It was only a matter of time before Mountune got its grubby mitts on the new Fiesta, chucked it in its car microwave and warmed it through a bit. No doubt the independent tuner of Blue Ovals already has a Fiesta main course on the go, but for now here's the reasonably priced starter: the Fiesta 140.
As usual, the number part of its name stands for is PS rating, so it actually has 138bhp - though that's still a healthy 20bhp more than the 1.6-litre model on which it's based. For the sum of exactly £1,299, Mountune will take your 1.6 Zetec-S or Titanium Fiesta and remap its ECU, give it a bigger air induction kit and a freer-flowing exhaust with a tasty set of oval pipe finishers. Voila! Your Fiesta is two seconds quicker to 62mph.
If you want the numbers, the 0-62mph benchmark goes from a languid 9.9 seconds to a sprightly 7.9 seconds, while torque jumps from 112lb.ft to 125lb.ft at 4,250rpm - hardly likely to trouble the clutch, but an improvement all the same. And according to Mountune the upgrades have been extensively tested at the 'Ring, so you can be assured your engine won't blow up on the way home from work.
As you can see, there are some accompanying visual improvements too, including some banana flavoured go-faster stripes and wing mirrors, some lightweight black alloys with stickier rubber and a nice selection of skirts for the body. You'll pay extra on top of the £1,299 you've already spent - but why get liposuction then sit on the beach in a t-shirt, we say.
Mark Nichol - 17 Mar 2009