With 400bhp hiding beneath the standard-looking Mk7 exterior, this homebuilt tuned Ford Fiesta ST180 is a reminder of how far the fast Ford world has come…
Feature from Fast Ford magazine. Words: Simon Holmes. Photos: Ade Brannan.
There was a time when 200bhp in a front-wheel-drive Ford was considered a lot of power. In reality it still is, but in recent years we’ve started seeing some really big-power front-wheel-drive cars take to the streets. The Mk2 Focus ST and RS led the way, and the Mk7 Fiesta ST (check out our tuning guide for inspiration) soon followed to confirm Ford could make a hugely capable car that could comfortably put down the power.
In fact, it soon became obvious there was so much potential to handle an awful lot more, and this unsuspecting tuned Ford Fiesta ST180 is a perfect example. Thanks to a touch over 400bhp and nearly 300lb.ft of torque, with virtually standard looks, this build is far from simple, but the well-sorted underpinnings and uprated interior make it the perfect super-hot hatch.
Owner Thor Jamieson is well aware of the little Fiesta’s capability in standard form, as it’s what attracted him to the car in the first place.
He explains, “I originally wanted an ST180 as I’d always heard good things about them and thought I’d give it a try and see how I like it. I instantly fell in love with the handling and characteristics of the car.”
Immediately impressed with the standard package, Thor went on to buy one, but not the car pictured here. In fact, he went through a couple of Fords before settling on the Performance Blue Fiesta on these pages.
Thor says, “My first Ford was an ST180 that I modified a bit. I then had a Mk2 Focus ST, which was again fairly modified. But having owned an ST180 and having loved it, I found myself wanting another Fiesta to really go to town with, which is why I bought another.”
With that in mind, Thor embarked on a plan to pick up where he left off on his last ST180, but with bigger aspirations in mind. He soon sourced this car as the perfect candidate, as it was fitted with just a few modifications that happened to suit his plans perfectly.
He says, “It already had forged pistons and steel rods, so I thought this would be a good base to start the build on. My target was to build a street car that was also capable for the odd track day, so around 400bhp was my target. But it had to handle the country lanes well too.”
Despite the clear aim, extracting that much power from the 1.6-litre EcoBoost in the tuned Ford Fiesta ST180 involved some extensive work, which took around a year to complete from start to finish – although that did include developing and evolving the build as it went along to find the best route for the goal.
Thor says, “I fitted a Turbo Technics S280 turbo at first, but then went for a change up and fitted a Gen II Garret GTX2860R instead. There were a few teething problems, as a lot of things were custom and I’m no mechanic, but my friend Grant helped me throughout the project and we built this car pretty much together in the street outside my house in rain, wind, snow and sun.”
With the finishing touches and mapping taken care of, a trip to the dyno revealed Thor had reached his goal with nearly 300lb.ft of torque to back up the wholesome 400bhp.
He says, “It’s an animal to drive. Although it is a high-powered front-wheel-drive car, it’s very capable and puts the power down well.
“The noise from the turbo and the bangs off the no-lift shift give it a very distinctive sound. No other Fiesta sounds like it; it screams up the revs to 8000rpm and comes on boost like an old-school Cosworth.”
Keen to ensure other areas of the car remained subtle in contrast to the crazy drive, the exterior reveals nothing of its huge potential on the road, and the inside reflects a similar theme with comfort in mind.
Thor explains, “I had fitted fixed-back bucket seats, but they were a little impractical for a road car. I thought about going back to the original seats but I wanted to do something different, so managed to source a set of Corsa VXR Recaros. With the help of one of my mates we made up mounts to make them fit. They suit the car really well.”
It helps that the car is still comfortable and usable, as despite the huge power, Thor uses the ST as his daily driver; it gets used for everything from shopping and the commute to work, to track days.
Thor says, “My favourite part of the tuned Ford Fiesta ST180 is the turbo setup as the quality and performance of the Garrett unit is unbelievable. The Nortech Engineering manifold is a work of art and, along with all the other auxiliaries, the noise and performance it produces is unreal.”
But all good things come to an end, and although the car became the animal Thor set out to create, it’s no longer quite so vicious.
He admits, “Unfortunately, the car has now been put back to standard. I set a goal to achieve and I did it. I took it to shows, I took it on track and I had my fun, so now I’ve moved onto something else to make unique.”
True to his word, Thor tells us he’s been building a Mk7 VW Golf R running 500bhp. But will that Blue Oval itch return? And what will Thor need to create to in order to scratch if? We’ve got a sneaking suspicion we’ll see Thor in an even faster Ford in future.
Modified Mk7 Fiesta ST images
Tech Spec: Tuned Ford Fiesta ST180
Engine:
1596cc EcoBoost, Wiesco forged pistons, Wossner steel rods, Newman Stage 2 cams, Nortech Engineering tubular manifold, Garrett GTX2860R Gen II turbo, Garrett intercooler, aftermarket hard pipes, Finsport 3in crossover, uprated Bosch injectors, SD MAF and filter, custom map and custom full 3in exhaust system
Power:
400bhp and 296lb.ft torque
Transmission:
Fiesta ST Garrett/Durashift B6 six-speed gearbox, Coolerworx shifter
Suspension:
Bilstein B14 coilovers, poly bushes, Summit lower brace
Brakes:
Front: Fiesta ST 278mm discs and callipers, PBS uprated pads, braided lines; rear: Fiesta ST 253mm discs and callipers, PBS uprated pads, braided lines
Wheels & Tyres:
7x15in Speedline Corse Type 2118 alloy wheels, 4×108 PCD, with Zeknova 235/45ZR17 semi-slick tyres
Exterior:
Fiesta ST body, bumpers and spoiler, custom headlights, gloss black wiper and fog surrounds, LED bulbs
Interior:
Fiesta ST-2 specification, Recaro VXR seats, custom alcantara steering wheel with blue stitching, Coolerworks shifter, pedal spacer, Pioneer uprated sound system
