Fiesta ST 185 - most powerful Fiesta yet

What is it?

The Fiesta ST's final fling. Ford's supermini hot hatch has too long been in the shadows of the competition, its 148bhp not really able to square up to the near 200bhp of many of its rivals. So Ford has decided to do something about it. To do so its RS team contacted Roush, a company that thought an even faster limited run 600RE Ford GT was a good idea. The result is the choice of 162 and 182bhp conversions over the standard output. There's also a suspension kit and the option of some lovely leather and suede Recaro bucket seats to really finish off the package. Thing is it's all a little too late; we've already seen pictures of the new Fiesta and few are going to opt for this nearly defunct ST with newer rivals available and a new car around the corner.

Is it any good?

That's a real shame, as the changes Roush (marketed under the Mountune brand) has made to the ST have really transformed it. The Fiesta has always been an enjoyable steer, but lacking in muscle. The stage 2 performance pack takes care of that, 182bhp delivered at 6,700rpm, the engine feeling far more urgent and potent throughout the entire rev range. It's enough to have the ST 185 rivalling its near 200bhp rivals, it able to reach 60mph in just 6.9 seconds. It sounds fantastic too, part of the extensive alterations being an exhaust that's delightfully fruity and vocal on both acceleration and a trailing throttle.

In addition to the engine pack there's a suspension option that drops the ST on its springs. That might sound like it'll destroy the ride, but it doesn't. There's some additional low speed choppiness, but up the pace and the body control is remarkable. The steering feels even keener, there being some real feedback at the wheel's rim, too. It all feels a bit old-school hot hatch, which in these days of sanitised driving experiences is particularly welcome. There's some roughness around the edges, the changes feeling a bit 'aftermarket' rather than fully manufacturer sanctioned, but they're backed by a Ford warranty for piece of mind. As good as the seats are at holding you tightly we'd avoid them, as they're set far too high in the cabin, giving the ST a driving position more MPV-like than hot hatch.

Should I call the bank manager?

You'll need to, as the alterations to the ST don't come cheap. Taking a standard car as a basis at £13,795 and adding a few choice extras like Bluetooth connection, metallic paint and tinted rear windows brings the retail price up to near £15k. The stage two performance pack adds £1,838 to that, the suspension drop a further £605 and those cool, but too high, Recaro seats a whopping £1,950. And that's before any of all that's been fitted. Who said fast Fords were cheap?

Summary

Ford should have done this to the Fiesta years ago. The changes, seats aside, transform the Fiesta ST into the car it should have always been. As it is Ford has no-doubt lost customers to its higher output, and newer rivals. We can only hope that with the new Fiesta Ford offers a proper competitor to take on cars like Renaultsport's Clio 197 and Vauxhall's Corsa VXR right from the start. Fingers crossed it's as good as, if not better, than this rather excellent final version of the Fiesta ST.

Kyle Fortune