Ford Motor Company is pretty good at marketing its products – just look at James Bond driving the new Mondeo in Casino Royale – and they’ve done it again with the new Ford Ka.

The new Ford Ka city car will be making a cameo appearance is the forthcoming Bond flick, Quantum of Solace.

So it’s all good so far for Ford which, in Europe at least, is serving up more than its fair share of brilliant, affordable motors.

View images of the new Ford Ka

On first impressions the new Ford Ka is pretty cute. It’s not as cutting edge as the first generation Ka which lasted more than ten years before being replaced, but it’s compact, sleek and sweet featuring Ford’s unmistakable ‘Kinetic’ design.

It’s been developed with Fiat and will be assembled on the same production line as the ultra successful Fiat 500 which on first impressions, pips the Ka in terms of chic styling.

There will be a 1.2-litre 67bhp petrol engine and 1.3-litre diesel available when the car launches at the end of 2008, early 2009. 

Has Ford built another class leader then? It might not have the cuteness the Fiat 500 boasts, but Ford is on fire at the moment when it comes to building great drivers’ cars.

View images of the new Ford Ka

And Ford has reportedly been testing the Ka on the Nürbürgring in Germany where you’re more likely to find supercars than city cars. We’re driving it at the end of the month so don’t forget to come back for our verdict.