Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the limited edition Ford Fiesta ST500

Finishing off a successful (and fun) run of current-gen Fiesta ST models, Ford just introduced a special limited edition version of its little hot hatch. Painted in Panther black with silver stripes to emulate the company's Escort RS2000 race livery, the new Fiesta ST500 will be limited to just 500 units, hence the "500" in the name. Besides the black paint and silver stripes, this special Fiesta gets black alloys hiding red calipers and an MSRP of £15,000 in the UK, the only market in which it will be available.

Still powered by the same 150-horsepower 2.0L four-banger, the ST500 also features the suspension and steering tweaks that make this car such a blast on B roads. Presumably the Roush/Mountune engine upgrades will also fit here, allowing 165- and 185-horsepower options for those who find the stock 150 unsatisfactory. Those poking their heads inside will also spot a new Sony audio system, as well as ebony leather heated seats and faux fiber trim. Looks good, and not a bad way to finish off a successful run, but we're honestly more interested in a possible SVT version of the new Fiesta that we will be seeing Stateside soon.


[Source: Ford]

Although the outgoing Ford Fiesta ST had its loyal fan base, its bland styling never did it any favors. So while we wait for the Blue Oval to decide on what Fiesta body-style should make it to American shores, the real litmus test over on the British Isles will be what sort of performance derivatives the dynamically-styled new Fiesta will spawn.

One of the principal rivals to any new hot-hatch Fiesta will be the Abarth variants of the Fiat Grande Punto. And like the two-stage Abarth models, the Fiesta is expected to follow Ford's double-barrel formula for a warm ST and, if the fantasies of Ford performance fans are fulfilled, a Fiesta RS as well. The Fiesta ST is anticipated to use a 1.6-liter turbo, which could get an upgrade to 200hp for the Fiesta RS. Add to that an aggressive aero kit, bulging wheel arches, a stripped-out cabin with racing buckets, tightened suspension, beefed-up rolling stock and potentially a dual-clutch transmission and Ford could have a real barn-burner in the Fiesta RS. If projections are accurate, the Fiesta ST should bow next year and the RS a year after that. Whether Ford deems us worthy of seeing them Stateside, however, remains to be seen.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Ford's fully redesigned Fiesta won't be making its official unveiling until the Geneva Motor Show in March, but it's already working on the hotted-up ST variant and AutoExpress has some exclusive information and a rendering of Ford's performance-bred super-mini.

Aside from the highly-stylized exterior that will carry over from the production model, the ST will come equipped with a new front fascia sporting larger air intakes, a spoiler perched over the rear window and a set of upgraded wheels. Power is expected to come from one of the new range of turbocharged, direct-injected EcoBoost engines set to be revealed in Detroit, although the Fiesta ST will have to make do with a 1.6-liter four producing between 180 and 190 hp. A seven-second 0-60 time should square the ST up with it's competitors, the Corsa VXR and Abarth Grande Punto.

The chassis will be retrofitted to make things stick as well as the outgoing model and Ford plans to offer plenty of upgrades through its partnership with Mountune racing.

The new Fiesta will hit dealers abroad in the Fall, with the ST following sometime in 2009. Whether or not Ford will bring the ST to the States when the Fiesta makes the trek across the Atlantic remains to be seen.

[Source: AutoExpress]