The seventh-generation Ford Fiesta is expected to be revealed in 2017, succeeding what has been a particularly successful model for the brand. And, naturally, an ST version will follow.
But new reports out of the United Kingdom suggest that the hot hatch variant will be powered by an upgraded version of the brand’s 1,0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost mill. Yes, a tiny three-pot. In a hot hatch.
The current Fiesta ST, of course, employs a 1,6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, worth 134 kW and 290 N.m (although the ST200 available in some markets boasts a beefier 149 kW). But it seems the new Fiesta ST will have to make do with a trio of cylinders.
“We’re seeing more and more of what we can do with the 1,0-litre engine in development. And the signs are promising,” Darren Palmer, the brand’s head of small cars in Europe, told Auto Express.
“It’s a great engine – it sounds brilliant and there’s loads of torque when the turbo comes on boost, so we’re looking into things for the next ST,” he revealed.
Just how much power the Blue Oval will be able to reliably extract from the diminutive engine remains to be seen, but Palmer says fans can look forward to “more performance and efficiency” in the new model.
“There’s still a huge demand for the ST – we’ve seen that with the current ST200. But we want to offer more, so expect more performance and efficiency,” he told the British publication.
