Fiesta ST Fills Void in U.S. B-Car Performance Range

ANN ARBOR, MI – The upcoming ’14 Fiesta ST will fill a void in the U.S. market, as it has no direct competition, Ford says.

The performance version of the Fiesta B-car, set to go on sale next month, boasts a 1.6L direct-injected turbocharged EcoBoost 4-cyl. engine producing 197 hp and 202 lb.-ft. (274 Nm) of torque. It will be priced at $21,400.

Liz Elser, Fiesta brand manager, says no other performance B-cars on the market offer as much power at such a low price point. The closest competitors, the Chevrolet Sonic RS and Mini Cooper S, make 138 hp and 181 hp, respectively, and the Mini costs $23,300.

“The Fiesta ST stands apart,” she tells WardsAuto at a media drive here. “The Mini Cooper S probably has a lot older target customer, and the Fiat 500 Abarth is smaller with less power and costs the same. So we think the Fiesta ST for content and performance and price, there’s really nothing else.”

Elser says Ford expects most customers will cross-shop the Fiesta ST against its sister vehicle, the larger Focus ST, launched last year. The Focus ST features a more powerful 2.0L EcoBoost mill making 247 hp and 250 lb.-ft. (339 Nm) of torque.

Elser says the Fiesta ST should attract younger customers with less disposable income than the Focus performance model, which starts at $24,910.

“We’re going to get buyers who want the Fiesta ST because they want that more nimble drive experience,” she says, noting Focus FT shoppers are looking for a larger vehicle with more content.

The price difference between the two performance models is similar to the difference between the base-model versions, and “they’ve done well,” Elser says.

Ford anticipates the Fiesta ST will be as successful as the Focus ST. Although the auto maker doesn’t break out individual sales numbers for its performance vehicles, Elser says the Focus ST is attracting buyers who previously owned competitive vehicles, and is boasting a 60% conquest rate.

The top five trade-ins for the Focus ST are the Honda Civic Si, MazdaSpeed3, Volkswagen GTI, Mini Cooper S and Subaru WRX, she says.

The Fiesta ST is being marketed mostly via social media, including playing a role in the latest Fiesta Movement campaign supporting the base model. Elser says the performance model also was featured in events such as the Global X Games.

“These buyers are going to be plugged in to journalists, buff books and their peers, so a lot of (marketing) is going to be extremely organic,” she says. “We’re harnessing the social-media presence of this group because they are very involved and active in those communities.”

The Fiesta ST will be available only with the 1.6L EcoBoost engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. While manual transmission take rates are on the decline in the U.S., Elser says Ford enthusiasts demanded the Fiesta come with a stick shift.

“That’s what enthusiasts want; they’re very vocal,” she says. “We designed and built this car exactly for them, and they don’t an automatic. They want this to be a pure enthusiast’s car.”

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