While Ford is using the Detroit Motor Show to unveil another variant of the Verve (read: Fiesta replacement), it’s also trying to keep interest in the old range going with modifications to the hottest current Fiesta, the ST.
But instead of the usual visual nip and tuck it’s a performance package developed by Ford Team RS in association with Roush Technologies. Available in two stages the tweaks can give the little Ford up to 182bhp, 37bhp more than the standard car. That’s a 25 percent increase before you reach for the calculator.
Roush? Don’t they do Mustang and modified GTs?
They do, and their expertise is more than welcome on the Fiesta. The standard car has a great chassis but struggles with a slightly asthmatic engine. To sort this Roush adds a new induction system, a high-performance exhaust and tweaks the ECU, all for £1435. The second stage adds a further £403 to the bill and for that you get new camshafts and valve springs to shoot the car up to 182bhp – and into direct competition with the old-school fun of a Corsa VXR.
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So it’s not actually by Ford? Can I trust it?
Absolutely. The package is sold by Mountune and is available from specialist Ford dealers from March. Dealers will fit it at extra cost, but the kit does come with one year warranty that can be extended up to three years or 36,000 miles. The packages can be fitted to used cars too, so don’t worry if you were one of the first to pick up an ST back in 2005. Any existing warranty on the car isn’t affected either. All you need to do is let your insurer know what you’ve done, and the fun begins.
If all that extra power gives you nightmares, then a suspension kit (optimised at the Nurburgring, no less) can be added for £605 to put your mind at ease. Some body-hugging leather and suede sports seats are also on offer for £2000, but by this point you’ll be hitting the four grand mark. Skip the seat option and save your cash for the next ST we can expect a couple of years from now.