MK7 FIESTA ST200
Limited edition Fiesta has been made even more special.
Yin and yang. Light and shade. So much of life is about contrast between good and evil, right and wrong, peace and violence; the poppies on the battlefield, the smiling assassin, the fight at the wedding.
The hunkered-down and supremely purposeful ST200 you see here throws this cosmic truth into sharp focus: it’s at once delicate and forceful, slender and muscular, a bullet with butterfly wings.
Ford’s decision to slather the limited-run variant of the Mk7 ST in its own bespoke shade of Storm Grey fed neatly into the cultural zeitgeist of buying glossy grey cars, but this effort of palette-oriented synthesis was actually an act of subterfuge.
As the slick sheen of shiny grey helped the Fiesta to slip unassumingly through urban traffic, few would suspect that there were seismic alterations lurking beneath the surface. But the aficionados, they knew; spotting the ST200 badge on the boot was like unlocking a secret level in a video game, the knowledge unveiling the point that this was no ordinary Fiesta ST.
Wrapped up in this special edition, accentuating the already stellar package that the ST represented, was a power hike to 197bhp (212bhp on overboost), revised gear ratios with a shorter final drive, a stiffer rear torsion beam and front anti-roll bar allied to softer springs and dampers to improve ride and handling, plus a few choice interior
upgrades. It all added up to an extremely compelling package.
And just as the ST200 was no ordinary ST, the car you see here is no ordinary ST200. Taking that desirable platform and running with it, Josh Gibson has painstakingly crafted a weaponised variant of his very own, the Stage 3 brute enjoying an almighty 50 per cent power increase.
There are few visual clues from the outside, unless you know what you’re looking for: the track day tyres, the sodding great front brakes, the boisterous Airtec lettering behind the grille… Yes, something is most definitely amiss here.
All of this was really written in the stars for Josh, as he’s been daydreaming about internal combustion for as long as he can remember.
He says, “I’ve always liked cars, and I’ve always been into Fords in particular. When it comes to modifying, I previously owned a Focus ST-2, which I carried out a lot of mods on; it was running Revo Stage 2, with all the work having been carried out by Rob Oldman at SCC Performance.”
Following this, Josh had a Fiesta ST-3, which received the full Mountune treatment, packing the revered MR230 package along with a Quaife diff. With a set of Mk1 Focus RS wheels beneath the arches it was a bit of a looker too – although, in time, he found himself wanting more.
But not a lot more. He was extremely happy with the Fiesta platform, but he was just craving something a bit higher-spec, and the ST200 fitted the bill perfectly.
He recalls, “I bought this ST200 from Blakedown Car Company in Wimborne,
“I have had a few people ask what work has been carried out, due to the way it handles on the road”
having spotted it for sale on the firm’s social media page. The car was in excellent condition throughout when I purchased it two years ago, and was already modified.”
That’s right. As with so many Mk7 Fiestas on the market these days, this one had already enjoyed a little tickle with the tuning stick. Specifically, it had been upgraded to Revo Stage 2 software by SCC Performance, which soon ramped up to full Stage 3 spec at OC Motorsport.
This included Pumaspeed’s highly regarded X47R hybrid turbo, a unit that unlocks all sorts of performance potential, and was augmented by the Airtec Stage 3 intercooler, 7 psi actuator, Milltek exhaust system, and Evolution Chips Stage 3 remap.
Of course, buying someone else’s project is never fait accompli, and Josh knew from the off that he’d be wanting to make the car his own: “Naturally I’ve had to add a few bits. I really wanted to fit the R-Sport crossover pipe, and that was quickly followed by the
Auto Specialists big boost pipe kit, a catch tank from Majestic Performance, and the OC Motorsport/Airtec dials.”
He’s certainly adding some choice ingredients into an already saucy stew. Take a look at the chassis specs, for example: we already know the ST200 is outstanding as Ford intended, and the addition of Eibach lowering springs is plenty to sharpen it up – but fitting those mighty Tarox six-pots at the business end really highlights how there’s no messing about here.
Much like Josh’s last ST, this 200 boasts a pukka Quaife diff, and the tyres (arguably the most important part of any car, being the only bits in contact with the road) are very serious indeed - Yokohama Advan Neova ADO8s, specifically engineered to bite into the tarmac like billions of little rubber fangs. This perky Fiesta grips like a kid on a lolly stick.
There are a few subtle exterior clues too. The fast Ford fans’ interest will already have been piqued by the fact that it’s a hens’-teeth
ST200, and here the intrigue is enhanced by the presence of a TRC lowline kit, plus some Zunsport upper and lower grilles and a sprinkling of details refinished in gloss black. It’s not over-embellished, not shouty or ostentatious, just… enough. Enough to indicate that there’s something out of the ordinary happening here.
“I have had a few people ask what work has been carried out, due to the way it handles on the road,” Josh grins.
And we can only assume that this mirth is fuelled by having claimed more than a few scalps on the country lanes. That’s the point of a car like this, really – hilariously entertaining, but also slipping somewhat under the radar. The best part is that this is Josh’s daily driver, so he gets to exploit and enjoy these giddy thrills every single day.
Hiding in plain sight, unassuming to all but those in the know, a proper bullet with butterfly wings. The yin and the yang are perfectly in balance.