The ST is the craziest and most rewarding Fiesta you’ve ever witnessed and despite “only” 200 horsepower is capable of bringing into play a driving involvement that is about to be incredibly missed.

Words Andrea Balti / Photos Daniél Rikkard

It’s getting late, we’ll soon be alone and when even the last of them will be gone, the party room will be an empty box with nothing more to give. For a few moments we will still be able to hear the echo of the cheering screams, see the joy and light-heartedness in the faces of those around us again, then nothing, just a deafening silence that grips your heart and brings your feet back to the ground. Moments of driving enjoyment that are fading one after the other like a beautiful dream that didn’t last too long, the one you wish would never end, the one you would like being able to continue simply by turn your head the other way. Yet it doesn’t work like this and the farewell to the legendary Ford Fiesta is one of many examples.

After almost fifty years accompanying millions of families and motorists around the world, we not only mourn the imminent farewell to the Fiesta, but we understand that this means that the ST 8.5 will also be the last Fiesta ST that we will be lucky enough to drive. For an era that comes to an end, the new electric promises are ready, which will certainly not be able to replace the feeling and driving emotions that one of the most enjoyable hot-hatch has offered to enthusiasts over the course of its existence. Providentially we will have the excellent Puma ST, but for those for whom a crossover body is not an acceptable compromise, this is a sad day. Very sad indeed.

The restyling of the eighth generation Fiesta ST therefore takes on a completely different meaning and takes advantage of the importance of the situation and act in a more massive way than what usually happens with a simple mid-life restyling. The blue oval badge descends from the bonnet to the front grille, giving the little one of the family a completely different look, which in the Mean Green color does not know half measures: the watchword is once again fun. Five doors, with the cabin easily accessible both for rear and front occupants who enjoy the new Ford Performance seats made in collaboration with Recaro, even more enveloping than before and which transmit all the feedbacks that rise from the wheels to the driver’s back, passing for one of the most rewarding chassis out there.

Instead, the 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged known and (not immediately) appreciated at the arrival of the eighth generation is here. The overall power remains 200, but torque increases by 30 Nm, rising from 290 to 320 and accentuating the surprising elasticity of the small but furious engine up front. The Quaife mechanical limited slip differential is now standard and if you’re wondering, know that the inside rear wheel still lifts in tightest corners, all to the benefit of optimum balance and driving pleasure when things get serious. Yes, because the Fiesta ST is still a Fiesta and although noisier – with the double tailpipe that loves to crackle – rigid and with a feel diametrically opposite to any Fiesta, it is still livable and above all enjoyable in daily commutes.

There is a fairly large trunk, fuel consumption is more than acceptable and depends on the intensity with which you put your right foot on the throttle and therefore it is logical to argue that this is always a car suitable for any type of use. However, we are only interested in one thing: strong emotions. The 200 horsepower may seem an honest figure, but it has already been widely learned that under a weight of just 1,200 kg and with a turbo that define the quick delivery even at low rpm, the ST snaps like a spring from one curve to another. By selecting Sport mode, or even Track mode, the steering and accelerator pedal respond even more decisively and it is here that the perfect driver/car relationship points directly to the stars. We are talking about hot-hatches Olympus, once again and perhaps always on the top step. It doesn’t matter if it’s the last time, because as I ram into the corners, the chassis follows the road with unearthly precision for a body of this size.

The optional 18″ rims and summer tires elevate the grip when cornering, while coming out of the wider bends I can keep the gas down with the differential which limits wheel slip and understeer more clearly than before. The third pedal and the 6-speed manual gear lever are the icing on the cake, the climax of a fiesta you would never want to end. On board there is a perfect mix of modernity and classicism, with the entirely digital instrumentation that houses the new 12.5″ display, but the flavor of analogue driving is offered by the manual gearbox and the traditional handbrake lever. There is exactly what it takes to make every moment spent on board magical, especially those in which you decide to take advantage of the ST know-how made available for the smallest model in the Ford range.

You feel the 200 horses down to the last one, they seem much more and push the Fiesta ST to impressive speeds, taking advantage of its small size and perfect maneuverability through the narrowest roads. In the bends I enter with decision, the rear literally lifts the inside wheel and this facilitates the entry. In the blink of an eye I’m out and flat out for the following turn. There are mutterings, there is a mechanical bedlam that transforms petrol into entertainment. The seat is among the best in the segment and you feel inside the car, not above it, as unfortunately often happens when dealing with a passenger compartment that is certainly not chosen for its habitability. There is always traction and if in first and second gear the steering wheel tends to jerk with the gas pressed violently, getting familiar with the never invasive nervousness of the ST is a matter of seconds.

As the hours go by, I push the limit further – especially when braking – playing with the lightness of the car and with the perfect balance of the weights. Being able to decide which gear to enter and exit corners in and feel them shifting beneath me is an increasingly rare commodity, but with the ST is all incredibly real. It takes 6.5 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100 kph, while top speed is 230 kph, impressive for a small car equipped with an in-line 3-cylinder. There’s no detail I’d change, there’s nothing dynamic or mechanical I’d like different, ladies and gentlemen, it’s always the ultimate hot hatch and knowing that it will be the last time we’ll be able to talk about it – at least as a brand new model –really hurt my enthusiast heart.

The smallest and funniest five-door on the road costs €33,000, but offers – as standard – the limited slip differential and the coexistence of a practical nature like that of the original hatchback with a performance one, in full ST style. Scientists are not needed to understand that this is once again the ultimate XS-size hot hatch, but maturity is needed to accept the fact that the party is coming to an end and that maybe it is precisely the fact that even fun has an expiration date that makes you savor everything in such an exciting way.

FORD FIESTA ST

Engine 3 cylinder Turbocharged, 1.496 cc Power 200 hp @ 6.000 rpm Torque 320 Nm @ 1.600-4.000 rpm

Traction Front-Wheel-Drive Transmission Cambio 6-Speed Manual Gearbox Weight 1.205 kg

0-100 kph 6,5 sec Top Speed 230 kph Price from €33.000