Ford tyres could last longer as Fiesta slims down

The weight bearing down on Ford tyres could be a little less with the introduction of the new Ford Fiesta.

In the new line-up of the infamous model, a lighter bodyshell trims some 40 kg from the total weight of the vehicle.

While this might be expected to reduce wear and tear on the Ford tyres fitted to the vehicles, the manufacturer adds that it does not mean the cars' crash performance is affected.

Body engineering manager Bernd Liesenfelder says: "Small cars like the Fiesta need to be as light as possible without sacrificing any strength in a crash."

However, with "advanced new steels", the cars' creator has maintained strength while reducing the overall weight.

The Ford Fiesta Zetec is available with seven-spoke alloys as an optional add-on for its 16-inch tyres.

Meanwhile, the Ford Fiesta Edge has slightly smaller 15-inch tyres with the option of alloys with five twin spokes.