Ford Ka news - Why, I'm K-A... - 2008

It's taken 12 years, but the new Ford Ka has finally arrived.

Yes, 12 years - Ford's bubbly city car first turned up back in 1996 - when everyone had mullets and flares and talked in black and white, as far as we remember - and has since shifted 1.4 million units, almost half a million of those in the UK.

But in the last few years, the Ka has started to look a little long in the tooth, so here's an all-new one that, says Ford, aims to bring 'youthful and cheeky spirit' to the city car market. Presumably it's going to scrump apples or sing songs in a grating Cockney accent.

It looks good, though, and - since it shares its underpinnings with the Fiat 500 - should be fun to drive, too. There's no word on what powertrains to expect, but we're hoping for a pretty substantial revision of the engine line-up - the Ka's weakest link up to now.

We do know that you'll be able to see the Ka making a 'cameo' in the new James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, at the end of October. Just like the new Mondeo did in Casino Royale, in fact.

But for those of you who'd prefer to see the Ka on a show stand rather than being expertly seduced by Mr Craig, it