models will have distinctly different styling and Ford officials say that the new Ka will inherit the latest ‘kinetic design’ language, as seen on the new Mondeo and Ford Verve, its latest concept car for the new Fiesta.

Make no mistake, under the skin the Ka will be predominantly Italian, with Fiat-sourced engines, chassis, steering and brakes. And there should be a racy pocket rocket version, too, to fill the Sportka’s shoes. We hear a turbocharged 1.4 is on the cards, developing around 135bhp.

Expect more exciting derivatives in the pipeline. A new StreetKa is confirmed to twin Fiat’s proposed 500 Roadster, while more radical hybrid CityKa, practical FamilyKa and punchy RaceKa versions are under discussion.