Automotive

Can three-cylinder Fiesta ST keep the party going?

Can three-cylinder Fiesta ST keep the party going?
The new Ford Fiesta ST
The new Ford Fiesta ST 
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The new Fiesta ST is powered by a three-cylinder turbo engine
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The new Fiesta ST is powered by a three-cylinder turbo engine
The engine in the new Fiesta ST is the first three-cylinder in Ford Performance history
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The engine in the new Fiesta ST is the first three-cylinder in Ford Performance history
The new Fiesta ST sits on 18-inch wheels
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The new Fiesta ST sits on 18-inch wheels 
The Fiesta ST will hit 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds
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The Fiesta ST will hit 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds
The new Fiesta debuted late last year, with the ST joining it in Geneva
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The new Fiesta debuted late last year, with the ST joining it in Geneva
The new Fiesta ST can be toggled through three drive modes
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The new Fiesta ST can be toggled through three drive modes
The new Ford Fiesta ST
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The new Ford Fiesta ST 
The new Ford Fiesta ST makes 197 hp
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The new Ford Fiesta ST makes 197 hp
The Fiesta ST is manual only
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The Fiesta ST is manual only
The flat bottomed wheel in the Fiesta ST should be a window to fun, if the old car is anything go by
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The flat bottomed wheel in the Fiesta ST should be a window to fun, if the old car is anything go by
The Fiesta ST will be available as a four-door, making the rear seats easier to access
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The Fiesta ST will be available as a four-door, making the rear seats easier to access
This photo of the sunroof on the Fiesta ST was, presumably, taken by a particularly friendly bird
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This photo of the sunroof on the Fiesta ST was, presumably, taken by a particularly friendly bird
The Ford Fiesta ST drops the four-cylinder for a turbo triple
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The Ford Fiesta ST drops the four-cylinder for a turbo triple
The new Fiesta ST will be on show in Geneva
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The new Fiesta ST will be on show in Geneva
The rear of the ST isn't all that different than before
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The rear of the ST isn't all that different than before
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It's been around for almost four years, but the current Ford Fiesta ST remains one of our favourite hot hatches. With an effervescent little turbo four and playful chassis, you'd be hard pressed to find a more exciting package on a backroad, but its dated interior and styling were in desperate need of a refresh. The new ST aims to address those issues with a fresh look and more tech, while the existing four has been replaced with a turbocharged three-cylinder engine.

That's right, the turbocharged four-cylinder we loved so much is gone, replaced by a new three-cylinder EcoBoost turbo which displaces 100cc less. Power is up to 197 hp (147 kW) and peak torque is pegged at 290 Nm, enough for a 6.7-second 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint. As before it's mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, with no automatic option available.

This is the first time Ford has fitted a three-cylinder engine to a performance model, and the team in the Performance Division has pulled out all the stops to make sure it doesn't feel like a step backwards from the punchy powerplant in the old car. The new turbo has been designed to build boost faster than before, and the combination port and direct fuel injection system should also help with low-rev throttle response.

Cylinder deactivation also features on the new car, and an integrated exhaust manifold helps the engine reach optimal operating temperatures faster for greater efficiency. Then again if the outgoing car is anything to go by, it'll be impossible to drive at anything less than flat out, rendering most of those changes moot.

The rear of the ST isn't all that different than before
The rear of the ST isn't all that different than before

Whereas the outgoing car was notable for its lack of switchable drive modes, the new one cranks up the personalization to take on the nerd-fest that is the Renault Clio RS. Normal mode is fairly self explanatory, while switching into Sport sharpens up the steering, throttle and brings more noise. Moving to Track switches off the electronic driver aids and puts steering and throttle into their most aggressive settings.

Just like before, a clever torque vectoring system will brake the inside front wheel to cut understeer, and the stability control can be toggled through strict, relaxed and completely-off settings.

Ford's updates extend well beyond the chassis and engine, with a new look inside and out. The interior in the old Fiesta was a confusing mess of buttons, with tech like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto notably absent from the options list. The new cabin rectifies that with a tablet-style touchscreen on the dashboard, while the materials on the dashboard, seats and door trims all promise a greater feeling of quality than before. Outside, the formula is largely unchanged from the old car, with 18-inch wheels and a more aggressive bodykit setting the car apart from its more mundane brethren.

The new Fiesta ST will be available in two and four-door variants, with prices yet to be announced. It will debut at the Geneva Motor Show, where New Atlas will be on the ground covering all the action. In the meantime, check out Ford's (very cool) launch video for the ST below.

Source: Ford

Next generation Ford Fiesta ST makes action-packed video debut

View gallery - 15 images
2 comments
2 comments
Bob Flint
Dated after less than 4 years....are you serious most people haven't paid them off in that time frame, that's if they last that long......
Shohreh
In major cities, the average car speed is… 18km/h / 12mph.
Get a bicycle.