Geneva Motor Show 2004 - Ford

Ford has made the Geneva Show a showcase for its new sporty Fiesta supermini.

The Fiesta ST supermini has a 148bhp 2.0-litre engine and goes on sale in November for around £12,500.

Performance figures have yet to be announced, but we expect the hot Fiesta to reach 60mph in around 8.5sec. That’s two seconds quicker than the current Fiesta range-topper, the 98bhp 1.6, and comparable with the ST’s key rival, Peugeot’s £13,770 206 GTi.

The three-door-only ST is distinguishable from the standard Fiesta by its new front and rear bumpers, side mouldings, body-coloured door handles and mirrors and 17-inch alloy wheels.

Further details on the hot Fiesta are being kept under wraps until the show, but Ford has revised the suspension to help provide a sharper drive.

The arrival of the Fiesta ST marks a new naming strategy for Ford. It will continue to use the ST tag for its affordable sporty models, but will drop the power output suffix – so the Focus ST170 will become the Focus ST, for example.

The RS and range-topping RS Cosworth badges will be reserved for higher-powered models. Ford has not confirmed whether the Fiesta will get this kind of treatment.