Ford Fiesta ST concept car unveiled

* Hints at high-performance Fiesta * Has 178bhp Ecoboost engine * Rally-influenced makeover...

Ford Fiesta ST concept car unveiled

This is the Ford Fiesta ST concept car, which was revealed at the Frankfurt motor show today.

The high-performance concept car gives a glimpse at how a Fiesta ST production model might look when it joins the Focus ST in the company's small car portfolio.

Power comes from a 1.6-litre Ford Ecoboost petrol engine and can blast the car from 0-62mph in less than 7.0 seconds and on to a top speed of 137mph.

The Fiesta ST concept is given its sporty demeanor by a large trapezoidal grille which echoes that of the new Focus ST with a honeycomb mesh design. A rear diffuser that envelops a twin-exit exhaust compounds the car's sporty credentials.

A lowered stance and widened wheelarches housing 17-inch alloys and a full ST bodykit mirror that of the Ford Fiesta WRC rally car. The suspension has been uprated too, with stiffer springs for a more sporty ride.

Jost Capito, Ford's director of global performance vehicles said: 'The Fiesta ST Concept shows in the most dramatic way possible that the qualities that define an ST are not limited to one model. The potential for delivering the ST experience to an even wider audience are laid bare by this striking new concept.'