I found a great article on Quaife's website: https://www.quaife.co.uk/fast-fiestas-a-history/

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To celebrate the launch of the 2018 Ford Fiesta ST, which comes with the option of the Quaife ATB Differential for the first time, we take a look back at past fast Fiestas. Which is your favourite?

They're all lovely of course, but personally I like the aggressive styling of the Mk7 ST. The Mk8 ST is probably the better car, but I worry that Ford are diluting the Fast Ford brand by toning down the styling, losing a cylinder and offering ST styling on the ST-Line models.

I'd never heard of the Mk1 Supersport before - great looking car and selling for up to £20k now!

Don't knock the 3 pot until you've heard and/or driven it. (When it's warmed up, it sounds odd when cold).

I much prefer it to the Mk7s 1.6 EB. I've driven both.

The 3 pot in the mk8 sounds way better than you'd think, imo.

I've seen the reviews - more power and a lovely sounding exhaust. I'm just old school 😉

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I'm a big fan of 3 pot motors in cars or bikes, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to like the Mk 8 when I get chance of a decent test drive. Whether I'll like the suspension/seat remains to be seen!😀

Mind you, back in the day, I seriously lusted after the Supersport then the Mk 1 XR2!

 

From what I've heard the suspension isn't as harsh on the Mk8 and the driving position is lower. As I said - quite a few improvements over the Mk7...

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As you say, I'm sure the Mk8 has many improvements, the noise, power, comfort. But I would say it is seriously lacking in aesthetics. Not a fan of the generic "We slapped a tablet ontop of the dashboard without actually making it look like it should be there" The one thing that turns me off most cars now a days, such a horrible sight and after thought. The back looks like my auntie's 7-seater. Where's the spoiler gone, what happened to the dials, and the front just looks like a broken fish. I acknowledge everyone has different tastes, but if I could have the function of the Mk8 in the looks of a Mk7, I'd be happy. 

3 cylinder engines do sound great. My previous car had a 1 litre 3 cylinder engine and it sounded like a sports car when you'd rev it. Now I have a diesel which after a while now doesn't sound exciting as a petrol. I do like the older fiestas like the XR2s. The mk6 ST I'm thinking of getting as I might not be able to keep my mk6 zetec s 1.6 TDCi. 

Im very old school and my own opinion,i have the old Ti-vct 1.6 on mk7 2011 titanium and had it for over 4 years,not fast but nippy,fuel is ok but not the best but i have no

turbo to worry about and i love it,Quiet with no rattles and runs smooth and does what i want and need as not used a lot 28k now so a few more years in the old girl yet.

And yes i have driven a 1litre 125bhp ecoboost fiesta and focus.

Mk2 XR2. Not had one but my friend did and that was a nippy little thing (back in the day)

What happened in the Mk4/5 era? Is the Zetec S really worthy of joining the XR2s, STs and RSs in the Fast Ford hall of fame??

On 11/7/2018 at 4:38 PM, TimST2 said:

What happened in the Mk4/5 era? Is the Zetec S really worthy of joining the XR2s, STs and RSs in the Fast Ford hall of fame??

I don't think the mk6 zetec s would be worthy. That came either with a 1.6 petrol or diesel engine 😂. The 1.6 petrol isn't bad on speed and the diesel isn't bad on fuel. Both engines however weren't exclusive to the zetec s as you could also get them in the zetec and ghia. Both really nice handling that there is very little body roll and suspension is stiff but not uncomfortable. 

The mk5 fiesta didn't have a ST so zetec s was the sportiest spec. I'm sure that's the same 1.6 they had which they put in the mk6 fiesta. 

Looks like there won't be another Fiesta RS any time soon either...

Ford official, Amko Leenarts, head of design for Europe, argued there’s no need for an RS since the recently launched ST is already fast enough:

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"We see no reason to bring a more powerful Fiesta model above the ST. The performance of the new Fiesta ST is already at such a high level that a more powerful model is not necessary."

https://www.motor1.com/news/243340/ford-fiesta-rs-not-happening/

I was about to say that the Mk7 ST200 is probably the ultimate ST, but then I read that from late 2015 the standard ST has all the ST200 chassis upgrades, and when fitted with the Ford-approved MP215 upgrade also has the overboost power of the ST200 all of the time.

https://www.evo.co.uk/ford/fiesta/st200

Still, the Storm Grey paint and ST200 wheels look great 😎

I do really like the ST200 alloys, its on my list of a future upgrades :D

15 hours ago, TimST2 said:

I was about to say that the Mk7 ST200 is probably the ultimate ST, but then I read that from late 2015 the standard ST has all the ST200 chassis upgrades, and when fitted with the Ford-approved MP215 upgrade also has the overboost power of the ST200 all of the time.

https://www.evo.co.uk/ford/fiesta/st200

Still, the Storm Grey paint and ST200 wheels look great 😎

Yeah that paint makes it look nice plus makes people know it's not an ordinary ST. By the review it says the mountune upgrade is better. 

For a fiesta RS I don't think ford want to make it compete with the focus ST or RS. I first did think that Mercedes and audi already made super hatches like the A45 and RS3 that have a 5 secondish to 60 time (which is a lot quicker than the fiesta ST) but those are more focus sized which could be why ford focused more on making a focus RS.