Fiesta ST With Subtle Differences Nabbed Testing At The ‘Ring, What Is Ford Up To?

Ford unveiled the facelifted Fiesta range last September, including the ST performance flagship which benefited from slightly more torque alongside a series of visual and technological udpates. However, our spy photographers recently caught a prototype of the Fiesta ST testing at the Nürburgring, igniting rumors for a possible hotter variant of the pocket rocket.

The black prototype of the five-door Fiesta ST came fitted with the pre-facelift body, but a few details were different than the production car. The front brakes featured golden calipers and slotted discs, none of which are available on the production ST. Also, the dual tailpipes don’t seem to match with the diffuser, while the intercooler behind the front bumper seems a bit different.

See Also: 2023 Ford Kuga / Escape Facelift Caught With New Headlights And Grille

The prototype was transported at the Nürburgring in the same truck as the Puma ST Hybrid prototype. However, it came with a BWI Group sticker on the tailgate, which could mean that the Chinese company might be involved with the development of brakes and suspension. Unlike the Puma ST prototype that came with a yellow sticker that’s mandatory for hybrids, this Fiesta ST appears to be ICE-only as it had no such thing.

As a reminder, the recently facelifted model is fitted with the turbocharged 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine producing 197 hp (147 kW / 200 PS) and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to the front axle through a six-speed manual gearbox, while a Quaife mechanical limited-slip differential is optional.

It is not uncommon for Ford Performance to release special editions of its hot hatches, especially in the UK. In 2020, the company unveiled the limited-run Fiesta ST Edition with the Focus ST Edition following in 2021, although both were released before the respective models’ facelifts. In any case, only time will tell whether Ford is planning to release a more track-focused Fiesta ST.