RE: Ford Fiesta ST: Driven

[ChocolateFrog]

Reading articles like this makes me realise why the big names are paid the big bucks, just dreadful.

[s m]

greenarrow said:

I could see this car in 5 door version becoming my next daily driver. It ticks just about every box really. The performance is spot on for UK driving, not too fast, not too slow. Its not too big, too heavy, its just a Ford so hopefully you'll get allowed out of side roads (not always a given if you're driving a BMW or Audi). It'll average 40+MPG in daily driving, but will be fun enough to take out on the weekend just for the hell of it. Good job Ford. Note to Vauxhall...this is how you do a junior hot hatchback...

To be fair to Vauxhall, I drove the old Corsa VXR Nurburgring that also had a proper LSD and thought it was an excellent handling little hatch - great fun. Maybe not as good as the Fiesta ST....but then nothing else seems to be by all accounts. You’d still have a lot of fun in the Corsa on a good road - even on PH it got a decent review!

When I ordered my R53 Cooper S I made sure I specced the LSD for it after getting the chance to drive one with it fitted and one without.
It was only about a £120 for the limi slip diff option so not too expensive

[Limpet]

I've just spent a week driving my in-laws' mk7 1.0 Ecoboost round the lanes of Cornwall. It's a bog standard 100 PS model with the Powershift auto, and it's a little peach of a thing. It reminds me of the Peugeots of the 80s and 90s in that even the cooking models with no sporting pretension have the basics absolutely spot on. It strings a series of bends together with that lovely agile "tippy toe" feeling that so many modern cars with their grippy garden roller rubber and "sports" suspension are just too crude to provide. It feels good, even when not pushing on.

I have no problem believing the same DNA with a similarly light 3 pot up front, more 'focused' chassis settings, and double the power would make for quite a driver's car.

[pb8g09]

greenarrow said:

Good job Ford. Note to Vauxhall...this is how you do a junior hot hatchback...

I thought this had been done in the Corsa GSi thread...

The Fiesta ST costs double the money to insure for a young driver than the new Corsa GSi. It also costs considerably less once you've specc'd the ST.

[silles]

So is it worth paying for the performance pack?

I'm looking at some used cars and most don't have the LSD.

Would I miss it? (lets assume I live in a dry hot country, south Europe .)

[JP.Racing]

I have an ST3 with PP and my mate has an ST2 without PP... I would say he regrets his choice somewhat! I would personally go for ST3, PP and LED lights if you can find one you like/afford it.

[SweptVolume]

Why does everything have to be a "pack" these days? Why can't they just have an LSD on the options list?

[blade7]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Michelin Super Sports flatter the car, and buyers that didn't stump up for the Performance Pack fit something cheaper when they need replacing.