FiestaST
Honorary Master
Technobok review
[video=youtube_share;4IQFZvAbQmo]https://youtu.be/4IQFZvAbQmo[/video]
[video=youtube_share;4IQFZvAbQmo]https://youtu.be/4IQFZvAbQmo[/video]
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2017 Ford Fiesta ST200
- Thread starter FiestaST
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FiestaST
Honorary Master
Tested: Ford's Fiesta ST200 offers old-school fun
We're normally in the business of reviewing new cars in these pages, but you’ll have to make an exception here. Not only was today’s subject first launched overseas well over a year ago, it’s also based on a 2013 model. Actually, the Ford Fiesta platform at the heart of of this special ST200 edition was first on sale close to a decade back.
Of the 400 ST200s built worldwide, Ford South Africa took a massive 160 unit allotment and released them into our market in May. We suspect this sizeable chunk was never intended for our region specifically, but with the all-new Fiesta and all-new Fiesta ST due next year it’s possible Ford over-catered with this last hoorah variant, and misjudged global demand.
No matter. The base Fiesta ST proved such an enjoyable firecracker of a hatch when we tested it four years ago, we’re happy to give this up-specced version a go, even if it is a bit late and unwanted elsewhere around the world.
Even with 160 of them floating around, the ST200 qualifies as a sort of collector’s item and it’s unlikely you’ll see one every day. Spotting them won’t be difficult, with unique Storm Grey paint job (looks like flat primer), black wheels, red brakes, and a proud “200” badge on the tailgate. Inside you get heated Recaro buckets with special silver stitching, more silver stripes in the seatbelts, and illuminated ST sill plates.
But it’s what’s underneath that counts, and Ford’s done a good job of wringing some extra performance out of this already racy little number. Power’s up to 149kW from 134, and torque now sits at 290Nm from 240. Then, on top of that, you get max outputs of 160kW/320Nm for 20 second bursts of overboost. Not shabby for a 1.6-litre turbo.
They’ve fiddled with other bits too. Final drive gear ratios have been revised, the electric power steering’s been sharpened, and the suspension’s been tweaked with new settings. Interestingly, the shocks and springs are actually softer than in standard trim, while the anti-roll bars are firmer.
Without driving the 200 back to back with a regular ST it’s hard to say in detail what effect these changes have had, but it’s safe to say the recalibration has made for a pointy package. It’s one of those cars that’s always willing to play, even when you’re not, and if you don’t enjoy the communication of every road ripple through your hands and bum, it might be too feisty a car for you.
That said, there are few hot hatches that handle with this kind of pinpoint accuracy. The steering is so direct a surprise sneeze could see you up an unintended offramp, and the front end tucks into sharper corners with enough grip to get an inside rear wheel dangling.
Get aggressive in bends with the stability control off, and it’s also possible to chuck the rear axle out into a wider arc than the front, four-wheel-drift style. The ST200 is in no way billed as a track day special, but there are genuine track day specials that would fail to deliver the same level of feedback and excitement.
The power hike comes with a claimed two-tenth reduction in 0-100km/h times (6.7 seconds from 6.9), but just as with the original in 2013, we couldn’t get anywhere near the factory quoted figure. After repeated attempts at clutch-modulated launches and snap gearchanges, the best we could muster was 7.23 seconds with the quarter mile coming in 15.2. It’s almost impossible to lay the power down off the line without losing time to wheelspin.
If we reference the Polo GTI auto and Clio RS Lux auto, which are less powerful but come with identical 6.7 second claims, it’s easy to see how modern auto gearbox tech has the dragstrip advantage. At our test track the Polo beat its claim with a 6.65 second run and the Clio pipped the seven second barrier with a 6.99.
Those cars might be more efficient in robot-to-robot warfare where they’re undeniably quicker, but the ST obliterates them in overtaking acceleration.
It takes only around 4.6 seconds for the ford to blast from 60 to 120km/h , where the VW and Renault take just under and just over 6 seconds respectively. That’s the ST’s power advantage showing through.
These rival hatches also miss out on the fun factor associated with a manual gearbox. The ST’s six-speeder is a delightful reminder of the way things used to be, and tapping the engine’s lusty torque curve with jabs of your left foot and flicks of your left wrist is an addictive and enjoyable experience. Just watch your elbow on the badly placed centre console lid.
It’s an ageing car, and it shows in some areas. The button bestrewn dashboard, for example, may have been cutting edge in 2008 but it looks dated now. Likewise the tiny low-res display screen and fiddly Sony-based infotainment system. The imminent all-new Fiesta should solve these issues, but that begs the question of whether to wait for it or not.
Bear in mind the next ST will have a three-cylinder turbo engine, and though its on-paper outputs (147kW/290Nm) are healthy, it’ll have big boots to fill given the current 1.6’s buttery smooth and torque-rich rev range.
VERDICT
On one hand we have an old model with a tried and trusted drivetrain we’ve come to love which you can have now, and the other a much modernised package with an unknown quantity under the hood that you’ll have to wait another year for. Tough call, but at least the ST200 offers some exclusivity, albeit at a small premium. At R339 900 it’s 14 grand dearer than an everyday ST.
Overall it’s a very lively little three-door hatch, with especially sharp steering, firm suspension and a fun to use manual gearbox.
FACTS
Ford Fiesta ST200
Engine: 1.6-litre, 4-cyl, turbopetrol
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Power: 147kW @ 5700rpm
Torque: 290Nm @ 4200rpm
0-100km/h (tested Gauteng): 7.23 seconds
1/4 Mile (tested Gauteng): 15.2 seconds
Top speed (claimed): 230km/h
Price: R339 900
Warranty: 4-year/120 000km
Service plan: 4-year/60 000km
https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/road-tests/tested-fords-fiesta-st200-offers-old-school-fun-11225634
We're normally in the business of reviewing new cars in these pages, but you’ll have to make an exception here. Not only was today’s subject first launched overseas well over a year ago, it’s also based on a 2013 model. Actually, the Ford Fiesta platform at the heart of of this special ST200 edition was first on sale close to a decade back.
Of the 400 ST200s built worldwide, Ford South Africa took a massive 160 unit allotment and released them into our market in May. We suspect this sizeable chunk was never intended for our region specifically, but with the all-new Fiesta and all-new Fiesta ST due next year it’s possible Ford over-catered with this last hoorah variant, and misjudged global demand.
No matter. The base Fiesta ST proved such an enjoyable firecracker of a hatch when we tested it four years ago, we’re happy to give this up-specced version a go, even if it is a bit late and unwanted elsewhere around the world.
Even with 160 of them floating around, the ST200 qualifies as a sort of collector’s item and it’s unlikely you’ll see one every day. Spotting them won’t be difficult, with unique Storm Grey paint job (looks like flat primer), black wheels, red brakes, and a proud “200” badge on the tailgate. Inside you get heated Recaro buckets with special silver stitching, more silver stripes in the seatbelts, and illuminated ST sill plates.
But it’s what’s underneath that counts, and Ford’s done a good job of wringing some extra performance out of this already racy little number. Power’s up to 149kW from 134, and torque now sits at 290Nm from 240. Then, on top of that, you get max outputs of 160kW/320Nm for 20 second bursts of overboost. Not shabby for a 1.6-litre turbo.
They’ve fiddled with other bits too. Final drive gear ratios have been revised, the electric power steering’s been sharpened, and the suspension’s been tweaked with new settings. Interestingly, the shocks and springs are actually softer than in standard trim, while the anti-roll bars are firmer.
Without driving the 200 back to back with a regular ST it’s hard to say in detail what effect these changes have had, but it’s safe to say the recalibration has made for a pointy package. It’s one of those cars that’s always willing to play, even when you’re not, and if you don’t enjoy the communication of every road ripple through your hands and bum, it might be too feisty a car for you.
That said, there are few hot hatches that handle with this kind of pinpoint accuracy. The steering is so direct a surprise sneeze could see you up an unintended offramp, and the front end tucks into sharper corners with enough grip to get an inside rear wheel dangling.
Get aggressive in bends with the stability control off, and it’s also possible to chuck the rear axle out into a wider arc than the front, four-wheel-drift style. The ST200 is in no way billed as a track day special, but there are genuine track day specials that would fail to deliver the same level of feedback and excitement.
The power hike comes with a claimed two-tenth reduction in 0-100km/h times (6.7 seconds from 6.9), but just as with the original in 2013, we couldn’t get anywhere near the factory quoted figure. After repeated attempts at clutch-modulated launches and snap gearchanges, the best we could muster was 7.23 seconds with the quarter mile coming in 15.2. It’s almost impossible to lay the power down off the line without losing time to wheelspin.
If we reference the Polo GTI auto and Clio RS Lux auto, which are less powerful but come with identical 6.7 second claims, it’s easy to see how modern auto gearbox tech has the dragstrip advantage. At our test track the Polo beat its claim with a 6.65 second run and the Clio pipped the seven second barrier with a 6.99.
Those cars might be more efficient in robot-to-robot warfare where they’re undeniably quicker, but the ST obliterates them in overtaking acceleration.
It takes only around 4.6 seconds for the ford to blast from 60 to 120km/h , where the VW and Renault take just under and just over 6 seconds respectively. That’s the ST’s power advantage showing through.
These rival hatches also miss out on the fun factor associated with a manual gearbox. The ST’s six-speeder is a delightful reminder of the way things used to be, and tapping the engine’s lusty torque curve with jabs of your left foot and flicks of your left wrist is an addictive and enjoyable experience. Just watch your elbow on the badly placed centre console lid.
It’s an ageing car, and it shows in some areas. The button bestrewn dashboard, for example, may have been cutting edge in 2008 but it looks dated now. Likewise the tiny low-res display screen and fiddly Sony-based infotainment system. The imminent all-new Fiesta should solve these issues, but that begs the question of whether to wait for it or not.
Bear in mind the next ST will have a three-cylinder turbo engine, and though its on-paper outputs (147kW/290Nm) are healthy, it’ll have big boots to fill given the current 1.6’s buttery smooth and torque-rich rev range.
VERDICT
On one hand we have an old model with a tried and trusted drivetrain we’ve come to love which you can have now, and the other a much modernised package with an unknown quantity under the hood that you’ll have to wait another year for. Tough call, but at least the ST200 offers some exclusivity, albeit at a small premium. At R339 900 it’s 14 grand dearer than an everyday ST.
Overall it’s a very lively little three-door hatch, with especially sharp steering, firm suspension and a fun to use manual gearbox.
FACTS
Ford Fiesta ST200
Engine: 1.6-litre, 4-cyl, turbopetrol
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Power: 147kW @ 5700rpm
Torque: 290Nm @ 4200rpm
0-100km/h (tested Gauteng): 7.23 seconds
1/4 Mile (tested Gauteng): 15.2 seconds
Top speed (claimed): 230km/h
Price: R339 900
Warranty: 4-year/120 000km
Service plan: 4-year/60 000km
https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/road-tests/tested-fords-fiesta-st200-offers-old-school-fun-11225634
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
lol at primer...but yeah colour looks like that
FiestaST
Honorary Master
RPM TV review
[video=youtube_share;tTZvXzeYr0s]https://youtu.be/tTZvXzeYr0s[/video]
[video=youtube_share;tTZvXzeYr0s]https://youtu.be/tTZvXzeYr0s[/video]
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Ignition GT Lapz
[video=youtube_share;J52LUqS_dGM]https://youtu.be/J52LUqS_dGM[/video]
[video=youtube_share;J52LUqS_dGM]https://youtu.be/J52LUqS_dGM[/video]
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Here's why the Ford Fiesta ST is a $15,000 used car bargain - Doug DeMuro
[video=youtube_share;yU9obX0J5VM]https://youtu.be/yU9obX0J5VM[/video]
[video=youtube_share;yU9obX0J5VM]https://youtu.be/yU9obX0J5VM[/video]
FiestaST
Honorary Master
[video=youtube_share;vQfND8jOtJ8]https://youtu.be/vQfND8jOtJ8[/video]
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Used car buying guide: Ford Fiesta ST
The previous Fiesta ST, the Mk7, was the best warm hatch you could buy new. Today, it’s up to £10k cheaper and still a hoot to drive. We have the top tips for buyers
A bargain when new and a steal when used, a good Ford Fiesta ST Mk7 is downright irresistible.
Take the one we found below. This four-year-old ST-1 is being advertised by a private seller. Registered in 2014 and with 38,500 miles on the clock, it’s up for a £7900. New in 2014, it cost £16,995 before discount. The result: a 54% saving for 100% fun.
Unusually for a used ST, it’s totally standard, when so many have been tuned and tweaked. On that subject, ‘Worth knowing’ (see below) sounds a warning about previously modified examples that have since been returned to standard spec.
True, it would be better if it were the more popular ST-2 version (it cost £17,995) with half-leather Recaros, rear privacy glass, keyless ignition and digital radio. Today, these fetch around £500 more than the ST-1.
Of course, the reason we’re talking about the Mk7 ST now is that the all-new, Mk8 model is on sale. It’s powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 194bhp, whereas its predecessor had a 1.6-litre turbo four-pot making 178bhp (or 194bhp in ST200 form), mated to a slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox. Despite the harshest interrogation, tuners were full of praise for this old 1.6-litre engine.
Frankly, it was like asking them to pick holes in David Attenborough.
They all agreed, however, that over time, the high-pressure fuel pump cam bucket starts to wear. Other things to look for are detailed in the ‘Buyer beware’ section below, but for a car largely driven by youngsters, some of them with only half an eye on its regular maintenance, it’s not a bad record.
Tuners have their fingers crossed that the Mk8 is as reliable; as strong, too, since they claim that without internal strengthening, a healthy ST 1.6 engine will stand up to around 300bhp. In fact, Hendy Performance’s demo is putting out 345bhp without internal work, and on the standard clutch too.
Back to trim levels and a year after the ST-1 and ST-2 versions went on sale in 2013, the ST-3 arrived. This plugged the remaining gaps in the equipment list with keyless entry, sat-nav, cruise control, auto lights and wipers, and climate control. It cost only £1000 more than the ST-2 so was something of a bargain but, today, that premium has long since been eroded by time and mileage.
In 2015, the rear suspension was softened and a slightly thicker anti-roll bar fitted. A year later, the ST200 arrived. Producing 194bhp, this Mountune-equipped car (it uses Mountune’s MP215 performance pack enhanced by a shorter final drive ratio exclusive to the model) was a big deal in the ST’s life, certainly much bigger than the arrival of a five-door version of the ST later the same year. New, it cost £22,745 and, today, used prices start at £14,000.
But why pay that? As we hope we’ve demonstrated, around half that price buys almost as much fun.
How to get one in your garage:
An expert’s view, George Duxbury, Fiesta ST-3 owner: “I bought my first Fiesta five years ago when I was 17. It was a 1.2 but it was a start. I then traded it for a new 1.0 Zetec S Black Edition, which was great fun.
Three years after that, I upgraded to a new Fiesta ST-3. Never mind that it was a blast to drive, it was just spectacular value for money. That was 15 months ago. Since then, I’ve had a Peron Stage 2 Pro tune package fitted plus an ITG intake system, full exhaust system and uprated intercooler, all by AET Motorsport. It now has around 250bhp.”
Buyer beware...
ENGINE - Listen for a rattle from the cam bucket that can fail due to fuel pump pressure. The engine will run badly as it wears. Check if a technical bulletin about a failed coolant sensor was attended to. The system can run dry without flagging a warning and destroy the engine.
OIL AND MAINTENANCE - Check the records to confirm good-quality fully synthetic oil has been used. Service intervals are every 12,500 miles or 12 months and timing belt changes every 125k miles or 10 years.
RECALLS - Check if a 2018 recall for a cracked head caused by localised overheating of a cylinder has been carried out. If left, the crack could cause a fire. It applies only to cars produced up to December 2014.
GEARBOX - Listen for worn synchro rings occasionally caused by previous owners swapping the dual-mass flywheel for a lighter single-mass one. The reduction in vibration and shock absorbency damages the gearbox.
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES - Listen for clonks, groans and squeaks caused by speed hump abuse. Any steering vagueness is likely to be worn front track rods. Check for excessive ‘lipping’ of discs and for worn pads. Both are cheap to replace. Inspect the inner shoulders of the front tyres for misalignment wear.
BODY - Check for signs of crash damage and repair, for loose door seals, that the windscreen washers work and that the fuel filler flap isn’t jammed.
Also worth knowing: It’s not unusual to come across an ST formerly financed on a PCP that was tuned and then hastily returned to standard order. Signs are disturbed catalytic converter bolts, screw marks on induction system clips and sagging bumpers that haven’t been refitted correctly after mechanical modifications.
How much to spend:
£7500-£8995 - Early 2013/14 ST-1s and 2s, plus some ST-3s, with around 40k miles.
£9000-£10,495 - Ford Approved 2014-reg ST-1 and 2s with around 35k miles; 2015-reg cars in numbers from £9500.
£10,500-£11,995 - Loads of 2015/16-reg ST-2s and 3s, most with low mileages.
£12,000-£14,500 - More very low-mileage 2016-reg ST-2s and 3s, with 2017-reg 2s starting at £12,500 and 3s at £13,000.
£14,000 AND ABOVE - The first 2016-reg ST200s, all the way to £18,000.
One we found:
FORD FIESTA ST, 2014/14, 38,500 MILES, £7900 - Okay, it’s a basic ST-1 but it’s a private-sale car so you can gauge the current owner’s mentality. It has been wrapped since day one and the bodywork is described as spotless. In standard and untuned condition, it has full Ford service history. The price is negotiable.
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/used-car-buying-guides/used-car-buying-guide-ford-fiesta-st
The previous Fiesta ST, the Mk7, was the best warm hatch you could buy new. Today, it’s up to £10k cheaper and still a hoot to drive. We have the top tips for buyers
A bargain when new and a steal when used, a good Ford Fiesta ST Mk7 is downright irresistible.
Take the one we found below. This four-year-old ST-1 is being advertised by a private seller. Registered in 2014 and with 38,500 miles on the clock, it’s up for a £7900. New in 2014, it cost £16,995 before discount. The result: a 54% saving for 100% fun.
Unusually for a used ST, it’s totally standard, when so many have been tuned and tweaked. On that subject, ‘Worth knowing’ (see below) sounds a warning about previously modified examples that have since been returned to standard spec.
True, it would be better if it were the more popular ST-2 version (it cost £17,995) with half-leather Recaros, rear privacy glass, keyless ignition and digital radio. Today, these fetch around £500 more than the ST-1.
Of course, the reason we’re talking about the Mk7 ST now is that the all-new, Mk8 model is on sale. It’s powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 194bhp, whereas its predecessor had a 1.6-litre turbo four-pot making 178bhp (or 194bhp in ST200 form), mated to a slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox. Despite the harshest interrogation, tuners were full of praise for this old 1.6-litre engine.
Frankly, it was like asking them to pick holes in David Attenborough.
They all agreed, however, that over time, the high-pressure fuel pump cam bucket starts to wear. Other things to look for are detailed in the ‘Buyer beware’ section below, but for a car largely driven by youngsters, some of them with only half an eye on its regular maintenance, it’s not a bad record.
Tuners have their fingers crossed that the Mk8 is as reliable; as strong, too, since they claim that without internal strengthening, a healthy ST 1.6 engine will stand up to around 300bhp. In fact, Hendy Performance’s demo is putting out 345bhp without internal work, and on the standard clutch too.
Back to trim levels and a year after the ST-1 and ST-2 versions went on sale in 2013, the ST-3 arrived. This plugged the remaining gaps in the equipment list with keyless entry, sat-nav, cruise control, auto lights and wipers, and climate control. It cost only £1000 more than the ST-2 so was something of a bargain but, today, that premium has long since been eroded by time and mileage.
In 2015, the rear suspension was softened and a slightly thicker anti-roll bar fitted. A year later, the ST200 arrived. Producing 194bhp, this Mountune-equipped car (it uses Mountune’s MP215 performance pack enhanced by a shorter final drive ratio exclusive to the model) was a big deal in the ST’s life, certainly much bigger than the arrival of a five-door version of the ST later the same year. New, it cost £22,745 and, today, used prices start at £14,000.
But why pay that? As we hope we’ve demonstrated, around half that price buys almost as much fun.
How to get one in your garage:
An expert’s view, George Duxbury, Fiesta ST-3 owner: “I bought my first Fiesta five years ago when I was 17. It was a 1.2 but it was a start. I then traded it for a new 1.0 Zetec S Black Edition, which was great fun.
Three years after that, I upgraded to a new Fiesta ST-3. Never mind that it was a blast to drive, it was just spectacular value for money. That was 15 months ago. Since then, I’ve had a Peron Stage 2 Pro tune package fitted plus an ITG intake system, full exhaust system and uprated intercooler, all by AET Motorsport. It now has around 250bhp.”
Buyer beware...
ENGINE - Listen for a rattle from the cam bucket that can fail due to fuel pump pressure. The engine will run badly as it wears. Check if a technical bulletin about a failed coolant sensor was attended to. The system can run dry without flagging a warning and destroy the engine.
OIL AND MAINTENANCE - Check the records to confirm good-quality fully synthetic oil has been used. Service intervals are every 12,500 miles or 12 months and timing belt changes every 125k miles or 10 years.
RECALLS - Check if a 2018 recall for a cracked head caused by localised overheating of a cylinder has been carried out. If left, the crack could cause a fire. It applies only to cars produced up to December 2014.
GEARBOX - Listen for worn synchro rings occasionally caused by previous owners swapping the dual-mass flywheel for a lighter single-mass one. The reduction in vibration and shock absorbency damages the gearbox.
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES - Listen for clonks, groans and squeaks caused by speed hump abuse. Any steering vagueness is likely to be worn front track rods. Check for excessive ‘lipping’ of discs and for worn pads. Both are cheap to replace. Inspect the inner shoulders of the front tyres for misalignment wear.
BODY - Check for signs of crash damage and repair, for loose door seals, that the windscreen washers work and that the fuel filler flap isn’t jammed.
Also worth knowing: It’s not unusual to come across an ST formerly financed on a PCP that was tuned and then hastily returned to standard order. Signs are disturbed catalytic converter bolts, screw marks on induction system clips and sagging bumpers that haven’t been refitted correctly after mechanical modifications.
How much to spend:
£7500-£8995 - Early 2013/14 ST-1s and 2s, plus some ST-3s, with around 40k miles.
£9000-£10,495 - Ford Approved 2014-reg ST-1 and 2s with around 35k miles; 2015-reg cars in numbers from £9500.
£10,500-£11,995 - Loads of 2015/16-reg ST-2s and 3s, most with low mileages.
£12,000-£14,500 - More very low-mileage 2016-reg ST-2s and 3s, with 2017-reg 2s starting at £12,500 and 3s at £13,000.
£14,000 AND ABOVE - The first 2016-reg ST200s, all the way to £18,000.
One we found:
FORD FIESTA ST, 2014/14, 38,500 MILES, £7900 - Okay, it’s a basic ST-1 but it’s a private-sale car so you can gauge the current owner’s mentality. It has been wrapped since day one and the bodywork is described as spotless. In standard and untuned condition, it has full Ford service history. The price is negotiable.
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/used-car-buying-guides/used-car-buying-guide-ford-fiesta-st
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Ford Fiesta ST200: time to revisit one of the all-time hot hatch greats
In a world of Goliaths, the Fiesta ST was the David we all needed... it blew all that challenged it out of the water
For the English leg of this four part roadtrip designed to celebrate 400 issues of TopGear magazine, we could have planned a picturesque route through the Peak District or across the North York Moors. We could have crossed both the Lake District and the Pennines in one fell swoop, even with the 100-mile limit. Instead, photographer Olgun and I are in deepest, darkest east London on a Tuesday night. Ah.
There is method in the madness. We’re dodging the drunks and running on sustainably sourced £9 flat whites because I wanted to begin our celebratory adventure in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Issue 201 of TG mag arrived in February 2010, and at the start of the decade London was gearing up to host what would be a memorable Olympics. And anyway, it’s the summer holidays, so I’d only have been dodging caravans and TentBoxed crossovers up north.
Those first few years of the 2010s were pretty remarkable in the motoring world, too. After 987 years in development, the Lexus LFA finally reached production. Aston Martin bookended its range with the fabulous One-77 and the strange Cygnet. Tesla introduced the world to the Model S. Lamborghini unveiled the Aventador. Pagani gave us the Huayra (although in 2025 it still can’t stop fiddling with the Zonda). BMW turbocharged its M5 for the very first time, and McLaren returned with the MP4-12C before following up with one third of the Holy Trinity.
In a world of Goliaths, the Fiesta ST was the David we all needed... it blew all that challenged it out of the water
For the English leg of this four part roadtrip designed to celebrate 400 issues of TopGear magazine, we could have planned a picturesque route through the Peak District or across the North York Moors. We could have crossed both the Lake District and the Pennines in one fell swoop, even with the 100-mile limit. Instead, photographer Olgun and I are in deepest, darkest east London on a Tuesday night. Ah.
There is method in the madness. We’re dodging the drunks and running on sustainably sourced £9 flat whites because I wanted to begin our celebratory adventure in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Issue 201 of TG mag arrived in February 2010, and at the start of the decade London was gearing up to host what would be a memorable Olympics. And anyway, it’s the summer holidays, so I’d only have been dodging caravans and TentBoxed crossovers up north.
Those first few years of the 2010s were pretty remarkable in the motoring world, too. After 987 years in development, the Lexus LFA finally reached production. Aston Martin bookended its range with the fabulous One-77 and the strange Cygnet. Tesla introduced the world to the Model S. Lamborghini unveiled the Aventador. Pagani gave us the Huayra (although in 2025 it still can’t stop fiddling with the Zonda). BMW turbocharged its M5 for the very first time, and McLaren returned with the MP4-12C before following up with one third of the Holy Trinity.
6spdmanual
Executive Member
Still much desirable. But prices aren’t falling man.