Later this month, the annual Los Angeles Auto Show will open up so the auto industry can get a taste of what’s to come. Ford will be showing off many of its current and future rides with one in particular being the hot-rod version of their subcompact Fiesta. The ST Concept builds on the current short wheelbase five door hatchback and adds a level of performance pulled straight from Ford’s history books. The car will be placed right below its larger brother, the Focus ST and should make Honda and Mazda take notice with their Fit and 2. Ford has the full intention of making the ST a global car which means there soon will be another hot hatch crushing the twisty mountain roads of the United States.
“The Fiesta has a rich history of high-performance models so a new ST performance model is a logical next step in our performance vehicle strategy for our global small cars,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. Taking inspiration from the WRC Fiestas, the ST is lower, more muscular and tighter than its base model. Larger 17 inch wheels complement the chiseled front bumper with mesh grille. The rear end features a legitimate diffuser with unique twin exit exhaust. Emitted from those dual pipes will be the song of another EcoBoost engine: this time a smaller 1.6 liter. Featuring variable valve timing, a single turbo and a ST-specific tune, the DOHC inline four cylinder should make 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. Matched to the new EcoBoost will be a six speed manual transmission which should ensure that the Fiesta ST will be quick and efficient.
The ST will use a rally-inspired suspension set up. Ford engineers set about tuning it in a way that would flatter and instill a high level of confidence for novice drivers all while rewarding those brave enough to seek out the car’s absolute limits. “With the Focus ST we promised to deliver uncompromised sports performance and styling to a truly global audience for the first time, without sacrificing Ford’s key values of Quality, Green, Safe and Smart,” said Jost Capito, Ford director of Global Performance Vehicles. The L.A. Auto Show starts November 18 and runs until the 27.
Source: Ford
