Ford Puma ST adds 1.0-litre Ecoboost option
Latest ST Powershift variant gets most powerful version of award-winning three-pot yet
With Lamborghini and Ferrari vying to do ever more interesting things with enormous V12 engines, and the rest of the industry electrifying anything that moves, you could be forgiven for thinking that there isn’t too much room left in the middle for those of us unable to lavish six figures on a car - or unwilling to go battery-powered. Well, this isn’t necessarily going to have you jumping around the room, but Ford has today announced that it will bring together its 1.0-litre Ecoboost engine and ST badge on a new Puma variant.
True enough, the result is not going to trouble a Purosangue owner’s heart rate. Together with the introduction of its seven-speed ‘Powershift’ dual-clutch automatic, the new ST is intended to tickle your parsimonious bone at least as much as your funny one - Ford reckons it’ll average 44.8mpg and emit a kindly 144g/km CO2; a modest improvement on the more powerful, manual-only 1.5-litre three-cylinder unit. Additionally, it earns 48-volt mild-hybrid status, so it ought to be as convenient to drive as a pack of huskies in sight of home. Which, presumably, is what its customers have been asking for.
What it will not be, of course, is neck-troublingly fast. Thanks in part to more efficient energy recovery and a faster charging lithium-ion battery pack that has claimed an additional 10hp from the hybrid gubbings - and to ‘unique software tuning’ on the turbocharged three-pot - this 170hp derivative of the 1.0-litre Ecoboost is the most powerful yet. But at 7.4 seconds to 62mph, it still lags behind the 200hp ST by the better part of a second. Its maker says it has recalibrated the Powershift ‘box to better suit the 183lb ft of torque available at 3,000rpm, although it’s hard to imagine its in-gear performance rivalling the 236lb ft available to the 1.5-litre owner.
Amusingly, Ford points out in the bumf that the ST Powershift ‘produces exactly twice the power-per-litre of a 2002 Focus ST170’ which is an odd claim to fame given that model’s famously anemic performance. The manufacturer is on safer ground when it draws our collective attention to the fact that the Powershift version shares the optimised chassis of the existing ST - which means a 50 per cent stiffer rear twist-beam, Ford’s patented ‘force vectoring’ springs and a steering rack 25 per cent faster than the standard Puma. No mention of the Quaife limited-slip diff that originally came with the Performance Pack (unsurprisingly) but you can likely expect much the same tightly-wound, go-right-at-‘em Puma ST driving experience from the newcomer.
“The Ford Performance team called on all of its experience developing the original Puma ST to deliver ST signature fun-to-drive without losing the practicality of our compact SUV, and our new Powershift derivative is even more versatile,” remarked Stefan Muenzinger, Ford Performance manager, Europe. “The multi-award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is combined with a paddle-shift-operable, seven-speed, dual-clutch Ford Powershift transmission – fusing an energised driving experience and everyday usability.”
Offering an ST-badged Puma with two-pedals was clearly the priority here, and Ford deserves some credit for taking the time to tweak its now venerable Ecoboost motor for the application - it would likely have found buyers with only the pre-existing 155hp to call upon. But the Powershift model is an additional reminder that more power is needed if you hope to live up to the badge when dealing with even small SUVs. The outgoing Fiesta, lest we forget, was still a giggle with just 140hp from the same engine, and didn’t need mild hybrid assistance to average 112g/km CO2. Those were the days.
Regardless, with the Fiesta about to die, and the Focus not long for this world, I feel like Ford have basically culled all the cars that made them desirable. They'd better hope the SUV/crossover craze lasts, as they're going to have a lot of work to do if it doesn't.
t about a new Ford warm hatch. ST-Line, ST SUV and now this.
Is there a Transit ST yet?
Sad really.
However, calling this thing ST not ST Line is a bit sad.
My brother has it fitted in a Focus and the engine gave up when it was one month past it's warranty, only 30,000 kilometres on the clock. Ford contributed but it still cost him just over £3k. The main dealer said they had seen the same problem before.
A mates wife has the same engine fitted to an EcoSport. Just out of warranty, he took it to his usual indy who just laughed at him! The fitter said that he'd seen a few of these engines imploded.
I'm sure this 170 Powershift will be fine though.
The problems with the Ecoboost are from several years ago, and I think the latest engines are pretty reliable.
I'm surprised Ford is still using the "Ecoboost" and "Powershift" names, as neither has a great reputation from their early days.
ST-Line, ST SUV and now this.
Is there a Transit ST yet?
Sad really.
Considering how much effort Toyota have put into reinventing their performance arm as a legitimate enthusiasts' option, I find this watering down a tad surprising. Unless, of course, it's some kind of Toyota equivalent of the fabled Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution
Also, when you open the bonnet you can see where they've just welded extra bits to the Fiesta bodyshell to make it taller and fatter.
Sad really.
Interestingly, as a Focus ST (MK3.5) owner, I occasionally get a nod off a fellow ST - Fiesta or Focus, but never off a Puma ST owner. That's not scientific but in my eyes shows the Puma is being brought by a different demographic.
Really? 0-62 mph in 7.5 seconds and a maximum speed of 220km/h (~135mph) is anaemic? Since when?
As a fan of fast Fords since a kid, and a current owner of a Mk3.5 Focus ST, I have to say I can't see me rushing to buy another Ford any time soon. For me they've lost their way, they don't make anything which appeals to me now.
I think dropping the Focus and Fiesta is a mistake, they've spent decades building up these brands, loads of people buy them just because of the name. When my parents changed their Focus last year they knew they wanted a Fiesta, didn't need to test drive one as they'd decided in advance. Next time round I don't know what they'll get, maybe a Puma but they don't like SUV's so after 30+ years of driving Ford's they might well look elsewhere.
Ford seems to have put all their eggs in one basket, namely the Puma. I see loads of these about, a few people at work have them as company cars and rave about them. But I don't see so many other new Fords, the Kuga doesn't seem as popular and is up against a lot of more popular rivals. When the Fiesta and Focus end production what else is there?
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