Ford Fiesta ST to be revived as an EV
The pint-sized Ford Fiesta ST hot hatch could be reborn as an EV, with Ford keen to make performance versions of its upcoming European lineup.
Ford is putting significant effort into overhauling its European vehicle range in the coming years, having last month announced plans to launch five new passenger vehicles in the region by 2030.
Each of the five models will not only be “made in Europe for Europe”, but they will dip into the brand’s rally heritage for inspiration, giving fans of the brand’s performance past something to look forward to.
Ford has a long lineage of relatively affordable performance cars in Europe, from the Cortina Twin Cam and Escort RS of the 1960s and 1970s, up to the multi-decade success of the Focus ST and Fiesta ST.
One of the five upcoming vehicles, a small electric hatchback, is all but confirmed to reuse the Fiesta nameplate, and it’ll run on an electric platform from Renault, launching in early 2028.
Though Ford has remained tight-lipped on what to expect from the new Fiesta, Ford of Europe’s general head of product, Christian Weingartner, didn’t rule out a return of the ST badge when asked about its revival by Auto Express.
“We have not made any decisions on naming, but it's very clear that if you talk ‘race to to road’, that we want to have really capable vehicles,” Weingartner said.
“To be credible and authentic, there needs to be some kind of performance series of our vehicles; that's what we’ve got to have.”
The AmpR platform which will underpin the Fiesta is already used on the Renault 5 E-Tech, regarded as one of Europe’s most engaging EVs.
It’s also found in the Alpine A290, a more performance-focused version of the Renault EV, which could serve as a basis for the Fiesta ST’s comeback.
According to Ford of Europe president Jim Baumbick, Ford’s “rally-bred” approach won’t just benefit the top-of-the-line performance versions of the upcoming five vehicles.
“We develop products for targeted customers, so we can actually bring out the attributes that matter most to them,” Baumbick told Auto Express.
“It doesn’t mean that your granny at 93 has to drive a rally car. When you talk to most customers they can’t explain it, but they say it just feels right. It drives well. And that’s the soul of what we’re trying to unlock and what’s special about our cars.”
In addition to the reborn Fiesta, Ford’s other four European models will include a market-specific Bronco, a small SUV twin to the Fiesta, and a pair of “multi-energy rally-bred crossover models”.
Only the Bronco has been confirmed as being a car of Ford’s own creation, with the latter pair of crossovers unclear as to whether they will run on a partner platform.
Jordan Mulach
