If you’ve been thinking of taking the plunge and buying a Fiesta ST but were put off by the lack of goodies, now’s the time to wander back to your Ford dealer with credit card in hand.
The new Fiesta ST3 builds on the spec list of the ST2 and adds a host of extra toys. Things like keyless entry and cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and folding mirrors. There’s also the Sony DAB radio/CD system that includes sat-nav, as well as climate control.
Of course, the price goes up. Priced at £19,250 it’s a £1,000 jump from the the ST2 and places it closer to the rival 208 GTI and Clio 200 but seeing as over 90% of sales have been for the ST2 there’s likely to be plenty of demand for this higher spec model. Mind you, the entry level ST is still a bit of a bargain at £17,250.
There’s a new entry on the options list too. Rear parking sensors are available on both the ST-3 and ST-2 at an extra cost of £250.
Otherwise you get the same bundle of fun as the lesser ST models. The same 180bhp 1.6-litre Ecoboost engine, the same six-speed manual transmission and the same delightfully entertaining chassis. Performance is unaffected and the figures remain identical – 62mph in 6.9 seconds, a top speed of 139mph, combined cycle of 47.9mpg and CO2 emissions of 138g/km.