This Could Be Ford’s 2018 Fiesta ST

We’ve spied another prototype of Ford’s next generation Fiesta hatch and this one could be a mule for the hotter ST variant.

While heavily camouflaged, there are some telling cues such as the intercooler under the front grille, the uprated tires, wheels and brakes, and the dual exhaust pipes at the back.

By the time it reaches production next year, the Fiesta ST will have gained its own body-kit with uniquely styled bumpers on both ends, the rear with a diffuser, a larger roof spoiler and a honeycomb front grille on the outside, with the interior to feature the usual upgrades over the regular models like the sports flat-bottom steering wheel and bucket front seats.

The new Fiesta ST will retain the current model’s powertrain setup with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, but we could see some power gains pushing output over 200 horses on the regular model and possibly close to 220 horses on the ST200, which could become available in North America as well.

There’s a question whether Ford will offer a three-door hatchback body-style for the next Fiesta or if it will follow the Focus’ lead and be available exclusively with five-doors, but either way, the subcompact model will grow in size to address criticism over its confined interior compared to some of its rivals.

An RS version has been brought up many times throughout the life of the Fiesta, but Ford officials don’t seem keen on developing a higher performance model than the ST and the limited edition ST200.

Elsewhere, the seventh generation Fiesta will get Ford’s latest three- and four-cylinder turbocharged four-cylinder engines, as well as better interior materials, a larger touchscreen for the company’s newest SYNC software, and an array of safety equipment features like lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition.

The Fiesta is due for a replacement towards the end of this year, with a global launch in 2017, followed shortly after by the ST performance model.

Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops