Monday 18th March 2019

New Mountune Fiesta ST gets 225hp

More power, more torque, and not much more money - the Mountune fast Ford recipe is back

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We're unashamed fans of a Mountuned fast Ford on PH - by offering additional performance without compromising the car's usability, they make it hard not to be. The previous Fiesta ST we ran on the PH Fleet was proof of that, the MP215 kit bringing the car alive without any noticeable drawbacks.

Now it's the turn of the three-cylinder Fiesta ST to get its Mountune treatment, the latest M225 kit handily released just as Top Gear has reminded everyone what a hot hatch gem it is. Like before, it uses induction and ECU tweaks to liberate a little more power from the Fiesta, the key numbers now 225hp (up 25hp) and 251lb ft (up 37lb ft); Mountune claims that means 0-60 now takes less than six seconds, as well as deducting a second from the 31-62mph (50-100km/h) time. Apparently the engine now "delivers torque earlier and across the rev range, completely transforming the driving experience with blistering acceleration", too. Which sounds encouraging, to say the least.

Perhaps the most significant part of this upgrade, however, is the mTune SMARTflash app; in conjunction with a Bluetooth OBD interface, it will allow m225 customers to select different configurations depending on their situation, as well as allow for future updates. So a Performance calibration unleashes the maximum power and torque, along with "a more aggressive launch control strategy and enhanced audible exhaust output in Sport and Track modes." Stock Performance returns the car to factory specification, while Anti-Theft immobilises the car. All from your phone!

The m225 upgrade is available now, priced at £795 and with a 12,000-mile/12-month warranty. Add that to an ST like this Performance Pack car, now available for under £20k, and you're surely onto a winner.

[Onehp]

Would love to daily one of these. Remap is practically a no-brainer.

Like the look of the mudflaps and the stripe down the side too... Some more dirt on it would finish it of

[Onehp]

blade7 said:

12 months Mountune warranty on parts related to the uprate? Or 36 months Ford warranty on practically the whole car.

Read too quickly indeed, warranty situation makes it a lot less attractive. Also don't like how power now peaks earlier, with a big drop after 5,5k rpm. I used to have my 1.0 tuned from 125 to 140, but in the end preferred it without, the engine was more linear and sweeter to rev. So if I had a ST, I would either leave it or have it tuned but with less torque and having the power come later on, if that even is possible with the stock turbo (it should be able to pump a certain amount of air = power, which should be able to come in higher up? Still early on these...)

[Onehp]

Uncle John said:

I hope not, but in a year or two I think we may be seeing a lot of unhappy ST owners with a popped engine.

This is the point at which downsizing & economising crosses the axis of robustness & reliability when the power is increased.

It's all about the design.

If the concern is specific output, 225hp on 1,5l is no more than 300hp on an 2l 4-pot. Nothing special. 450hp on 3l V6 (edit: madness, such an output on a engine with no more crank axle bearings then a 3-pot), 600hp on 4l V8. Or 150hp on a 1.0.

Nice outputs but not the kind that destoys engines en masse... I think it's mostly that people aren't used to hearing about powerful 3 cylinders...

Although the i8 has been 230hp for some time...

Edited by Onehp on Wednesday 20th March 15:20