Meet one of the most important cars of the 21st Century – the new Ford Fiesta.

The latest evolution of a 32 year old motoring dynasty, the latest Fiesta has been eagerly anticipated since the first spy shots revealed it was going to be a sharper and sportier model than ever before.

And the final production shots don’t disappoint!

Available as a three or five-door, the rakish Fiesta takes plenty of styling cues from the Verve concept car that wowed crowds at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, ensuring the same aggressive front-end, sculpted flanks and compact rear-end have been carried over.

Indeed, the Fiesta is quite a looker compared to its relatively bland forbears as it seeks to capitalise on the success of the sporty Fiat Punto, Vauxhall Corsa and Mazda2.

Things are equally dramatic inside where the previous model’s plain, grey fascia is replaced with brighter colours, intricate detailing and superior build quality than before.

It will be a high-tech place to spend time too as Ford will offer Bluetooth and USB connectivity, as well as keyless entry and voice control to ensure that this is truly a car designed for the iPod generation.

Contrary to its previous unassuming appearance, the Fiesta was always an enjoyable car to drive, but with the new model being based on the same platform as the Mazda2, the new Fiesta is now far better placed to handle as well as it looks. It is also lighter than the car it replaces.

Five heavily-revised engines, as well as one all-new powerplant, will be available, with four petrol units and a pair of diesel engines making up the extensive line-up. The entry-level 1.25-litre will be available with two power outputs (60bhp and 79bhp), rising up to a 1.4-litre and a brand new 1.6-litre engine. The increasing demand for diesels in superminis means a 1.4-litre TDCi and 1.6-litre TDCi unit will be available too.

The Fiesta will also be available with Ford’s new ECOnetic ‘green scheme’, which will see the car altered inside and out in order to drop its CO2 levels to below 100g/km. Set to go head-to-head with the Polo Bluemotion, the Fiesta ECOnetic will be exempt from road tax.

In all, six trim levels will also be available, while Ford will preview the future ST model with the launch of the Zetec S, which will get that new 1.6-litre Ti-VCT engine. It will act as the Fiesta’s flagship until the ST range topper goes on sale some time in 2009.

The Fiesta is the first of its kind to be designed entirely from Ford’s European base in Germany, although it is likely to roll out on several other continents after it goes on sale on the mainland in October. A four-door saloon version has already been previewed and is likely to go on sale in the USA as their penchant for smaller cars continues to increase.

John Fleming, the President and CEO of Ford Europe, said: “I believe this is the most dramatic Fiesta since the very first model and it is the most complete and expressive interpretation yet of our kinetic design philosophy." He also went on to suggest it echoed the major elements of the Verve Concept vehicles "that inspired such a positive reaction around the world."

Over 32 years Ford have sold an incredible 12 million Fiestas, making it an icon of motoring to this day. The latest model is likely to increase that significantly.