28 March 2002: Ford's new European roadster - the StreetKa due for launch at the Paris Motor Show in September - is teaming up with pop music's hottest property, Kylie Minogue.

Ford StreetKa is a sponsor of Kylie's 39-date 2002 European 'Fever' Tour, which kicks off in Cardiff on April 26, and ends in Barcelona on June 20. The production version of the new Ford StreetKa debuts in exclusive photography with Kylie, which will give the public a sneak preview of the new car before it goes on sale in early 2003.

"Linking with Kylie will allow us to show this car before launch in an environment where we know StreetKa will have great appeal," said Eddie Murphy, Chairman and Managing Director, Henry Ford & Son Limited. "Kylie is universally popular, especially so with young single people who are resistant to more traditional avenues of marketing communication. StreetKa and Kylie is the perfect combination for them."

The Ford StreetKa roadster was first shown as a concept car at the Turin Auto Show in 2000. A year later, at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show, Ford of Europe confirmed that the public reaction to the concept had been so overwhelmingly enthusiastic, that the StreetKa would go into production.

©2002irishcar.com