Ford offers performance boost for Fiesta and Focus ST

FORD Australia has introduced a pair of performance packages for its Fiesta and Focus ST hot hatches as a part of a local R&D program which plans to expand Ford's range of performance vehicles and products.

Developed in conjunction with British-based tuning company Mountune, the performance kits are designed to wring extra power and torque out of the ST engines.

The performance kit for the Fiesta ST includes an aluminium high-flow airbox, a high-flow panel air filter, a lower air feed hose, an engine tune, Mountune performance badging and an mTune handset for performance calibration.

The performance upgrade boosts peak power from 134kW to 158kW at 6000rpm and peak torque from 240Nm to 320Nm at 3000rpm, and while no performance figures were released, the tweaked Fiesta ST is expected to accelerate from zero to 100km per hour faster than the stock time of 6.9 seconds.

The Focus ST performance kit comes with a larger alloy intercooler, new piping, a dual-entry air filter, an engine tune, Mountune performance badging and an mTune handset for performance calibration.

This gives the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine a power increase from 184kW to 202kW at 5500rpm and torque is boosted from 345Nm to 400Nm at 2750rpm. Again, no performance numbers were released, but the factory Focus ST will sprint from 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds.

The Fiesta kit comes with a recommended retail price of $2328, and takes approximately one hour to fit, while the Focus kit costs $4135, and takes roughly two hours to install.

Ford Australia president & CEO Graeme Whickman said that the introduction of the tuning kits are the start of a large transformation for Ford in Australia.

“Our Australian R&D and product investments are paying off as we transform Ford in Australia and customers respond to our new vehicles,” he said.

“We think our new Mountune Performance packs will bring even more excitement as we expand our performance vehicle line-up as part of plans to launch 20 new vehicles by 2020.”The new kits are some of the first products to be offered as a part of the Ford Licensed Accessories (FLA) program, an initiative launched this month that allows Ford Australia to grow the range of Ford accessories and aftermarket accessories for sale that have undergone quality assessment and come with a Ford warranty.

FLAs that are sold by an authorised Ford dealer come with a Ford Express New Vehicle warranty, good for three years or 100,000kms when fitted at the point of new vehicle sale.

FLAs sold and fitted by an authorised Ford Dealer after vehicle delivery will be covered by the remainder of the Ford Express New Vehicle Warranty period or the 12 months/20,000kms Ford Express Parts and Accessories Warranty – whichever is longer.

FLAs sold by an authorised Ford Dealer as over the counter parts will be covered by the Ford Express Parts and Accessories Warranty of 12 months/20,000kms.

The Mountune performance packages go on sale midway through 2016.