Here it is folks, the finished (for now) Fiesta ST project. With the initial list of desired modifications all checked off, it was time for a proper photo shoot to show how the mini hot hatch looks following all of the work. As with any project car this one isn’t truly done so it will continue to evolve over time, but this was the original vision for the car so it can be called complete, for now.
Before I continue with the post I want to say thanks again to Mike, the owner, for letting me follow along with the progress of his car and document parts of it.
One of the first things to grab your attention is the finish of the car. As it was shown, the first thing Mike did was have the entire car wrapped in matte paint protection film, which removed the gloss but allowed the factory orange to still sparkle in the sun.
That wasn’t the end of the wrapping though. Mike runs The Graphic Zone, so naturally the Fiesta received more than just the matte film. Custom matte black graphics were applied over the length of the vehicle and even the rear ST emblem was blacked out to match.
Additional vinyl work comes in the form of carbon-look vinyl being strategically applied to accent various parts of the car. I really liked the use of it on the top of the front bumper’s “fangs”. As locals will be able to understand, Calgary’s winters can be incredibly harsh on cars so some areas were awaiting touch-ups following the many months of salt and rocks the car faced.
It can also be seen on the rear spoiler…
…as well as along the rear diffuser. It provides a nice contrast to the bright paint.
Even the gas door was covered, among other pieces.
Keeping with the orange and black theme, the rear lights were tinted and license plate recess was blacked out.
Don’t think the Fiesta is a case of all show and no go however; moving inside there’s obviously the indication of a manual gearbox (since it’s an ST)…
…providing Mike with 6 forward gears in which to enjoy the Cobb tune the car is running. Under the hood also sits a new Mountune intake, and these will soon be coupled with a new downpipe and exhaust to further help the little turbo engine propel the car.
During this, occupants are held in place with the factory Recaro seats, in the eye-catching orange and black colourway.
To go with the power bump the handling has been addressed as well. The car sits lower all around with H&R coilovers, bringing the fenders closer to the Motegi wheels.
The center caps of said wheels even keep with the car’s theme.
With a relatively short list of aftermarket parts the ST has been radically transformed and looks quite different from when it was first picked up from the dealership. It stands out on the road but the consistent theme keeps anything from looking out-of-place when the car is viewed as a whole.
All of this work was completed in a little over half a year, so Mike certainly hasn’t wasted any time making the car his own. I noticed the odometer had climbed quite a bit since the last time I had seen the car so it is certainly getting used as well as modified.
Having been given the chance to drive it and feel how it responded to the upgrades, I can imagine I would be spending a lot of time behind the wheel too.
-Bill
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