By Glen Waddington
17 September 2008 09:45
Remember the old days when cars had steering feel? Well, get queuing up, because this could be your last chance to buy one. It’s the Fiesta ST500, Ford’s last hurrah with the old-gen car before new Fiestas flood the roads.
The old days and a Ford Fiesta? I know where you’re coming from…
Absolutely. This Fiesta is well past its sell-by date, so it’s been tarted-up as a run-out special – and yes, 
Okay, win me over then…
Drive an ST (or an ST500) and the sheer quantity and clarity of feedback through the steering wheel will remind you of what you’ve been missing. Every nugget of grip and slip where tyres meet tarmac is relayed direct to your fingertips. It’s quick to react too, and extremely linear in its weighting as you turn. The only drawback? You perch a little too loftily over the wheel.
That ‘old’ thing’s a double-edged sword, isn’t it?
Small cars were still small when this Fiesta came out, so it’s a bit cramped inside – though fine for two adults and two kids, plus a boot full of shopping. It’s also cheaply finished, regardless of the slab of soft-feel plastic Ford ladelled across the dashtop a couple of seasons ago.
The ride is hard, harsh even, and the whole car resonates noisily like small cars used to. There’s only a five-speeder to swap ratios with but the shift is quick and neat, and the engine feels eager, even if it’s gruffer than a drunken docker. It rarely feels quite as fast as the figures suggest, though.
But who’d buy a hot hatch tiddler for its refinement? If the ST’s a bit rough around the edges, that just adds to the occasion when you drive it.
Verdict
There’s no hot hatch in the new Fiesta range, just the lukewarm new Zetec S. And while the old ST (stripes or not) isn’t anywhere near the complete package a Clio 197 is, it’s still fantastic fun. Join that queue and remind yourself what that means – but see if you can get a discount on a standard ST before you fork out for the 500’s fripperies.
Statistics
| How much? | £15,000 |
|---|---|
| On sale in the UK: | Now (but not for long) |
| Engine: | 1999cc 16v 4-cyl, 148bhp @ 6000rpm, 140lb ft @ 4500rpm |
| Transmission: | Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive |
| Performance: | 7.9sec 0-62mph, 129mph, 38.2mpg, 177g/km CO2 |
| How heavy / made of? | 1165kg/steel |
| How big (length/width/height in mm)? | 3922/1685/1468 |
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