The popular Fiesta ST which provides some of the best bang for your bucks gets even more power, but Ford Australia can’t say when or if it’s coming yet.
FORD HAS REVEALED its seventh-generation European market Fiesta ST ahead of the car’s public appearance at the Geneva motor show next month. Both a three and five-door body style will be available.
The new ST supplants the current 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine for a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol. Power in the smaller capacity engine is 13kW and 50Nm more than that of the 1.6-litre engine, producing a total output of 147kW and 290Nm – more than the 1.6-litre four’s standard output but curiously identical to its ‘overboost’ figures. The new ST claims it will sprint 0-100km/h in 6.7sec, 0.2sec faster than the current model.
The new engine should provide a good soundtrack (something missing somewhat in the current ST) via its active exhaust valve and in-cabin electronic sound enhancer . And if the new 1.5-litre three pot is a beefier version of Ford’s award winning 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost engine, it should produce a lovely growl indeed.
The rest of the driveline will retain the six-speed manual and front-wheel drive found in the current vehicle, and there’s still no mechanical differential offered, with brake-vectoring managing wheel slip. The ST will also have three new drive modes: normal, sport and track. Sport mode sharpens throttle response and steering, and opens the active exhaust valve. Track mode turns off traction control and alters the stability control’s algorithm to provide a quasi Focus ST style drift mode.
Inside the ST will feature similar Recaro seats to the current generation and gain a sportier flat bottom steering wheel and centrally-mounted 8-inch ‘SYNC3’ infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB. A sunroof will also be offered.
Is it coming to Australia?
Speaking with Practical Motoring, Ford Product Communications Manager, Damion Smy, said Ford Australia was not yet ready to confirm if and when it will be receiving the new ST but an announcement is coming:
“We haven’t confirmed anything about that new generation that’s on sale in Europe, and that ST is the same. So we’ll make an announcement on Fiesta and ST when the time is right.”
But Smy mentioned the current ST’s success, particularly in our market:
“I won’t speak directly to the (new Fiesta) ST itself – that particular vehicle – but I can add that Fiesta ST and Focus ST are really strong sellers and really well regarded in Australia.”
Asked if the five-door model is under consideration by Ford Australia, Smy could only comment that the Focus ST (a five-door model) was very popular, but Ford will remain tight-lipped for now:
“Both of them sell really strongly… I won’t make any comment or promise on that particular vehicle yet.”
Knowing Ford Australia, probably not.