Performance arts
If you want the image and flash of driving a fast Ford without the resultant financial penalties then the manufacturer has just the thing for you.
For Ford recently introduced a range of ST inspired models called ST- Line which give you street cred without making as big a dent in your wallet.
You may not get the performance of the ST models but you get the looks without facing high insurance bills.
Dressed with sporty body kit including a large rear spoiler, a prominent front splitter and special finish alloys they look the part but costs thousands of pounds less than the performance versions.
The Fiesta ST- Line models can be had from £ 15,795 and the Focus versions start from £ 20,845.
I have just sampled a couple of the ST- Line offerings in the shape of a five- door Fiesta powered by Ford’s 1.5- litre TDCI with 95PS on tap and a Focus with the same TDCI unit but with 120 PS and they both offer bags of style with great economy.
They both perform well too with the Fiesta taking 10.9 seconds to hit 62mph before going on to a top speed of 112mph. With emissions of just 94g/ km it is also capable of a claimed combined figure of 78.5 mpg.
It has a five- speed manual gearbox and also comes with sports suspension. It is thankfully not as firm as the set- up in the real ST versions so the ride and handling is agile without being too firm. er
This model will be quick enough for most buyers, is fun to drive and is packed with equipment.
The starting price for this model is £ 17,495 and for that you get sports seats Rock Metallic 17- inch alloy wheels, full bodystyling kit, large rear spoiler, front fogs, LED signature lights, hill start assist, DAB radio, electrically operated and heated wing mirrors, leather trimmed steering wheel, sports pedals, quickclear windscreen, air conditioning and trip computer.
Add extras such as heated front seats at £ 175, a digital audio and nav system with Bluetooth and a larger colour screen for £ 400, rear privacy glass at £ 225, cruise control at £ 150 and a couple of other extras to take it up to the spec of a full ST and it will cost you £ 20,090 - still a considerable saving over the real thing.
Inside the cabin is pretty much standard Fiesta, although there are some sporting touches to help it stand out from its siblings.
It’s much the same story when it comes to the Focus ST- Line - it has all the sporty styling touches and is also packed with even more standard equipment including an eight- inch colour touchscreen with DAB and navigation system, emergency brake assist, torque vectoring control and much more.
With 120 PS on tap this time, the 1.5 diesel is mated to a six- speed manual gearbox and is capable of 120mph with the sprint to 62mph taking 10.5 seconds. It has stop/ start technology with emissions of 99g/ km and a combined claimed figure of 74.3mpg.
It will set you back £ 21,845 and the test car had larger silver finished 18- inch alloys and rear privacy glass adding a further £ 550.
The ST- Line models may be a compromise over the real thing but they do offer cracking looks and the feel- good factor without the higher purchase price and running costs.