ST HOT FIESTA

I'M returning to my motoring roots this week, in a manner of speaking.

My father's 1.1 litre Ford Fiesta was a serious object of desire when I was a teenager, mainly because my two brothers' track record with cars was less than impressive.

That, combined with the exorbitant cost of car insurance, meant that I had to confine my driving fixes to moving the Fiesta on and off the drive.

Now, over a decade later, one full licence and several cars down the line, I find myself confronted with a Fiesta yet again and, while my standards have risen somewhat, this particular Fiesta is still an object of desire as it is the top of the line Fiesta ST, the largest and most powerful production Fiesta built yet.

Ford designed the ST to be a more affordable, approachable alternative to some of the more established hot hatches currently on the market - but that is not to suggest that it's anything less then a proper hot hatchback.

The ST, available only as a three door, uses a 1999cc four- cylinder engine from the Mondeo shoehorned under the Fiesta's bonnet. With 148bhp and 190Nms of torque it's easily the most powerful Fiesta Ford has ever built.

The ST is a subtle looking device. Those who know about such things do a double take as the most potent version of the nations favourite car rumbles past but aside from that it doesn't attract too much attention.

The sporty applications to the styling suit the Fiesta, from the small boot lid spoiler, 17inch alloy wheels and redesigned front and rear bumpers. It looks quite handsome and sits well.

Inside the ST specification is even more subtly applied.

The three-spoke leathe-bound wheel feels chunkier then normal and has an ST motif. The chunky leather seats, extra trim on the doors and drilled pedals are the major differences. The rest of the layout is typically high-spec Fiesta. It's very clear, neatly laid-out and well made, if a trifle dull looking.

The remote controls for the stereo are mounted on a separate stalk under the steering column rather than actually on the wheel, which I prefer as it makes the controls more intuitive to use and makes the wheel itself look less cluttered.

Oddly though there seems to be no provision for any sort of trip- computer which, on a small hatchback not far off thirty grand, seems like a curious omission.

Up to this point the ST comes across as a mildly sporty Fiesta, so you could be forgiven for thinking that it would feel broadly like a Fiesta to drive.

Well, having driven a few of these cars, both my father and sister own Mk5 Fiestas, I can tell you now that it doesn't.

The front springs are 45 per cent stiffer, the rears are 13 per cent stiffer while the ST uses a thicker anti-roll bar, wider tires and more negative front camber.

All of this results in a car that immediately feels sporty, but, while a capable performer - 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds and 208kn/h (129mph) - there are hatches that are faster.

Where the Fiesta scores strongly is in its eagerness to turn in. The steering is fast, weighty and full of feel which encourages the driver to place the car accurately on the road.

It corners very flatly, is not upset by mid-corner bumps and doesn't suffer from any nasty, accident-causing traits such as lift- off oversteer or sudden, unexpected understeer.

The five-speed gearbox has perfectly judged action, chunky like an Alfa's change yet Toyota-accurate. The all-round disc brakes have uprated callipers, plenty of strength and feel and are not too eager to resort to anti-lock.

The ride quality is very stiff, but it is a sporting car and never feels unduly harsh. I did, however, fear for the alloys, shod with low-profile rubber on some rural roads.

The Fiesta ST is a hugely entertaining and involving car to drive which helps redress some of its less endearing qualities. At 100km/ h the 2.0litre Duratec motor is spinning over at 3,000rpm while at 20km/h it's spinning at 3,800rpm which means its working quite hard at motorway speeds. This combined with the tyre roar makes the ST quite noisy.

While the ST has ABS and brake force distribution it lacks traction control, a bizarre thing to leave out on a 150 horsepower small hatch.

Ford claims the ST is capable of 7.1 l/100kms (31mpg) which I wasn't quite able to match. I achieved 8.7l/100kms (27mpg) over a fortnight.

At e27,000 (ex-works) it looks like good value against some more established rivals such as the Mini Cooper S and Peugeot 206 GTi 180 though it lacks their power.

A quick audit of traffic around my home suggests that, people with the money will probably more often go for a Mini Cooper S. That said Ford's ST maintains the blue oval's reputation as a builder of drivers' cars.

I wish they'd made more of an effort to spruce up the dash and it is tiring to drive over long distances but on the right day, on the right road, the Fiesta ST is as entertaining as you could possibly wish for.

YOU KNOW?

THE ST is the most powerful Fiesta with 148bhp' the previous record holder was the 133bhp 1990 RS Turbo.

Copyright 2006 MGN LTD
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