The new Ford Fiesta ST will officially have a three-cylinder engine and 197 CV

Ford has unveiled the seventh generation of the Fiesta ST with a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine.

Ford has revealed the new Ford Fiesta ST, a model that will be based on the seventh generation of the subcompact. The new American sports car will feature a three-cylinder engine producing 197 CV. The Fiesta ST will be presented next week at the Geneva Motor Show.

The biggest change this model has undergone is its new engine. Where it previously used a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder powerplant, it now features a 1.5-litre three-cylinder unit; this ultra-lightweight engine is made of aluminium. The new powertrain delivers 197 CV – an increase of 17 CV over the previous version – and 240 Nm of torque (50 Nm more than its predecessor). Ford claims the new Fiesta ST reaches 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds – two tenths quicker than the current version and on par with the Fiesta ST200. Top speed for this model will be around 225 km/h.

“It’s a great engine, it sounds brilliant and delivers a lot of torque once the turbo kicks in,” says Darren Palmer, head of compact cars at Ford Europe.

In addition to the engine upgrades, the new Ford Fiesta ST has received several steering changes that provide greater grip. The development team at Ford Europe calibrated this steering at the Lommel factory (Belgium), and according to Palmer, “they made sure the new model delivers the driving experience expected of a Fiesta ST”.

The seventh-generation Fiesta is based on Ford’s B-segment car platform and offers a greater wheelbase. For its part, the Fiesta ST has received a series of chassis optimisations designed by Ford Performance.

As with the previous version, the new Fiesta ST features a torque vectoring system that helps reduce understeer in corners. It also offers three driving modes – normal, sport and track – which alter the traction control intervention, throttle response, steering feel and various exhaust system settings.

Although the car will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, Ford will not launch the new Fiesta ST until early 2018; orders will open at the end of 2017. The new Fiesta ST is expected to be priced at around 22,300 EUR.