Fiesta r'sistance: little car fighting to be America's next big thing.

(From Guardian Unlimited)

From Croydon to Carlisle, you can barely venture into a British car park without spotting a Ford Fiesta. A budget-conscious presence on the streets since 1976, it is a scrappy little workhorse for shopping or commuting. To an unsuspecting audience of US motorists, however, the Fiesta is about to be unveiled as the epitome of European motoring style and panache.

Ford, the least financially depressed of Detroit's three major motor manufacturers, took the wraps off an American version of the Fiesta at this week's Los Angeles motor show. The automotive corporation has marshalled a volunteer force of 100 bloggers to sample the delights of the hatchback, which is at the centre of a $500m …