Dear Ford. Can you just let me buy a car please?

[ukaskew]

Thorburn said:

For some reason OH has decided that a 3dr is more practical if you have a young child as you can't fold the seat forward and stand in front of them to do up belts, etc, which you can't in a 5dr. I don't quite get it, but she helps out a few friends with young kids so who am I to argue.

I know a few have commented on this already, but that's absolute madness.

With iSize coming in there are plenty of swivel car seats now anyway, we have a Britax one which is superb.

[gweaver]

dnationPT said:

Here in Portugal we don't even have the 140ps version

I don't think you're missing much. With the longer gearing on the 140ps I reckon you'd only see the benefit over the 125ps at the top of second and third anyway.
Good driving roads down there?

Edited because it seems I was wrong about the ratios - see below..

Edited by gweaver on Saturday 28th May 10:37

[dnationPT]

gweaver said:

I don't think you're missing much. With the longer gearing on the 140ps I reckon you'd only see the benefit over the 125ps at the top of second and third anyway.
Good driving roads down there?

Ah didn't know about that.
Yes we have awesome driving roads, if you ever come to PT you should come and drive, and just follow Douro River for example, which are considered one of the best roads in europe.
Here is a pic
http://hotelmalaposta.com/images/jkit/items/20-scr...

Edited by dnationPT on Friday 27th May 16:28

[gweaver]

That looks good! I'm back in the south east of England now, and miss some of the North Wales roads (but not the Evo triangle, it's a magnet for idiots).

[dnationPT]

I've also heard great things about the wales roads, my father lives in the UK, maybe in the next few years I'll do a road trip in the UK with my fiesta

[dnationPT]

Btw some more updates:
I got dealer confirmation of 5 speed manual
Spanish media is talking about chrome tailpipe exhaust lets see if it's true

[IanCress]

gweaver said:

I don't think you're missing much. With the longer gearing on the 140ps I reckon you'd only see the benefit over the 125ps at the top of second and third anyway.
Good driving roads down there?

I thought the 140ps version had shorter gearing than the 125ps, not longer? I can't see any need for longer gearing, it's long enough already on our 125.

[gweaver]

IanCress said:

I thought the 140ps version had shorter gearing than the 125ps, not longer? I can't see any need for longer gearing, it's long enough already on our 125.

I think the Ford press pack mentions revised ratios for the 140ps, not sure about any mention of close ratios and the like.
I think it's generally assumed that revised ratios means shorter ratios, but when I was looking at Fiestas I put a few registrations into the Ford Etis system and it appeared that the 140ps has longer intermediate ratios than the 125ps Zetec S. The 125 Titanium also has a longer fifth than the 125 Zetec S.
By using longer ratios Ford can reduce the stresses on the gearbox, allowing them to up the torque a little in lower gears. I've seen a few anecdotes about the IB5 box suffering on tuned cars, so it would seem that it's operating at it's torque limit in the Fiesta Ecoboost.

Edited because it seems I was wrong about the ratios - see below..

Edited by gweaver on Saturday 28th May 10:38

[df76]

There is no difference in the individual gearing, but quite a big difference in the final drive...

140PS Axle ratio: 4.06
125PS Axle ratio: 3.61

Having driven both, the 140 is a lot quicker through the gears and it's very noticeable.

[gweaver]

df76 said:

There is no difference in the individual gearing, but quite a big difference in the final drive...

140PS Axle ratio: 4.06
125PS Axle ratio: 3.61

Having driven both, the 140 is a lot quicker through the gears and it's very noticeable.

From Ford ETIS

125PS:
3.58/1.92/1.20/.87/.68/3.61

140PS:
3.58/1.93/1.28/0.95/0.76/4.06

So it looks like we were both wrong about the ratios. I wonder whether the turbo boost limits in first and second have been altered too?

Just to confuse matters, I think I've seen another gearset listed against a 125PS, not sure which spec. Also the rolling circumference of the tyres on different models varies, so there are at least four different combinations just on the 125/140PS models.

[Thorburn]

Went out again in a Fiesta ST again and decided to order one of those instead of the Zetec S/ST Line, so should have a new Fiesta ST-3 in the next few weeks.

I agree on 3dr vs. 5dr and kids, but we had a look around a Focus ST and the OH was adamant she wanted the smaller car.

Plot twist: If/when we have a kid and she changes her mind I'll chop in my old Fiesta for something practical and nick the ST.

[dnationPT]

Good for you!

[gweaver]

Thorburn said:

Plot twist: If/when we have a kid and she changes her mind I'll chop in my old Fiesta for something practical and nick the ST.

Sounds like a plan :-)

[ED209]

dnationPT said:

According to Ford DE, all wheels are now with this beautiful finish, rock metallic(including 17 inch). It really looks way better imo than the old one.

Here are the 3D pics of the new st-line.

Focus st line:


Fiesta st-line



Regarding specs I already got a list of change for the ST-Line version given by the dealer basically the major changes are:
Inside the roof is now black, new seats with red stitching, it comes by default now with a 4.2 inches, the new finish on the wheels. There's st line badges below on the front doors, new LED rear lights, steering wheel with grey stitching, and they say it comes with a new exterior sport kit but tbh seems exactly the same, so must be minor changes only.

In Portugal they are selling a new pack called ST-Line pack which comes with sony sat nav, rear view camera, automatic AC and cruise control for 700€ which I decided to buy.

Edited by dnationPT on Wednesday 25th May 22:13

The wheels on my focus st3 are rock metallic and they look ace when new however they seem to become permanently discoloured very easily.

[dnationPT]

Really? Weird why that would happen. Maybe putting a product to protect the paint can solve that issue, will be warned when mine gets delivered.

[dnationPT]

It's already available in the ford.de configuration, tomorrow and next days should be on all countries:
http://www.ford.de/Pkw-konfigurator/FordFiesta/ST-...

[gweaver]

dnationPT said:

It's already available in the ford.de configuration, tomorrow and next days should be on all countries:
http://www.ford.de/Pkw-konfigurator/FordFiesta/ST-...

Google translation:

The trim level Sport has i.a. Recreational Equipment highlights (in addition to trend):

Elements in contrasting colors: roof and exterior mirrors
Roof spoiler, large, painted in body color
Driver's seat with manual adjustable lumbar support
Intelligent battery management system
Interior with red stitching:
- Leather handbrake handle / lever gaiter
- Leather steering wheel, 3-spoke design, with "soft touch"
- Carpet Floor Mats Front and rear, velor
Map reading lights and footwell lighting front
Air conditioning manual
Front center console, in addition with integrated armrest and 12-volt connection back
Fog lights, sports design
Pedals with aluminum pads
Side skirts
Sports suspension, Karroserie about 10mm lowered, revised damping characteristics, spring rates and steering characteristics
Front sports seats with reinforced lateral support
Front and rear bumpers in sport design (rear with integrated sports diffuser)
4 light-alloy wheels, 12-spoke sports design with 195/45 R16 tires


So it sounds like a Zetec S. Smaller wheels, but I think the UK is unusual in getting 17" wheels as standard.

[dnationPT]

Yap looks like the same thing, we'll see in the next few days, I think production will start on 1st of June so pics will show up then.

[gweaver]

I see the Germans can also order the Titanium with 140PS. That'd be ideal for making progress on our disintegrating roads.

[dnationPT]

Well if we had the 140 ps version I had chosen that over the 125 for 700€.
Meanwhile focus is also now only st-line, specs and prices in the list on ford ireland :

http://www.ford.ie/SBE/DownloadeBrochure_Car

Edited by dnationPT on Tuesday 31st May 11:07