Can more power and torque beat less weight?
The Ford Fiesta ST has lost out in the drag race against the 2018 Mazda 6 and the Volkswagen Alltrack. Now, it’s time to see if the plucky little hot hatch can score some redemption against a legend: the Volkswagen Golf…GTI. Volkswagen practically invented the hot hatch segment with the Golf back in the 1970s, and has continued improving the formula for the Mark 7 model. Against that pedigree, the Ford Fiesta ST is something of an upstart, but still a fun package in its own right. Which will win out on the drag strip? Find out in today’s episode of “Is It Faster Than a Ford Fiesta…ST?”
This episode of “Is it faster than a GTI?” Is brought to you by Brush Hero, the ultimate cleaning and detailing tool – tough on brake dust and road muck, gentle on paint and chrome. Use code TFL for 10% off your entire order at brushhero.com.
TFL’s new long-term Ford Fiesta ST packs a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with 197 horsepower and 202 lb-ft of torque. All that fury is channeled to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission, as it should be. Against it, we’ve pitched a 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI. But not just any Golf GTI – this one belongs to Michael Curtis, who will suffer great shame if he loses in a track battle against the Fiesta. Why? The Volkswagen Golf GTI packs 13 more horsepower – at least without the additional 10 horsepower in the Performance Package. It also has much more torque, with 258 lb-ft against the Fiesta’s 197 lb-ft.
The drag race isn’t the only chance for the Fiesta to conquer the GTI, however! TFL’s Tommy Mica and Mike Curtis take to a single hot lap around the IMI Motorsports track to see which can throw down a faster time. The results may surprise you. Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more episodes of our newest game show series! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more news, views and real-world reviews.
