TRIPLE THREAT

THREE-POT HOTTIE KNOWS HOW TO CUT THE RUG

- ALEX INWOOD

FORD FIESTA ST

Price as tested: $32,940

This month: 226km @ 7.8L/100km

AS INTRODUCTIONS go, this one’s hardcore. Sitting on the starting line at Heathcote Raceway, the Fiesta ST’s three-cylinder patiently idling away as I toggle the drive mode selector to ‘Track’, it dawns on me that my first experience of my new long-termer will be a full-bore acceleration run at the dragstrip. No gentle ‘Hello’, no warming up period, no cruisy drive to sample the shift action or how power is delivered. Just 3000rpm, a quick clutch dump and as much throttle as the front axle can handle during the sprint to 400m.