By Guilherme Marques
It was a long time coming this new Fiesta ST, but it was definitely worth the wait
Ford was very kind in letting us drive the Fiesta ST. They have only one press car and it is not hard to figure out everyone wants to drive it. We usually test a car for four or five days but the Fiesta ST was ours for 24 hours only. No time to mess around then, this was going to be a quick but thorough examination.
Fast Fords are an important part of automotive history. Cars like the Escort RS1600, the Escort and Sierra Cosworth or the Focus RS are all testament to the willingness of the Blue Oval to keep its road cars in touch with motorsport. Although Sebastien Loeb has won the last nine World Rally Championships for Citroën, we should not forget Ford was able to capture the Manufacturer’s title in 2006 and 2007. Since 2011 the most prestigious rally competition in the world is run with B-segment cars and Ford replaced the Focus with the Fiesta. It was a shame then that there was no road model in which we, daily drivers, could feel some of that racing magic.
No more, because the Fiesta ST is here. ST stands for Sports Technology and the name says a lot about the car. This is the fastest Fiesta to date, with a 1.6 litre Ecoboost four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower (close to 200hp with the overboost function), which means 0-100km/h in under seven seconds and a top speed of 220km/h. In a world where big heavy estate cars are now getting to 100km/h in four seconds, that may not seem impressive but trust me, the Fiesta is not a car about raw numbers, it is much more than that.
You get a feeling the guys who engineered this car really took the time to get it right and it shows – the chassis is brilliant, the balance of the car nigh on perfection and the interaction between machine and driver is something truly special. The hot hatch market is booming, as downsizing and stricter emission regulations make it harder to stick big engines in cars. Smaller engines need a light car to extract bigger thrills out of it and hatchbacks are now the default choice for fun before you get into BMW M3 territory.
The Fiesta ST arrives at the same time as the new Clio RS and Peugeot 208 GTI. Because I have not driven those yet – stay tuned over the next few weeks for that – I can only review the Fiesta on absolute terms. And on those, it is fantastic.
I guess when you drive a lot of cars they all start to feel more or less the same, or at least when you go to pick up a certain car you already have an idea about what it will feel like.
There are no surprises on an Audi A4 are there? It feels like every other Audi. Same thing with an E-Class Mercedes or a Fiat Panda. But not with the Fiesta ST. This is a rare kind of car and I will tell you why: it feels like a racing car. Really, it does. The way that engine works with the manual 6-speeder while the Recaro seats hold you perfectly in place is something that has race written all over it. Some of the Fiesta’s rally car definitely transpired into the road version and you can feel it immediately.
Yes, it’s a turbo engine and yes, there is some turbo lag, but somehow it enriches the driving experience, you work with it to get the best out of the car and it rewards you whether you’re driving at three tenths or ten. I loved it. Is it better than my Abarth 500? I cannot write it, but the word starts with a Y.
In Race Red – like the one in the pictures – it looks great too. Prices start at €24,000 and for that you get LED running lights, a double exhaust tip, lowered suspension, bigger brakes and red callipers inside 17-inch wheels, aluminium pedals, and a few more goodies. Value for money is unbeatable, knowing how much fun you’re gonna have.
And, this is important, you can still drive the kids to school, put the groceries in the trunk and take those road trips along the coast without going bankrupt on the running costs.
I also assure you it will not break down if you take it to the Portimão racetrack. In fact, I bet the Fiesta ST’s racing spirit will shine through even more brightly.
