The Fiesta is kind of a British car, or it used to be. And there's nothing the Brits like more than a hot hatch. The love affair is going to continue into 2018 with the first 3-cylinder turbo in the Fiesta ST, but it stretches back many decades.
Perhaps the most iconic pocket rocket from the glorious past is the Fiesta XR2. Next to the 200 hp beasts of today, that one could be considered underpowered. From its 1.6-liter CVH engine, it could extract about 100 ponies and 131 Nm of torque. It weighed 839 kg and would do 100 km/h in over 10 seconds.
But it was nimble, and it was fun. Back in the early 2000s, the 4th generation had the Zetec S badge, but almost nobody remembers that one because of how hot the Puma was with its 1.7-liter Yamaha-tuned engine.
Fast forward to 2004, and we have the first Fiesta ST. Inspired by the success of the Focus ST, this supermini borrows a much bigger 2.0-liter engine from the regular Focus, adding ten more horsepower for a total of 150 PS.
It was cheaper but less powerful than the Clio RS of its era. I can still almost hear the popping of a Montune-equipped 190 PS Fiesta ST with racing camshafts and exhaust.
The outgoing generation is arguably the most popular ever. Switching to a 1.6-liter engine, Ford added power and torque and the friskiest handling average Joes could afford.
After yesterday's big reveal, we now know what awaits us in 2018. The third generation of the Fiesta ST will indeed have a three-cylinder 1.5-liter turbo engine. The power has gone up to 200 PS, matching the output of the previous model's overboost function.
Thanks also to the 290 Nm of torque, 0 to 100 km/h will take just 6.7 seconds. While the interior isn't luxurious, it still makes the XR2 look like a potato. The latest infotainment system pairs with smartphones, and you even have a drive mode selector. As a party trick, it can even shut off one of its cylinders to save fuel. Welcome to 2018!
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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