Watch Ford Debut the New Fiesta ST with a Top Gear-Style Race

The newest generation of Ford's hot hatch looks and sounds the business.
www.thedrive.com

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Ford of Europe has officially taken the sheets off the next-generation Fiesta ST, the newest hot hatch from Ford Performance. Available next year in either a three-door or five-door body style, the new Fiesta ST sports an entirely new engine, three driving modes, and tons of options for personalization.

The new engine, an EcoBoost 1.5 liter three-cylinder unit, is good for 197 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque, and helps propel the ST from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a brisk 6.7 seconds. The all-aluminum engine also boasts high-pressure fuel injection, twin-independent variable cam timing, and cylinder deactivation, which cuts off fuel delivery and valve operation for one cylinder when full performance isn’t required, effectively turning the three-cylinder into a two-cylinder engine temporarily. Ford claims their deactivation technology can disengage and reengage a cylinder in 14 milliseconds. 

Three drive modes come standard—Normal, Sport, and Track—which ramp up the car’s performance to suit whichever mood you might find yourself in. Normal, of course, shuts up the active exhaust—and additional engine noises that get piped into the cabin through the speakers—and relies on engine mapping that’s “configured to deliver natural responsiveness and a connected feel.” Sport mode opens up the exhaust, sharpens the throttle response, and lets more road feedback get transmitted through the electronically-assisted steering system. Track mode opens everything up, disables traction control, and uses one of three available ESC settings called wide-slip mode. 

How the ST’s interior looks will mostly be up to the buyer. Recaro seats come standard, but the gear lever, door pulls, steering wheel, and dashboard can all be customized. 

Joe Bajak, vice president of product development at Ford of Europe, said, “Our next generation Fiesta ST is true to the philosophy of delivering cutting-edge technology to enhance every facet of the responsive Ford Performance chassis and powertrain. With selectable Drive Modes and an all-new EcoBoost engine delivering an unprecedented combination of performance and fuel efficiency, the new model will deliver the most versatile, fun, engaging and rewarding Fiesta ST driving experience yet.”