2011 Ford Fiesta Sport Special Edition review and pictures

Ford Fiesta Sport Special Edition review:

New Ford Fiesta Sport Special Edition Offers Dynamic Style and Strong Performance

• New Fiesta Sport Special Edition delivers eye-catching sports styling, special external detailing and upgrades
  
• High-quality interior benefits from luxury extras and charismatic styling additions
  
• Choice of performance-orientated 134PS Fiesta Duratec Ti-VCT petrol or 95PS Duratorq TDCi diesel engines

Ford's Fiesta may be celebrating its 35th anniversary this year but is showing no signs of slowing down as demonstrated by an exciting new variant - the Fiesta Sport Special Edition.

With eye-catching style it delivers a dynamic sports body and special styling additions, giving the compact hatchback Fiesta an even bolder, more distinctive and sportier appearance.

Powerful 1.6-litre engine options also ensure that the Fiesta Sport Special Edition delivers on the road. The new model boasts the most potent powertrain available in the current Fiesta line-up, alongside a powerful yet frugal 95PS Duratorq TDCi - which returns 107g of CO2 and a combined fuel economy of 4.1l/100km (57.4mpg).

The Duratec Ti-VCT petrol engine has an output of 134PS at 6,700rpm and produces 160Nm torque at 4,250rpm, combined with close-ratio gearing and a redeveloped exhaust system to give the Fiesta Sport Special Edition 0-100km/h (0-62mph) acceleration of 8.7 seconds and a top speed of 195km/h (122mph).

"The Fiesta boasts a rich sporting heritage and the combination of the free-revving 1.6-litre Duratec Ti-VCT petrol engine and dynamic, contemporary styling inside and out means the Fiesta Sport Special Edition is a worthy addition to Ford's roll-call of performance models," said Roelant de Waard, Vice President, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe.

"Of course, the option of a 1.6-litre Duratorq-powered version also means customers not requiring such high performance can still enjoy a sporty character with improved economy, while reaping the benefits of the Fiesta Sport Special Edition's great looks and excellent equipment levels."

Following hot on the heels of the exciting Fiesta Sport + launched in February (called the 1600S in the UK and Sport S in Germany), the Sport Special Edition includes further enhancements inside and out. A full styling kit, complete with lowered side skirts and distinctive spoilers for the front bumper and rear hatch, emphasise the Fiesta's cutting edge Kinetic Design, while additional attraction comes courtesy of a silver-coloured front grille surround, aerofoil, fog lamp bezels and polished twin exhausts. The new model will only be available as a three-door, further amplifying the sporty style.

Panther Black alloy wheels complete the Fiesta Sport Special Edition's exterior upgrades, with 17-inch examples filling the sports arches on the petrol version and 16-inch alloy wheels for TDCi-equipped cars. Silver alloy wheels are also available as an option.

Ford Fiesta Sport Special Edition customers will have up to seven vibrant exterior paint options to choose from, including the Panther Black option used on the alloy wheels, and the black and silver contrast theme continues to the interior where Ebony Black heated leather sports seats with silver stitching provide a comfortable and supportive base from which to enjoy the performance and appreciate the identically upholstered steering wheel, complete with gloss black spokes.

Air conditioning with automatic temperature control as well as a leather handbrake and gear knob, alloy metal pedals, gloss black instrument bezels, bespoke floor mats and silver scuff plates are also present. The arrival of the Ford Fiesta Sport Special Edition also coincides with the launch of a DAB radio option for the Fiesta range, while the model will be equipped with a USB port for external media device connectivity and a six-speaker audio system adding tweeter speakers to the doors.

Available in most markets across Europe - including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands and Switzerland - the Fiesta Sport Special Edition is the latest addition to the current Fiesta line-up, which has sold more than one million examples since going on sale in late 2008.

The Fiesta brand has been one of Ford's greatest success stories, with 14 million sales in total. The current generation of Fiesta is produced at plants in Cologne, Germany, and Valencia, Spain.