LA 2011: Ford To Show 5-Door Fiesta ST

Ford is finally bringing their forbidden-fruit ST lineup to the United States.  We'll be receiving the 247-horsepower Focus ST next year, with it's trick direct-injection motor, low suspension, and bespoke bodywork.  Chances are good that we'll get a crack at it's baby brother, the Fiesta ST - which Ford is showing a "concept" 5-door version of at LA this month.

They showed a three-door concept at the Frankfurt Show in September, which our man Adnan covered live.  For those in the US, it wasn't much of a story: we don't get the three-door Fiesta here (just the 5-door and the oddly shaped sedan), so it's unlikely we'd get the three-door ST.  The five door is a pretty solid bet, though.

Powered by a 1.6L "EcoBoost" (turbocharged, direct injected, intercooled) I4, the Fiesta ST cranks out 180bhp and 177lb-ft of torque, an increase of 60bhp over the US's normal 1.6L Fiesta motor.  Like the other EcoBoost motors, the 1.6L EcoBoost features Ti-VCT - twin independent variable cam timing on both intake and exhaust sides.  Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.  The suspension is lower and stiffer, and although the press release makes no mention of it, the brakes are upgraded - see the ventilated discs peaking out behind the rear wheels instead of the Fiesta's normal rear drums.  Shades of the beloved SVT Focus.

The styling is inspired by Ford's rally cars, and the biggest change is the larger, more aggressive trapezoidal front inlet with honeycomb mesh inside.  There's a fancy rear diffuser with twin exhaust pipes tucked into it, a fully body kit, and 17" alloy wheels filling the widened arches.  It's a country mile better looking than the normal Fiesta hatch.

Jost Capito (director of Ford's Global Performance Vehicles Division) says "With the Fiesta ST Concept, we are demonstrating that our global performance plan has legs."  Hopefully that means it will have legs in North America.  Imagine that - Ford selling two separate desirable, turbocharged compacts in the US!  The Fiesta ST 5-door concept will be making it's debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show this month, along with the US-spec Focus ST production car and a Focus ST-R competition model.  Stay tuned for more details and pricing.