On this episode of ignition
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MotorTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:07 The prospect of shrinking down the Focus ST package, one
00:10 that we love deeply, to the Fiesta platform
00:13 is an intriguing one.
00:15 In fact, it was such that we couldn't wait for the car
00:18 to arrive in the US.
00:19 Instead, we flew to the car's launch in France.
00:22 Why?
00:23 Europe's been this car's test bed.
00:25 It's built in Germany.
00:26 And, well, France is nice.
00:28 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:32 [ENGINE REVVING]
00:35 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:39 [ENGINE REVVING]
00:42 [MUSIC PLAYING]
01:08 Now, before we can start the review of the Fiesta ST,
01:11 we have to give a caveat.
01:13 And that is the car that I'm driving now,
01:15 this two-door hatchback, won't be
01:16 available in the United States.
01:18 The only version we're getting is a four-door hatchback.
01:20 The reason why we're not driving that
01:22 is because we didn't want to wait until July
01:24 when they'd be available.
01:25 We wanted to drive it as soon as possible.
01:27 [MUSIC PLAYING]
01:30 But that actually brings up an interesting point.
01:33 And that is the car that we're going to get in the US
01:36 is going to be the exact same.
01:38 As the one in every other market.
01:40 There's no European-specific four-door hatchback
01:43 or US-specific four-door hatchback.
01:45 We're not getting a softer version.
01:47 We're not getting a compromised version.
01:49 It's just the same car.
01:50 That's great.
01:51 It's the start of a--
01:52 hopefully a trend that we'll maintain throughout all four
01:55 of these performances.
01:56 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:00 [ENGINE REVVING]
02:04 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:07 [ENGINE REVVING]
02:11 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:14 [ENGINE REVVING]
02:18 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:21 All righty.
02:46 Recording.
02:46 Recording.
02:48 And--
02:48 Recording.
02:49 Recording this.
02:50 All right, now we're good to go.
02:52 Whenever you're ready, Carlos.
02:53 I'll wait for this car to pass.
02:55 [ENGINE REVVING]
02:58 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:17 [ENGINE REVVING]
03:20 3, 2, 1.
03:25 Now, before we can start the review of the Fiesta ST,
03:28 I have to do a bad robbery.
03:29 And that is the car that I'm driving now,
03:31 this two-door hatchback, won't be
03:33 available in the United States.
03:34 The only version we're getting--
03:36 the reason why we're not driving that
03:37 is because we didn't want to wait until July
03:39 to be available.
03:40 We wanted to drive it as soon as possible.
03:42 But that actually brings up an interesting point.
03:45 And that is the car that we're going to get in the US
03:47 has the one in every other market.
03:49 There's no European-specific four-door hatchback
03:53 or US-specific four-door hatchback.
03:54 We're not getting a softer version.
03:56 We're not getting a compromised version.
03:58 It's just the same car.
03:59 That's great.
04:00 It's the start of a--
04:01 hopefully a trend that will maintain throughout all
04:04 Ford's new performance vehicles.
04:07 I want to hit some bikers there.
04:08 3, 2, 1.
04:10 That's great.
04:10 Hopefully, it's a trend that will
04:12 become more prevalent in Ford's performance vehicles.
04:17 Now, getting to the point of what
04:18 happens when you shrink down the ST formula.
04:22 Does it work in the Fiat?
04:24 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:27 [TIRES SQUEALING]
04:30 [ENGINE REVVING]
04:33 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:37 Yes.
04:44 Well, first, we have to talk about what that entails.
04:47 Now, it's a whole manner of modifications.
04:49 We have new springs, new dampers.
04:51 There's a stiffer torsion beam back there
04:53 to help with the rotation.
04:55 We have a 1.6 in that.
04:56 It's got a nice turbocharger on it now.
05:01 3, 2-- we got slow traffic and bikers, bicyclists.
05:06 It's the Tour de France, apparently, today.
05:08 Yeah.
05:09 Three guys, three people.
05:12 Man, he's slow.
05:13 You know what's nice about France?
05:19 Everything but the French.
05:22 Everything but the French.
05:23 [MUSIC PLAYING]
05:27 It's going to get messy.
05:33 [MUSIC PLAYING]
05:37 So what have we found on the road?
05:45 Well, like the Focus, it has a very quick steering rack,
05:49 something just over two turns lock to lock.
05:52 Obviously, steering ratios in the 13-point-something range,
05:56 13.2, 13.5 range.
05:58 Really quick.
05:59 Not that great of a turning radius,
06:00 which tends to be the case with great turning
06:02 and front-drive cars.
06:04 But it is a lot of fun.
06:07 It is an e-car.
06:08 It's a car you can really push and lean on.
06:11 And that's interesting to think about,
06:12 because when you look at the price and the performance,
06:15 you realize this car has no real competitor.
06:18 The Fiat 500 Abarth is kind of a disappointment
06:22 in the performance area.
06:24 The closest thing I think that comes to this
06:26 is a Mini Cooper S, which is about the same size,
06:29 same power, but costs--
06:31 base price is about $24,000.
06:34 And if you wanted to option that similarly,
06:36 as this is optioned with the Recaro seats and navigation,
06:40 I think you're looking at quite a bit more.
06:42 The most uncomfortable thing for this car,
06:44 though, is the pricing of the Focus ST,
06:47 which bases at about $24,000, $25,000.
06:52 So if you put navigation, Recaro seats, and all this,
06:55 you're edging right up to that price.
06:57 Granted, you don't get any of that with the Focus,
07:00 but still, it is interesting to think about.
07:02 [MUSIC PLAYING]
07:07 [ENGINE REVVING]
07:10 [TIRES SQUEALING]
07:14 [MUSIC PLAYING]
07:17 The Fiesta ST works well on France's roads,
07:23 which shouldn't be surprising, considering
07:24 it was developed for this tight, narrow, and curvy asphalt.
07:28 We're eager, though, to find out whether the US market four-door
07:32 delivers the same enthusiasm to its driver.
07:34 [MUSIC PLAYING]
07:38 [CRASH]
07:41 [MUSIC PLAYING]
07:46 [MUSIC PLAYING]
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08:27 [MUSIC PLAYING]
08:32 (upbeat music)
08:34 (upbeat music)