Production-Ready 180HP Ford Fiesta ST Concept Unveiled in Frankfurt

Ford Fiesta

There are concepts you know beforehand, no matter how marvelous they look, that are never going to roll their wheels on the road, but there others that are essentially production ready with minimal disguise previewed just months before the actual launch. The Fiesta ST Concept displayed at Ford’s stand at the Frankfurt Motor Show definitely belongs to the second category.

Ford states that “the possibility of a Fiesta ST joining the Focus ST would bring Ford performance to drivers in to major segments.” Come on, stop pretending: the Fiesta ST is ready to enter production tomorrow morning, if needed. We've even seen it testing at the Nordschleife.

The hottest Fiesta has been visually enhanced by the addition of the large honeycomb trapezoidal grille with the red ST badge, the sportier front bumper and the rear-end diffuser that incorporates the twin exhausts. The body kit along with the 17-inch wheels allude to the Fiesta WRC rally car, as per Ford’s intention to exploit its racing activities.

A 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine with direct injection and twin variable valve timing powers the Fiesta ST. It has an output of 180 HP and 240Nm (177 lb-ft) of torque. According to Ford, the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint takes less than 7.0 seconds and top speed exceeds 220 km/h (135 mph).

Power is transmitted to the front wheels through a manual six-speed gearbox which along with the engine’s inherent characteristics, enables the Fiesta ST to deliver less than 140 g/km of CO2 emissions.

“The Fiesta has a rich history of high-performance cars so a new ST model is a logical next step” said Ford’s vice president for global product development, Derrick Kuzack. In addition, the press release mentions hot Fiestas of the past like the XR2, RS1800 and RS Turbo, as well as the previous generation ST.

There you have it: when a company starts talking about CO2 emissions and past glories, you know the production version isn’t far away. Our take is that we’ll see the production version in six months’ time at the Geneva Motor Show.

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SCOOP: Ford Working on Baby CUV Based on the Fiesta

The new B-Max small MPV isn’t the only Fiesta-based model that Ford is currently developing. Our spy shooters captured a fleet of small crossover prototypes while resting on a parking lot in Pikes Peak Country in Colorado, USA. The baby CUV is based on the platform architecture of the latest Fiesta and it is believed that it will utilize a similar engine range to the subcompact model enhanced with Ford's newest EcoBoost powerplants such as the upcoming 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine.

It remains to be seen if the small CUV will also boast the option of four wheel drive.

When it arrives in the market, Ford's new crossover model will rival the likes of the Nissan Juke as well as GM's upcoming challenger in the segment that is currently undergoing testing in Europe as an Opel.

Spied: 2013 Ford B-MAX Small MPV Based on Fiesta Starts Taking Shape

Ford B-MAX



Ford B-MAX


Ford B-MAX

Ford is putting the final development touches on the production version of its Fiesta-based B-MAX small MPV that was snagged with a funky color scheme and very few parts covered up while testing in Europe.

The subtle camouflage does little to hide the fact that the B-MAX's design is very close to the original concept displayed at the Geneva Salon earlier this year right up to the sliding rear-doors.

Oval's concept study concern the addition of door handles and the much smaller alloy wheel and tire combos. From these pictures, we can't be sure if Ford has equipped the tall five-door model with B-pillars.

Being that the Geneva study was shown in near-production trim, we expect that there won’t any notable changes to the interior design.

Like the rivaling Opel Meriva, the B-MAX will accommodate five passengers in two rows of seats.

The B-MAX will be available with Ford's new 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder EcoBoost engine, which according to Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of Global Product Development, “will deliver horsepower and torque outputs equivalent to or better than most normally aspirated 1.6-liter gasoline engines”.

A range of four-cylinder gasoline and diesel units will also be on offer.

Even though as part of the Ford One plan, the B-MAX is a global car, recent reports suggest it will not be sold in the United States.

Light ECU Tune for Ford Fiesta Zetec S

Ford Fiesta S1

ECU tuning specialist Superchips has released a new software upgrade for the UK market Ford Fiesta Zetec S. In factory tune, the Ford's 1.6-liter Ti-VCT twin independent cam timing engine delivers 120-horsepower.

After Superchip's engineers optimize the engine control unit (ECU), the four-cylinder powerplant gains an additional 10 bhp at 5,986 rpm and 13 Nm of torque at 4,390rpm.

The tuning firm says that the upgrade is designed to work with either 95- or 98-octane fuel and claims that if driven in the same manner with the standard car, it will retain the Fiesta Zetec S’s 48 mpg combined fuel economy.

The ECU remap is suitable for all Mk7 1.6-litre 120 PS Fiesta Zetec S models produced from October 2008 onwards, with pricing set at £249.00 including VAT.

Ford Celebrates 100 Years in Britain with New Fiesta Centura

Fiesta Centura

If you haven't heard, Ford is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Britain this year. The first Ford to be manufactured in the country was the legendary Model T in 1911.

To celebrate the event, Ford is launching a new special edition version of the Fiesta called the Centura and like the original Model T, it too will be available exclusively in a black finish.

The Centura is based on the Fiesta Zetec trim level adding several standard features, including chrome mirror and door caps, LED daylight running lights, 16-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels, automatic headlamps and windscreen wipers, reverse parking sensors and a parking camera mounted in the rear view mirror.

Power comes courtesy of a 1.25-liter petrol engine delivering 82-horsepower, while the supermini model is available in both three-door and five-door body styles.

Ford said that is will build only 1,000 examples of the Fiesta Centura, with pricing set at £13,395 for the three-door version and £13,995 for the five-door.

Just 1,000 Ford Fiesta Centura special editions will be available, priced at £13,395 for the three-door version and £13,995 for the five-door. The Ford Fiesta remains the UK's best-selling car with 52,327 sold in the first half of this year.

Anthony Ireson, marketing director, Ford of Britain, said: "Fiesta has been a UK favourite its entire lifetime and it was a natural choice to use this great icon to help mark our centenary. With a unique specification and affordable price, the Centura will appeal to thousands of customers, and we anticipate strong demand – who knows it might even become a collector's car one day!"

Fiesta Centura


Fiesta Centura