Ford Fiesta ST: 5-door Fiesta ST Concept at LA Motor Show

Ford Fiesta ST arrives as a 5-door at LA Motor Show

What does the news that Ford are taking a five-door version of the Fiesta ST to the Los Angeles Motor Show this month tell us? Are they planning on making the three-door Fiesta ST we saw in September for Europe and the new five-door ST for the US? Or something else?

There is a possibility – especially as the Focus ST is also coming as a five-door – that the Fiesta ST will be the same. Which goes counter to what we expect from Ford’s hot hatches. We expect them to be three-door cars. But making the Fiesta ST (and the Focus ST) a five-door does leave Ford more room to manoeuvre.

Manoeuvre where, you may ask? Manoeuvre off to coupe versions of the Focus ST and Fiesta ST, we guess.

It’s long been rumoured that Ford will produce a Focus Coupe. As far back as May 2009 we reported that the Ford Focus Coupe was in the planning and should arrive, based on the new Focus, soon after that launched. That seems to have slipped a bit, but we still expect the Focus Coupe to arrive so Ford can fill a niche and take on cars like the Scirocco and Megane.

Which leads us to conclude – oh, alright, speculate is closer – that Ford are planning a Fiesta Coupe too. That would explain the five-door ST making an appearance to leave room for the Fiesta ST Coupe when that surfaces.

Still, back to reality, and that’s a five-door Fiesta ST at the LA Motor Show, complete with the same 1.6 litre Ecoboost engine delivering 178bhp, 0-62mph in under 7 seconds and a top speed of 140mph. It’s even got the same paint job. All that’s new is a pair of back doors.

But the expectations the five-door ST raises about an ST Coupe - Focus and Fiesta – is the interesting bit.

(9 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK