RE: Mountune Focus ST and Fiesta ST: Driven
Thursday 18th July 2013
The Mountune touch is most certainly a good one. It was brave of Ford to allow third-party branding on its performance models, but the take up on previous generation models was strong, and now we have a new upgrade for the Focus ST and the Fiesta ST arriving on the same day. I drove both yesterday.
0-100mph in 14 seconds? Quick Focus!Focused performance
You've read the news story, but just to remind you, the Focus ST kit gives 275hp and 295lb ft. It's a very classy piece of calibration work, to the point that initially you're a little underwhelmed. Where the previous five-cylinder model with the Mountune kit immediately felt unhinged, this one builds boost more gradually, but the numbers are still impressive. On a stinking hot day and a pretty poor launch I managed 0-60 in 6.4 seconds and 0-100mph in 14.0 seconds. Ford claims it'll go under six seconds to 60mph, which I find a little hard to believe, even if you had several goes at trimming the 0-30mph time. The standing quarter was 14.7 seconds.
Still cheaper than a Clio RS, now with 215hpBig brother's little brother
The Fiesta upgrade is less involved but for me even more impressive. The numbers are 215hp and 236lb ft on overboost. Yes, that's 236lb ft in a Fiesta. The results are very amusing on the road. In fourth gear the little Fiesta will nail stuff with much more imposing badging. I managed 6.5 seconds to 60mph, 100mph in 15.4 seconds and the standing quarter in 14.94 seconds. The car is much easier to launch than the Focus, the 2.7-second 0-30mph time shows what should be possible in the bigger car, but even then I don't see the Focus going under six seconds to 60mph.
Are you thinking what we're thinking?One word of caution, we asked an insurance company whether these fully-approved upgrades affected premiums - for a 21-year-old male they reckoned an additional 10-15 per cent.
Mountune Focus ST and Fiesta ST: Driven
Chris Harris gets an early taste of the Mountune Fiesta ST and its Focus ST big brother
0-100mph in 14 seconds? Quick Focus!
You've read the news story, but just to remind you, the Focus ST kit gives 275hp and 295lb ft. It's a very classy piece of calibration work, to the point that initially you're a little underwhelmed. Where the previous five-cylinder model with the Mountune kit immediately felt unhinged, this one builds boost more gradually, but the numbers are still impressive. On a stinking hot day and a pretty poor launch I managed 0-60 in 6.4 seconds and 0-100mph in 14.0 seconds. Ford claims it'll go under six seconds to 60mph, which I find a little hard to believe, even if you had several goes at trimming the 0-30mph time. The standing quarter was 14.7 seconds.
The engine's character is pretty much identical to the standard motor only with more of everything, all of the time. My only gripe is that when you try to shift very fast right on the limiter the ECU sometimes delays full power by a fraction of a second after the gearchange. Shift 500rpm lower and it doesn't happen. The noise is especially good for a four-pot.
Still cheaper than a Clio RS, now with 215hp
The Fiesta upgrade is less involved but for me even more impressive. The numbers are 215hp and 236lb ft on overboost. Yes, that's 236lb ft in a Fiesta. The results are very amusing on the road. In fourth gear the little Fiesta will nail stuff with much more imposing badging. I managed 6.5 seconds to 60mph, 100mph in 15.4 seconds and the standing quarter in 14.94 seconds. The car is much easier to launch than the Focus, the 2.7-second 0-30mph time shows what should be possible in the bigger car, but even then I don't see the Focus going under six seconds to 60mph.
So for an extra £599 you can have a fully warrantied Fiesta that will do 0-100mph in 15.4 seconds. That is absolutely bonkers and could make life even more difficult for the Clio RS. There will be a video soon.
Are you thinking what we're thinking?
The Focus ST upgrade includes an airbox and a fancy air filter, so costs quite a bit more at £1,225.
They're both cracking upgrades and it's hard to imagine ordering either car without them given they don't invalidate the manufacturer's warranty.
But for me the Fiesta was the funnier by far. And that's what a tuning should be about.
Discussion
Still reckon (putting aside all driving dynamics, fun factor etc) looking at the various vids of the 3 cars (clio,208,fiesta) drag racing I reckon the clio would still pip the fiesta as it has such a lead over the 1/4 when the Fiesta is standard. 208 would have no hope though.
I have to say Im not a massive fan of Ford but i'm looking forward to my work mate's Fiesta being delivered so I can have a go. Looks so much fun.
I have to say Im not a massive fan of Ford but i'm looking forward to my work mate's Fiesta being delivered so I can have a go. Looks so much fun.
Credit Ford as you say, wonder if anyone will be brave enough to take these warranted tuning packages to their logical extension?
New Fiesta ST looks great, I wouldn't order one without the Mountune upgrade either.
Cars are getting seriously quick these days.
Shame I can't afford one. Being a Ford though, in a few years time, they'll be pretty affordable.
In terms of performance, it makes the MUCH more expensive GT86 seem pretty silly, and while that may handle better, I'd bet the Fiesta doesn't handle too badly - Ford seem to know what they're doing there; Indeed, I remember trying to follow an old ST150 in my 172 around South Shields through the roundabouts and it seemed like a way better handler than the Clio, much more composed and grippy.
Cars are getting seriously quick these days.
Shame I can't afford one. Being a Ford though, in a few years time, they'll be pretty affordable.
In terms of performance, it makes the MUCH more expensive GT86 seem pretty silly, and while that may handle better, I'd bet the Fiesta doesn't handle too badly - Ford seem to know what they're doing there; Indeed, I remember trying to follow an old ST150 in my 172 around South Shields through the roundabouts and it seemed like a way better handler than the Clio, much more composed and grippy.
Itsallicanafford said:
..a quick Focus indeed, i havent checked but its peformance stats look almost identical to a 1997 fiat coupe turbo...thought things might have moved on abit since then..
I'd say that's the proof for, not the argument against... Current hot hatch vs a historic, still considered quick, coupe.Both being about £25k cars, and that's even with 16 years of inflation being ignored in the Focus' favour.
I see no reason why it wont do 60 in just under 6 secs (the focus). The heat makes an enormous difference. I used to have an ST3 with 300 odd HP and if it was a very hot day it would make a big impact on acceleration (and that was with a rad-tec intercooler that could handle up to 500HP)... so try one again on normal day a I bet it will either do it in under 6 or very close to
tomoleeds said:
I like the Fiesta ST but the focus should have more power and a faster 0-60 time.
13 years ago suburau were selling the wrx with 0-60 5.7 seconds, Ford should be aiming for at least this figure, especially with the mountune conversion
AWD makes a big difference with 0-60 launches.13 years ago suburau were selling the wrx with 0-60 5.7 seconds, Ford should be aiming for at least this figure, especially with the mountune conversion
so i looked on drivethedeal and the fiesta can be had in ST trim for £14.5k brand new and the ST-2 is only a shade over £15k....
autotrader shows new fiestas with somewhere between 200 and 2k miles for £16-18k.....
seems a new one from drivethedeal is the perfect choice, plus the 600 mountune remap :-)
uh oh....
autotrader shows new fiestas with somewhere between 200 and 2k miles for £16-18k.....
seems a new one from drivethedeal is the perfect choice, plus the 600 mountune remap :-)
uh oh....
Wonder what the chances are they'll introduce Mountune into the U.S. market, now that we get both the Focus and Fiesta ST? Kind of upset they're not selling the three door here, but a Fiesta ST is still on the top of my list for new cars that I'd want to own. In fact, I'd take a Fiesta ST over any current Ferrari or Lamborghini! It's all about usable performance, and would be the perfect followup to my old Mk1 Focus. 0-60 in 6.5 would seem plenty fast to me, after my ~9 second Focus (factory rated at 9.3 or something, but always felt considerably quicker, to me.)
tomoleeds said:
I like the Fiesta ST but the focus should have more power and a faster 0-60 time.
13 years ago suburau were selling the wrx with 0-60 5.7 seconds, Ford should be aiming for at least this figure, especially with the mountune conversion
And what mpg do you get out of a wrx impreza from 13 years ago? Probably less than half that of the focus and fiesta.13 years ago suburau were selling the wrx with 0-60 5.7 seconds, Ford should be aiming for at least this figure, especially with the mountune conversion
AdamC1983 said:
And what mpg do you get out of a wrx impreza from 13 years ago? Probably less than half that of the focus and fiesta.
And also, these are hot hatches- which are now much more powerful and quicker than they were 15 years ago. I had Clio Williams in the ninties and its 2.0 litre 150bhp engine was considered to be very powerful back then!Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff