- Powerful 1498 cc turbocharged I3 engine (0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds)
- Five star Euro NCAP safety rating and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) expected to be standard
- Innovative ‘torque vectoring’ springs for rear suspension
- Interior space?
- Rear visibility?
- Interior fit and finish?
Overview
To be released in Australia in the second quarter of 2019, the Ford Mk.7 Fiesta ST is a hot hatch that will be available in three- and five-door bodies. Manufactured at Ford Europe’s Cologne-Niehl plant in Germany, the Ford Fiesta ST is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
1.5 EcoBoost I3 engine
The 1498 cc three-cylinder ‘EcoBoost’ engine has an aluminium alloy cylinder block and head, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, variable intake and exhaust valve timing and both port and direct fuel injection systems. To reduce fuel consumption, the EcoBoost engine has:
- An Auto Start-Stop function which enables the engine to shut down when the vehicle is stationary in traffic; and,
- A cylinder deactivation function that can shut down one of the engine’s cylinders when coasting or cruising. According to Ford, the cylinder can disengage or re-engage in 14 milliseconds.
The Ford Fiesta ST can accelerate from rest to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and has a top speed of 232 km/h.
Launch Control and Quaife LSD
As an option, the Ford Fiesta ST will be available with a launch control function that can be engaged using the steering wheel controls. By fully depressing the accelerator, the system increases engine rpm and then maintains it at the rev limit, until a gauge in the instrument cluster display indicates that the vehicle is ready for launch. Fully releasing the clutch then initiates an optimised standing start in which electronic stability control, traction control, Torque Vectoring Control and Torque Steer Compensation systems manage power and torque delivery.
As an option, the Ford Fiesta ST will also be available with a mechanical limited-slip differential (LSD) produced by Quaife.
| Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1498 cc turbo petrol I3 | 6sp man. | 147 kW at 6000 rpm | 290 Nm at 1600-4000 rpm |
Suspension
The Ford Fiesta ST has MacPherson strut front suspension and a twist (or torsion) beam rear axle. The suspension uses Tenneco twin-tube front and mono-tube rear shock absorbers that use RC1 valve technology to provide frequency-dependent damping.
At the rear axle, the Fiesta ST has ‘torque vectoring springs’ which are non-uniform, non-interchangeable, directionally-wound springs that are cold-formed for greater strength and have varying pitch and diameter properties throughout the spring. According to Ford, these springs apply vectoring forces to the rear suspension and enable cornering forces to travel directly into the spring for increased lateral stiffness, as well as the following benefits:
- Sharper turn-in;
- Faster response to steering inputs; and,
- A mass reduction of 10 kg relative to a Watt’s linkage.
According to Ford, the rear torsion beam has roll stiffness of 1400 Nm/degree, the firmest of any Ford Performance model.
Steering
The Ford Fiesta ST has rack-and-pinion steering with electric power assistance; the steering has a ratio of 12.0:1.
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the Ford Fiesta ST includes dual front airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags, full-length curtain airbags (i.e. for front and rear occupants), ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters.
AustralianCar.Reviews also expects the Ford Fiesta ST to be available with the following active safety technologies –
- Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection: can detect people or cyclists that are or around the road ahead, or who may cross the vehicle’s path. The system initially issues visual and audible warnings, while the brakes are automatically applied if the driver does not respond and a collision is anticipated;
- Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert: when reversing out of a parking space, Cross Traffic Alert can alert the driver of approaching traffic that may cross the vehicle’s path;
- Lane Keeping Alert: operating at speeds above 60 km/h, if the front camera detected an unintentional drift out of the vehicle’s lane, the driver is warned by steering wheel vibrations; and,
- Lane Keeping Aid: operating at speeds above 60 km/h, the Lane Keeping Aid can apply steering wheel torque to keep the vehicle in its lane if the vehicle is detected to be drifting out of it.
Brakes
The Ford Fiesta ST has 278 mm vented front brake discs and 253 mm solid rear discs.
Euro NCAP testing
In Euro NCAP testing , the 2017 Ford Fiesta received a five star safety rating which included an 87 per cent adult occupant protection rating and an 84 per cent child occupant protection rating. In the frontal offset test, protection of the driver’s head, thighs and feet were rated as good, though chest and lower leg protection was rated as adequate (i.e. a slight risk of serious injury). While maximum points were awarded in the side impact test, protection of the driver’s chest in the more severe pole test was rated as adequate.
Features: Ford Fiesta ST
As standard, the Fiesta ST will be equipped with Ford’s SYNC 3′ communications and entertainment system with a 6.5-inch display, though an 8.0-inch display will be available as an option. Other standard features for the Fiesta ST include Recaro front seats, an ‘ST’ gearknob and a flat-bottomed steering wheel.
Further information regarding features will be available closer to launch.
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