Ford: New ST200 is most powerful Fiesta ever built
For its 40th birthday, the Ford Fiesta gets a great present under the hood: 200 hp of power and 290 Nm of torque are provided by the ST200, which is outwardly distinguished from the 182-hp Fiesta ST only by an "ST" label and matte black rims. But the 1.6-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine is also garnished with an overboost that can boost up to 20 [...]
This allows acceleration to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds with a standard consumption of 6.1 liters per 100 kilometers. The four-cylinder develops a powerful, slightly aggressive sound when accelerating, but it is not annoying or too loud. Pedal commands are immediately implemented, and the usable rev band is very broad. It's no problem to cruise along at 1500 rpm and drive lazily when shifting gears. But from around 2000 rpm onwards, the engine really gets going, and you can easily rev the small car into the red zone, which starts at 6000 rpm, or shift through the six closely graduated gears beforehand. The gear changes are buttery smooth, and the clutch engages at the expected moment. The steering is pleasantly direct. The same applies to the firm chassis. The fear that the front-wheel drive is overtaxed by the 200 hp is unfounded. Thanks to torque vectoring, the power is distributed intelligently and spinning on the inside wheel is prevented. At least on asphalt; gravel requires more restraint.
For 29 900 francs there is a real sports car
The Recaro seats offer a great combination of lateral support and comfort. Aluminum overlays on the pedals and steering wheel as well as some important functional elements give the interior a sporty touch, and the feel and look of the surfaces appear high-quality. The list of shortcomings is short: the center control panel is littered with many switches in different shapes and colors, and the center screen is very small. Here you notice that the Fiesta has been on the market for a while. Next year, the successor will arrive. The ST200 is a real sports car. At the price of 29,900 francs, it should be very hard to get more driving fun elsewhere.
www.ford.ch
Photos: Ford
