Rumor: 2017 Ford Fiesta ST Plus Is A Hotter ST Ready For Geneva Unveil

Ford is rumored to be adding a hotter, more focused Ford Fiesta ST Plus to its lineup with an official unveil at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. 

If you said that Ford is absolutely dominating the hot hatch game led by the Fiesta and Focus, not many people would argue with you. According to a piece dropped by Autocar earlier Tuesday, Ford might be making that hot hatch range even hotter by expanding the Fiesta lineup with one more sportier notch.

Although many Ford enthusiasts were clamoring for a Fiesta RS, Autocar received inside information that Ford won’t be releasing an RS but a more subtle (but more powerful) ST.  Dubbed the Fiesta ST Plus, this ST will be slightly more refined and possibly offer a bit better handling.

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The rationale behind this addition is that Ford’s hatch lineup is already packed. The Ford Fiesta ST makes a generous 197 HP and 214 lb-ft of torque. Mountune’s ST adds +15 HP and +22 lb-ft.  If Ford dropped an Fiesta RS, those power numbers would come dangerously close to the Focus ST’s 252 HP and 270 lb-ft with the added benefit of AWD in a cheaper (albeit smaller) package.

If and when a Fiesta ST Plus drops, you can expect a marginal increase in HP and torque by about 10-percent across the rev range thanks to a retuned ecu, free-flowing header and exhaust complimented by a slight uptick in boost. The name Plus hints at a more refined chassis with adjustable suspension and a proper aero treatment to make this Fiesta stick out from the Fiesta lineup.

Next: Matt Farah Is Getting The First 2016 Ford Focus RS In Los Angeles

As of right now, these are only rumors but the reasoning does have a hint of truth. We’ll know soon enough as the Geneva Motor Show kicks off next month. And as all things better in Europe, there’s always a chance this trim level won’t reach USDM shores.