The all-new Ford Fiesta ST will hit the road running in the UK, with over 600 orders taken for the baby hot-hatch before it arrives in showrooms later this month.
Ford UK expects to sell at least 5000 of the 1.6-litre turbo Fiestas, taking half of all the European production for the eagerly awaited model, based on forward orders and previous sales success.
The entry point for the Fiesta ST in the UK will be £16,995 ($24,600 before taxes), giving it an approximate £2000 advantage over rivals such as the Vauxhall Corsa VRX (Opel Corsa OPC in Australia) and the all-new Peugeot 208 GTi.
Ford will offer two versions in the UK with the ST2 gaining partial leather Recaro seats, LED driving lights and an upgraded audio system and adding £1000 to the price
The Fiesta ST is an impressive performance package, armed with 132kW/240Nm, but able to generate up to 290Nm of torque with an overboost function.
That’s enough to propel the front-wheel-drive Fiesta ST from 0-100km/h in 6.9 seconds and onto a top speed of 220km/h.
Changes over the standard Ford Fiesta city car include a new front knuckle assembly, modified rear chassis and a stiffened torsion beam axle for reduced body roll.
There are also unique springs and dampers, while the ride height has been reduced by 15mm.
For the first time, disc brakes have been fitted to the rear of the Fiesta, along with larger vented front discs and a bigger electronic power steering motor.
The car also features Ford’s enhanced vectoring system from the larger Focus ST, which brakes the inner wheel when traction is lost while cornering, reducing the likelihood of understeer.
The Ford Fiesta ST is expected to arrive on Australian shores in the third quarter this year with specifications and pricing to be determined closer its launch.
