Ford have officially unveiled the new generation Fiesta
ST. The hot hatch uses a newly-developed 1.5-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol
engine that pushes out 200 PS and 290 Nm of torque,
allowing it to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds, or 0.2sec faster
than before.
Users can shift between three different driving
modes: Normal, Sport and Track, which enable engine, steering and stability
controls to be configured from motorway to track day condition.
The new Fiesta ST also features what
Ford claims to be an industry-first cylinder deactivation system for a
3-banger, which reduces fuel consumption in conditions where full capacity is
not needed, and drops the CO2 emissions to an anticipated 114 g/km. This
technology can disengage or re-engage one cylinder in 14 milliseconds, or 20
times faster than the blink of an eye.
Using a Ford Performance-tuned chassis, the brand's
answer to the Renault Clio RS, Opel/Vauxhall Corsa OPC/VXR and Volkswagen Polo
GTI problems has a 3-mode ESC, which allows drivers to select between full
system intervention, wide-slip mode with limited intervention, and full system
deactivation.
Available in both 3- and 5-door body styles, the
2018 Ford Fiesta ST comes with a distinctive exterior styling that helps it
stand out over the regular models, and has a unique mesh grille, special
bumpers on both ends, a roof-mounted spoiler and 18-inch alloy wheels, with a
different pattern.
Inside, the new B-segment hot hatch is offered with
Recaro seats and a flat-bottomed steering wheel, but buyers will get to select
between more personalization items than before, including a range of trim
elements for the steering wheel, gear lever, door pulls, and decorative
dashboard spear.
Taking center stage in the middle of the dashboard
is the SYNC 3 infotainment system, which uses a floating-style up to 8-inch in
size display, and comes with punch and swipe gestures, voice commands,
navigation system and smartphone connectivity through Android Auto and Apple
CarPlay. The car can also be had with a premium B&O Play Sound System.
Ford says that the new generation Fiesta ST will
become available for launch in early 2018. Prices will likely be announced
close to that date.