FIESTA ST200
This limited-edition Fiesta ST is an allrounder like no other, thanks to wide-arch looks for the show scene and 330bhp for use on the track…
Wide-arch Mk7 ST with big turbo and all the mods to match.
People tend to modify their cars for different reasons. For some, it’s simply a matter of improving a car’s looks, performance or ability, making it more attractive and fun to drive. But that’s not enough for others, as creating something that’s different from anything else is the harder challenge to accomplish. If that’s the end goal then it certainly helps to start with a more exclusive product, such as a limited run Fiesta ST, for instance.
It’s safe to say the special edition ST200 is a rare breed, with less than 1,000 of the celebratory send-off models ever produced. It also means that if you happened to be after creating an exclusive Fiesta, then
the ST200 model was the one to start off with.
It was for that reason that this car was selected by the secretive (and camera shy!) owner of this particular ST200, and good customer of Airtec. Sure enough, a series of modifications, ranging from simple bolt-on power enhancing upgrades to surgically mastered wide-arches, have all ensured this ST is unlike any other.
The owner bought the car new but took no time in pulling it apart to replace, upgrade and refine the hugely capable ST and all of the work was entrusted to Alan Shepherd, at Airtec, who takes up the story for us.
“The customer had driven a Fiesta ST before, but when Ford announced the new limited-run he jumped at the chance to own one and modify it,” explains Alan. “It was a matter of buying a special edition model and then making it even more exclusive through a series of modifications and I think that’s exactly what we’ve accomplished here.”
The work began tackling the chassis side of things to further hone the ST’s already capable platform. Much like other areas of the car, this has steadily progressed and evolved over time as different set ups were fitted, tried and tested. The current set up revolves around a set of TEIN coilovers,
“The customer had driven a Fiesta ST before, but when Ford announced the new limited-run he jumped at the chance to own one and modify it...”
which were the first of their kind to be fitted to a Fiesta, as the UK branch developed the kit on this very car. With Summit braces and poly-bushes to match, it did just the trick for the go-kart like hot hatch.
A serious power increase was the next order of the day, and again this developed over time. It began, as most upgraded ST180s do, with simple Stage 2 Revo software. That meant an Airtec bolt-on upgrade package, which included an induction kit, intercooler and big boost pipes matched with a turbo-back, stainless exhaust system complete with sports-cat.
However, that wasn’t quite enough and the car was soon fitted out with further upgraded hardware to boot. This originally came in the form of a Turbo Technics S242 upgrade, which pushed power to around 300bhp with the supporting mods in place and standard engine internals still. In this guise, the car proved plenty powerful, but as new turbo kits were developed, it was soon decided to up the ante once again. As a result, a larger replacement turbo solution was sourced, this time fitted together with an Airtec Motorsport tubular exhaust manifold.
“It was good before and fun to drive, but we still wanted more power,” tells Alan. “When the new Revo RT330 kit came out, we changed over to that, which meant we were making around 330bhp with the matching Stage 3 software in place.”
To make the very most of the little Fiesta’s newfound power hike it was wisely decided to improve the car’s ability to put it down. The main advantage came from exchanging Ford’s standard non-LSD differential with a KAAZ replacement, which is a plated limitedslip item. Far better suited to track and fast road conditions, it offers great traction and to match it, an Airtec torque mount and billet quick shift were also added to firm up the gear change. An Xtreme single-plate clutch kit was also fitted to ensure the car would take to the new increased power output.
With a real improvement in performance firmly underway, the car was still displaying subtle looks with its flat grey paint, but it was time to enhance both the looks and
“When the new Revo RT330 kit came out, we changed over to that and we were making around 330bhp...”
handling potential with an Auto Specialists eight-piece arch kit. This was not a decision to be taken lightly, as although the add-on kit can be fitted over the original arches, to make the very most of the extra clearance that it offers, the metal arch skins are cut away and re-profiled. This allows the kit to do more than offer a more aggressive look to the car, as crucially, it also allows a much bigger wheel and tyre combination to fit and a lower ride height to go with it, improving handling.
To make the most of the new wider track, a set of Rota 8x18in wheels wrapped in tight fitting 215/40/18 tyres were fitted and hiding behind are a set of seriously uprated brakes to stop the little Fiesta just as well as it goes. A majority of that comes from the huge Revo supplied big-brake kit at the front, which features monster four-pot Alcon calipers with 330mm floating discs. Matched with uprated Clubsport rear discs and pads, the lightweight ST offers more than enough braking ability and has proven itself up to the job, even after some hard track work. A set of Airtec brake cooling ducts are also fitted up front to direct fresh air towards the discs and keep temperatures low.
For the interior, the original front seats remain but the rears have been removed in order to make way for the ClubSport bolt-in rollcage. At the same time, the dash and trim inserts have been re-finished in Piano black, to add a sense of class to the interior.
“Inside, we wanted to keep a nicer all-round feel,” reveals Alan. “So rather than strip the car out of all the creature comforts, we simply removed the rear seats but retained all of the carpets and sound deadening.”
As a result of the well selected modifications, the car has proven to be a perfectly liveable road car, as it’s not too low, loud or awkward to drive. To further cement this, the tweaked Fiesta has been put to thorough use, attending shows around the country and even taken abroad for a trip to the Nurburgring, in Germany. Safe to say, the well-sorted Fiesta returns a solid drive.
“It’s quite unusual to see an ST200 version modified to this level but the car is a real hoot to drive,” Alan confirms. “There’s plenty of usable power and it makes a great sound, plus it’s still comfortable on the road too.”
For now, the car is still being used for further development at Airtec HQ but in the meantime, it continues to prove its worth as a great all-rounder on the show scene and track sessions. There’s more on the cards too, so keep an eye out…