Ford Fiesta ST 2018: the new benchmark among small performance cars

A powerful 1.5-litre 1.5 EcoBoost engine with 3 cylinders and 200 CV, plus a limited-slip differential on the front axle, are the “weapons” of the new Ford Fiesta ST to lead the small performance car segment.

The most powerful model in the new Ford Fiesta range keeps the ST designation that characterises the sportiest variants of Ford. But little else carries over from the previous generation as the new Ford Fiesta ST arrives at dealerships now.

200 CV with just 3 cylinders

To begin with, the new Ford Fiesta ST still delivers 200 CV, but it has nothing in common with the 4-cylinder engine of the previous Fiesta ST200. It now uses a new 1.5 EcoBoost with just 3 cylinders… which also features cylinder deactivation technology to save fuel! Yes, you read that right. When little power is needed, and to save fuel, the engine deactivates one of the cylinders and runs on only two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IYpXMpXoj0

This is not the only technology in the Ford Fiesta ST engine, which combines a turbocharger supercharging with variable intake and a combined petrol injection system, both direct and indirect. While maintaining power, Ford claims an 11 percent efficiency improvement. The 200 CV are reached at 6,000 rpm, and peak torque reaches 290 Nm between 1,600 and 4,000 rpm. With this engine, the Fiesta ST accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds, besting one of the class’s “hot hatches”, the Renault Clio R.S.. Top speed is 232 km/h.

And if you’re wondering whether a 3-cylinder engine can deliver the sporty sound you’d expect from a car like the Ford Fiesta ST, the answer is yes. To achieve this, Ford includes an active exhaust system that amplifies the noise under full acceleration.

For the first time, the Fiesta ST with limited-slip differential

But one of the technical features that should make the new Ford Fiesta ST a true corner-devouring machine is the limited-slip differential. It will be offered as an option, and it is a mechanical system from the specialists at Quaife, whose purpose is to let the driver make the most of the available power when accelerating out of corners. To do this, the system limits the torque reaching the wheel with less grip (normally the inside wheel in a bend), improving its distribution to the opposite wheel.

Another exclusive specification of the Fiesta ST aimed at making this model a benchmark in its class is its offset-spring system, a Ford patent that improves lateral stiffness by allowing the cornering forces to transfer directly to the spring in the rear suspension. These springs require special dampers, in this case Tenneco twin-tube units at the front and monotube units at the rear. According to the manufacturer, the 1,400 Nm/degree of stiffness achieved for the Fiesta ST’s rear torsion axle is firmer than any other model tuned by Ford Performance.

Nor should we forget the Launch Control system, or the configurable driving modes of the new Ford Fiesta ST, which let the driver choose between normal mode, sport mode or Track mode. As standard, the Ford Fiesta ST comes with 17-inch wheels – 18-inch wheels are optional – and the brand’s SYNC 3 infotainment system, with a 6.5-inch screen, which can optionally be upgraded to 8 inches.

Fiesta ST image gallery

Related information:

Renault Clio R.S. 18, a street Clio dressed up like a Formula 1 car