Ford Fiesta deliveries delayed, storm-damaged rail lines blamed

Ford Motor Co.'s shipments of the 2011 Ford Fiesta subcompact to U.S. dealerships will be delayed by 10 days to two weeks because of storm-damaged railroad lines.

Key railroads in northern Mexico were severely damaged by Hurricane Alex on June 30 and later by Tropical Storm Bonnie, said Angie Kozleski, a Ford spokeswoman.

Pictures of the storm damage are posted on Ford's Fiesta page on Facebook.

“We do ship a significant amount of vehicles via railroad, but that doesn't mean we aren't shipping at all,” said Kozleski. “We just have to reroute it and that takes time.”

Ford started building the Fiesta in early May at its plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico, near Mexico City.

The Fiesta, with estimated gas mileage of 29 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, is new to the Ford lineup and it has been a highly anticipated vehicle by dealers and consumers.

Many dealers expect it to be a hot seller and have waiting lists for it. Customers who said they pre-ordered the vehicle earlier this year complained on Facebook last month that it was two weeks late in getting to them based on their expectations for arrival.

Kozleski said Ford has about 2,000 early orders for the car from customers who put money down.

“It's too early to estimate the impact this will have on sales, but we're shipping vehicles and will continue to monitor the situation,” Kozleski said. “Demand remains strong and we're eager to get these vehicles in the hands of consumers.

By Jamie LaReau- Automotive News