This may seem like deja vu, but Ford have just announced that the Ford Fiesta S1600 is joining their lineup.
You could be forgiven for thinking that this is old news, as it’s not long ago that Ford revealed a limited edition Fiesta S1600. This was a rebadged Zetec S with smart alloys and body stripes, offering the same 118bhp, and sold out in a hurry.
Well, this time the Fiesta S1600 is more powerful. The engine is basically the same petrol-powered 1.6-litre Ti-VCT,but power is up to 132bhp at 6,700rpm with 160Nm of torque at 4,250rpm. Top speed is 120mph and 62mph from a standstill takes 8.2 seconds, 1.7 seconds quicker than the previous S1600.
As before the S1600 is based on the three-door Zetec-S. It gets a different body styling kit that includes a unique front bumper with flared lower valence panel, bigger side skirts, large rear spoiler and rear diffuser and a set of 17-inch white alloy wheels. Colours are limited to Frozen White or Performance Blue, with body and side stripes contrasting with the body colour.
The interior benefits from heated, stitched leather sports seats, a leather steering wheel, handbrake cover and gear-knob, plus motorsport-branded floor mats and scuff plates.
There will only be 500 examples of the S1600 built, priced from £15,895 on the road (£750 cheaper than before despite higher VAT), and they’re expected to sell just as quickly as the previous S1600 so don’t expect much of a discount.
Commiserations if you were one of those who bought the original S1600 – I wouldn’t blame you for feeling a bit cheated.