Johannesburg – Pity that it’s taken so long for the Ford Fiesta ST200 to reach South Africa (insert dumping allegations here if you have to) but, in any case, it’s now here if you want one, only 160 are available and taking one home will cost you R339 900. That's R14 000 more than the normal ST.
What you get for that is more power, a few styling enhancements and a modified chassis.
Whereas the normal ST’s 1.6-litre EcoBoost turbopetrol engine pushes out 134kW and 240Nm, the ST200’s beefed up version is good for 149kW and 290Nm. That’ll get you from 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds, according to Ford, 0.2 seconds quicker than the aforementioned standard ST. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox with a shortened final drive ratio.
Ford has already revealed an all-new Fiesta ST overseas, powered by an engine that’s astoundingly powerful for its size – a 147kW/290Nm version of the one-litre, three-cylinder EcoBoost. So if the engine size doesn’t put you off, you might just want to wait for the new one, although Ford SA has yet to confirm when it’ll reach our shores.
Back to the current ST200, then, the engine mods are complemented by an upgraded suspension, which includes a rear twist beam with 27 percent more roll stiffness, a slightly larger anti-roll bar up front and the shocks have been upgraded for better impact absorption.
You’ll be able to tell the ST200 apart by its matt black 17-inch alloy wheels, LED taillights, ST200 badges and the unique ‘Storm Grey’ metallic paint, which is the only colour available.
Greeting you inside is a pair of heated Recaro bucket seats (with partial leather), dual-tone seat belts and illuminated scuff plates. Standard amenities include keyless start, automatic climate control, Sync with Voice Control and MyKey, rear parking sensors and a reverse camera.