Okay I've only had my Fiesta ecoboost 125bhp about 5 days but what I did is because I do some night motorway driving me and my partner (with a stop clock and my satnav for a speedometer) on Friday on a flat stretch pulled onto hard shoulder, looked for a clearing and put three, 0-60 runs in. 9.6 secs, 9.6 secs & 9.4 secs so basicaly an average of 9.5 seconds so offical specs aren't far of claiming 9.4 seconds. Because of the gearing on the Fiesta ecoboost I never had to shift out of 2nd gear and it was only about 68mph at about 5600rpm+ that the engine/torque had a big power drop off that it's probably when you'd want to shift up to third.

Then on saturday we fitted a Spider Tuning Box (http://www.dieseltuning.co.uk/) to the fiesta at its default power setting, two simple connectors which connect to sensors (3 pin connector at back middle behind the engine block and a 4 pin connector at the left of the engine block). You then run the engine idle for 3 minutes for the box to sync itself to the engine, then over the next 30 miles drive the engine as normal but it advises to not rev over 3000rpm for diesel and 4000rpm for petrol over them miles but as the ecoboost engine is new I decided not to go over 3000rpm. Over them 30 miles you slowly feel the engine loosening up and getting quicker with less effort and throttle.

After that was done I then turned the the power settings to the max 'Race Mode' (spider claimed on there test of this engine at that setting it was giving out 155bhp and 234nm) drove it another 5 miles on saturday to do some errands and even though I was only on street roads it was much effortless to speed up.

Finally yesterday we took the car out for some fun, warmed up the engine and off to some lancashire winding B roads and my god, I liked the engine already but my god its now much more powerful and torquey and it smoothens out the torque delivery band that not only are you getting more power on quicker, it holds the torque longer and falls off later pretty much its not till just after you hit the red line that you feel the power/torque drop off (6500rpm) so you can hold it in second longer and I reached nearly 80mph! in 2nd before really needing to shift up to 3rd!

Okay finally took it out on the quiet motorway again last night pulled up with my partner (again with satnav and stopwatch) and did 3 0-60 runs..... drum roll.......

Run 1: 7.6

Run 2 7.3 - Much better start and almost perfect gear change to 2nd

Run 3: 7.7

This was an average of 7.5 seconds, that's better than Red/Black edition times, better than most 2.0l diesel 170-190 bhp cars and almost ST teritory! This is a hell of a 1.0l engine and the light weight of a small car really helps the times. Also using something like Shell V-Power fuel I recon you could probably consistantly get it down to 7.2-7.3 seconds as mine is currently still using the Tesco standard fuel which the dealer filled the car with.

I'm really happy with the box and this car :D and recommend it as an alternative to a full remap, my Fiesta has the cheaper £199 Spider box where my Alfa Giulietta has the £399 Performance Pack version and there's only a bit of a boost over the £199 version that I wouldn't recommend paying the £399 version over the £199 [EDIT], I have a 30% off coupon code FOC30 (enter at basket) which puts the Preformance Pack down to £262.50 which does make it more than worth the increase although the £199 version is down to £139.30.[/EDIT]

What was the actual spider box you used?

Sounds impressive, if those times are accurate I'd like to see a drag race vs a standard ST :)

What was the actual spider box you used?

Well it's a wierd one the spider box, as any box works on any car petrol or diesel, you just need a different harness (connection cable) for each car. You get the harness free when you order a box or if you buy a new car and want to fit your existing box to a new car you pay £45 for the new correct engine cable to be delivered.

The box that's on my fiesta is this £199 version:

http://www.dieseltuning.co.uk/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=761_768

Because the Fiesta wasn't exactly a long standing turbo'd car for tuning, Spider said they haven't had a lot interest over the years that they haven't listed it on the site, so I spent some time communicating with Spider themselves about the box and it's increases on Fiestas (specifically the ecoboost), they had actually done dyno's on the ecoboost 125 with the £199 spider box and the £399 performance box and they got between 142bhp - 155bhp (234nm torque) depending on settings with the £199 box and 147bhp - 161bhp (250nm) with the £399 performance box.

I've found they currently are selling the exact same model refurbished tested for £99 delivered on Spiders Ebay Store (12 months warranty, In the order notes put which car and engine you are fitting the box too and they will send you the correct harness and instructions to connect the box up), This is a bargain!!:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231514274063?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

If people are intereseted in this box I could ask them to maybe do a Forum Promotion Code to reduce the cost of the Performance Pack?

The £199 Spider Box on my petrol Fiesta was originally on my Diesel Giulietta, when I got the £399 Performance Pack I got the Fiesta ecoboost harness with that and swapped the boxes over so the Giulietta has the Performance Pack and the Fiesta has the Spider Box.

Because you have to do the initial learning processes, the box will work on any car the first 3 minutes you leave it on idle after fitting, it learns which engine it's attached to and reprograms itself, then the next 30 miles of run in it learns the engine specifically what it's safe levels are and whats the most it can get out of that engine at each setting. Then you can the easily adjust it to what ever setting you prefer.

Sounds impressive, if those times are accurate I'd like to see a drag race vs a standard ST :)

The ST would still win with the bigger turbo and probably about 35nm - 50nm more torque if the ST hasn't been modified further.

Still a massive improvement and such good fun.

Just to add I've been speaking to Spider and they have kindly provided me with a forum coupon code for 30% off their products, FOC30 which you enter at the basket stage. http://www.dieseltuning.co.uk/

The £375 Performance Pack is now £262.50 (£112.50 off)
The £259 Micro Box is now £181.30 (£77.70 off)
The £199 Spider Tuning boxes is now £139.30 (£59.70 off)
The £129 Launch Control Pack is now £90.30 (£38.70 off)

They have also let me know that there is a whole new improved site comming the 1st July, with more cars and versions being advertised so you should be able to find your exact car version, with simpler functionality which allows you just to select your car and it will give you all the different optional tuning boxes available for your car including a new Bluetooth Performance Pack which works with an app on your android. I don't know the prices yet but sounds really good.

Just a reminder too that any of the tuning boxes work on any car and engine it just need the correct connecting hanress/cable for your engine.

Clearly 0-60 in 7 seconds is not going to help fuel consumption, but how is it over a normal drive? I see they sell a chip for better fuel consumption, does the logic of this unit deliver any consumption benefits over not having it?

The perfect scenario is better consumption for a like for like eco drive/cruise over the standard Ford settings, but the extra power when you need it for overtaking and such. That way the box effectively starts paying for itself over time.

Clearly 0-60 in 7 seconds is not going to help fuel consumption, but how is it over a normal drive? I see they sell a chip for better fuel consumption, does the logic of this unit deliver any consumption benefits over not having it?

The perfect scenario is better consumption for a like for like eco drive/cruise over the standard Ford settings, but the extra power when you need it for overtaking and such. That way the box effectively starts paying for itself over time.

Your right driving 0-60 in 7+ seconds and driving constantly with heavy right foot isn't going to make you friends with eco warriors. These boxes can be very economical, the boxes have a economical aimed (mode/setting 1) which doesn't really add much performance at all but adjusts the intake to save more fuel than your cars standard tuning. However even putting it in Race mode which adds alot of extra BHP doesn't mean your going to use anymore fuel than the normal tuned engine, these spider chips have Adaptiv-Scan Fuel Technology which constantly monitors your accelerator and driving needs, if your keeping your foot steady it will adjust the intakes to save more fuel and if your being heavy on the accelerator it adjusts the intake to give you as much power as possible (depending on the setting/mode you select).

Also because you have more engine torque you can press the accelerator less to acheve the same speeds which will also need less fuel.

My fitted boxes are at the max race mode and I can say I've been driving more spiritfully and having fun on the weekend and noticed a very minute loss of economy but on my commutes to work where i've drove normally and smoothly I've noticed better economy.

So these boxes aren't just like the cheap tuning boxes, these are linked to your engine sensors and are constantly updating and adjust intakes for your needs so basically they do what you describe. Also during the run in it learns your engine and what the safe limits are so it stays within the safe limits of your engine.

My fitted boxes are at the max race mode and I can say I've been driving more spiritfully and having fun on the weekend and noticed a very minute loss of economy but on my commutes to work where i've drove normally and smoothly I've noticed better economy.

Excellent, just the answer I was looking for, thanks.

If I get one will my insurance go up because of the extra power?

Excellent, just the answer I was looking for, thanks.

If I get one will my insurance go up because of the extra power?

Well I have told my insurance about both boxes and the first one cost £40 to add it to my existing policy but then the renewal was cheaper with the box the following year. For the fiesta it added £7 to my insurance quote. You don't have to declare it as I know others on the Alfa forum haven't, but others mentioned that it didn't cost them anything on their insurance. I didn't take the risk and it wasn't that bad really. The fiesta is so cheap to insure anyway.