Tuesday 12th March 2013

Fiesta ST at Lommel: Time For Tea?

Reports from the launch are positively effervescent - and in this video, the new fast Fiesta looks a right hoot

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Our man Dom Holtam’s currently over in the South of France being given the chance to thrash the new Fiesta ST senseless around the hills above Nice. Tough gig, eh? The good news is that the noises coming back from Provence sound good: the new Fiesta, it seems, is a bit of alright. We’ll have a full road test coming to you soon, but for now, to get you in the mood, here's a video Ford's just released of test driver David Put hooning the new ST around its proving ground at Lommel.

"Yes, I'll take two boxes of oversteer, please..."

It isn’t easy to make a wet weekday afternoon in Belgium look exciting, but the ST does. Bounding over the humps and twists of the this cracking track, it looks every bit the classic hot hatch – an impression that’s confirmed every time Put coaxes the little Fezzie into another bout of lurid, rear-wheel-cocked lift-off oversteer. Ford’s assertion that it’s only too happy to engineer its cars to be a little more tail-happy these days is strongly evident here, then. It sounds good, too, thanks no doubt to the sound symposer Ford debuted on the Focus ST that does a grand job of conveying some of the engine’s induction noise into the cabin.

So while Dom brings back our verdict on the new car, the rest of us are sitting here salivating at the prospect of getting a go back here in the UK. This video might be a bit of PR hype building, but we’ll confess, it’s done its job well.

 

 

[DanielSan]

Not convinced on the noise to be honest, but that looks like an 'old skool' hot hatch. I like it.

[RacingBlue]

That front end gets more offensive each time I see it. I really HATE it.

[dapearson]

RacingBlue said:

That front end gets more offensive each time I see it. I really HATE it.

It looks like they've raided the Aston Martin parts bin.

On the plus side, it does look a bit like ED-209...

[zeduffman]

RacingBlue said:

That front end gets more offensive each time I see it. I really HATE it.

At least it doesn't have the chrome gob of the standard car.

[RacingBlue]

zeduffman said:

At least it doesn't have the chrome gob of the standard car.

True. With the pre facelift nose, it'd be a great looking car. As it is now, it's a definite no go for me.

[soad]

DanielSan said:

Not convinced on the noise to be honest, but that looks like an 'old skool' hot hatch. I like it.

Well, it's hardly meant to be a fire-breathing monster...

Car will also have a Sound Symposer.

[Richyboy]

Why can't they make them fun at legal speeds since its unlikely many of these will be taken on track, surely it will be a boring car on the road. In contrast nearly every turn can be a skid in the hated on here gt86 at legal speeds.

[vit4]

What is it at ~0:45 that makes the front end 'grow'??

Anyway, the car looks good. As somebody else said, more of an 'old school' hot hatch. I'll be curious to see how it fares against the Clio.

[Deranged Granny]

Richyboy said:

Why can't they make them fun at legal speeds since its unlikely many of these will be taken on track, surely it will be a boring car on the road. In contrast nearly every turn can be a skid in the hated on here gt86 at legal speeds.

Interesting choice of syntax!

[Mastodon2]

I think this will be a better car for the driver than the Clio, but a few things stick out. Firstly, it looks really tall from angles. Secondly, it sounds absolutely pants, though I suspect that can easily be remedied. I'd rather take this than a paddleshift car though.

I just hope it doesn't have the godawful high seating position that ST Fords seem to suffer from. That said, RS Clios have never been any better in that respect.

[chrisw666]

That video makes me want to go home, break out a credit card and buy brand new suspension for my Puma.

[TNH]

Looks ace!

[GroundEffect]

vit4 said:

What is it at ~0:45 that makes the front end 'grow'??

Wide angle lens used on the camera.

[fathomfive]

chrisw666 said:

That video makes me want to go home, break out a credit card and buy brand new suspension for my Puma.

Makes me want to break out the credit card and buy a Puma, a tank of petrol and spend a day on the B-roads rather than the portacabin.

[Hitch78]

I think it looks great and seems to be fun to punt. What's not to like?

[nickfrog]

Hitch78 said:

I think it looks great and seems to be fun to punt. What's not to like?

You don't get it, do you ? It's PH. You have to be negative, especially about the car's looks. It doesn't really matter how well it may drive.

[DanielSan]

soad said:

DanielSan said:

Not convinced on the noise to be honest, but that looks like an 'old skool' hot hatch. I like it.

Well, it's hardly meant to be a fire-breathing monster...

Car will also have a Sound Symposer.

The 500 Abarth isn't a fire breathing monster either, but that sounds superb....

[Usget]

As per comments above - sounds like "a car" and has the nose of a coke addict. Mine's a lightly-used Golf GTI please.

[daydotz]

the more i learn about this car the more i want one

[mybrainhurts]

Good to see English language standards returning to PH, with a welcome use of launch.

No more of this Americanese unveil/reveal trendy nonsense, please....