ULTIMATE FIESTA ST
We’ve followed the build, now it’s time for the full feature.
If you’ve picked up any issues of Fast Ford from the last year or so, there’s no doubt that you’ll have stumbled upon the build diary of this striking little pocket rocket whose updates have been featured in our Fast Fleet section each month.
Managed by Northampton-based performance braking powerhouse EBC Brakes, this Fiesta ST3 was snapped up in February 2020 in bone-stock form, with ambitious plans to develop it into the Ultimate Fiesta Build with the help of some of the biggest names in the tuning industry.
As well as unsurprisingly installing EBC’s range-topping braking components at each corner, plans also included overhauling practically all other aspects of the Fiesta’s performance and looks, before it would be given away in a competition – with the help of Dream Car Giveaways – to raise funds for the Rays of Sunshine children’s charity.
Just over 12 months on, it’s safe to say that EBC Brakes has succeeded in the goal, the car now looking and going like practically no other Fiesta ST in the country.
Boasting 380bhp with a chassis to match and unforgettable looks, it’s little surprise to hear that the ST helped to raise a whopping £21,901.50 by the time entries closed.
Before we dive into the car’s incredible spec list one last time and pick apart exactly what makes it such an animal, let’s meet the Fiesta’s lucky new owner and find out what it’s like to unexpectedly win such a formidable machine.
West Wales-based Delmi Evans grins, “I couldn’t believe it; I thought it was a wind-up to start with. It was only when I recognised the guy from Dream Car Giveaways’s voice that it really started to sink in.”
Dabbling every now and then with the alluring car giveaway competitions now scattered over social media, tree surgeon Delmi tells us he was particularly drawn to this listing thanks to the fact that all proceeds went to charity.
Owning a couple of Mk2 Escorts in the distant past, he was keen to see how far the modified Ford scene had progressed in recent years, too. And after his first drive behind the wheel, it’s safe to say he wasn’t disappointed.
“I warmed to it as soon as I first put my foot down,” he laughs. “I’ve owned some pretty fast cars in my time, but this is on another level. You just don’t expect it from a Fiesta.”
Initially tempted to sell the car on
“I warmed to it as soon as I first put my foot down. I’ve owned some fast cars in my time, but this is on another level. You just don’t expect it from a Fiesta... Everything has been so well thought out”
promptly to help fund a new house, Delmi says it didn’t take long for the hot hatch to get under his skin, meaning there’s no sign of him parting ways with it anytime soon.
“Even my partner has warmed to it now. We both just love the way that everything has been so well thought out with it,” he tells us.
What makes this car so damn special, then? Let’s start by addressing the headline power figure of 380bhp from the 1.6-litre EcoBoost. Almost double the factory grunt has been reached largely thanks to our friends over at Pumaspeed, who used the car as a showcase for the latest turbocharger technologies.
Rocking an X58EVO hybrid turbo created by Pumaspeed, this enlarged-boost snail is backed up with a monstrous R-Sport intercooler, uprated Bosch fuel injectors and a Pumaspeed fuel pump. There’s also a Milltek exhaust system, Turbosmart recirculation valve and Forge Motorsport dump valve to help keep everything in check. It’s topped with a MAXD Out Stage 4 tune, with switchable maps to take power up to a heady 401bhp if the driver is daring enough.
This powertrain could arguably be described as the pinnacle of stock-internal Fiesta ST tuning right now and shows just how much these celebrated little engines can offer when given the right modifications.
The gearbox has unsurprisingly seen a raft of enhancements to keep up, too. First, Pumaspeed added one of its ST200+ uprated clutch kits that can handle a hell of a lot more grunt, before a grippy Cusco Type RS LSD was also added into the equation – an often-overlooked mod that’s one of the most important ingredients in getting the extra power down on a high-powered FWD beast.
A set of ST Suspensions range-topping XTA coilovers take centre stage when it comes to chassis improvements, backed up with stiffer Powerflex bushes, Eibach ARBs and Ultra Racing strut bracing throughout to keep the car planted on road and track. Northampton Motorsport was then tasked with getting the Fiesta’s geometry settings dialled in to make the most out of all the new hardware.
Seeing as it’s an EBC Brakes project car, it would be strange if the Ultimate Fiesta Build didn’t have state-of-the-art stoppers tucked under all four wheels. The firm’s Apollo Balanced Big Brake Kit comprises a set of stunning four-pot callipers, Yellowstuff pads and 330mm fully floating discs up front, with uprated discs and pads also featuring on the rear. Topped with performance lines and fluid, this braking system is more than enough to keep up with the rest of the car’s capabilities.
The fact that this impressive setup helped the car outperform a Nissan GT-R on a wet Castle Combe Circuit in the hands of BTCC’s Jake Hill should help to explain why Delmi has been having such a blast behind the wheel, and how he’s already embarrassed some
“I thought it was a wind-up to start with. It was only when I recognised the guy from Dream Car Giveaways’s voice that it really started to sink in”
much more exotic metal on the Welsh backroads in the short time he’s owned it.
To help the Fezza look as good as it goes, some subtle Delta Styling body upgrades bring out a little more aggression from those exterior lines, as well as a set of Rota Recce alloys finished in gunmetal grey.
The car’s rippling body was then covered in a bespoke and beautifully-designed custom vinyl wrap livery thanks to the guys at worldfamous Yiannimize, making it look like no other Fiesta on the road.
Inside, some custom Motordrive seats take pride of place, along with a Caged Laser roll cage, P3 Gauges air vent dial and a comprehensive Pandora alarm system.
The fact that Delmi is yet to change any aspect of this car really does say it all about the thought and effort that went into it in the first place. Not only has it shown just what can be achieved with the mighty Fiesta ST platform, but also what the British tuning industry can do when it clubs together for a fantastic cause. Top work everyone.