Ford Fiesta ST-3 Performance Package | PH fleet

Nor should my insatiable appetite for customizing my cars diminish. I bought the WR21 ELH with a clear vision, so it was never going to be standard for long. Out of the box, the Mk8 Fiesta ST is one of the most realistic hot hatches we’ve been blessed with this century – and probably one of the last. But there’s always room for improvement, right?

For starters, there is so much headroom for tuning in most modern turbo engines. They have been vastly over-engineered and then strangled to meet emissions requirements; the stock turbo will generally run out of pull before you start bending rods after a remap. Sure, adding more power will put more strain on certain parts of the car, but when it comes to wood, I’ve never seen anything this horrific in my decades of customizing cars.

I already had a wish list for it ZeroNine design long before I bought my Fiesta. The eagle-eyed among you will remember them from last year’s PistonHeads Annual Service, where we got to talking and one thing led to another. My original plan was to buy one of their exhaust systems, an induction kit and a stage one remap, but they quickly sold me on the benefits of a few other upgrades.

The lower OEM gearbox mount has the structural integrity of a Twiglet, so even if you don’t add more power, it is essential for reducing engine roll and eliminating wheel hop under hard acceleration. And their die-cast quickshift is also an essential part of every Fiesta, eliminating gear shifting for precise, firm shifting. Worth every cent.

Before adding more power, I would normally advocate upgrading the brakes and suspension and ensuring top quality rubber is fitted. In this case, though, I love the way the Fiesta handles from the factory on the ravaged B-roads around me, and even the standard single-piston front brake calipers pull the car up well, so I was curious to see if the car felt overwhelmed before I took any further action.

Since my car has the Performance Pack, it came from the factory with a Quaife mechanical limited slip differential, so I didn’t have to worry about it being able to transfer the extra power to the road. I started with a phase one remapincreasing the power from 207 hp and 235 ft.lb to 238 hp and 275 ft.lb. go. Let’s not forget the curb weight of 1283 kg.

The result? Total transformation. On a standard Fiesta ST, you can press the accelerator to the floor and wait for it to wind up and cut the power. Now you really have to drive it. Rather than revealing flaws, the extra power increases the Fiesta’s willingness to oversteer, transferring weight more aggressively and making it much more fun to drive.

Out of the box it had just enough power to make you laugh at reasonable speeds, but now I find myself grinning like a Cheshire cat. The induction kit and exhaust system add the aural drama that the car was missing with their whoosh, chuckle, pop and thump (which can be mapped if desired), while helping to increase power with the increased airflow. The team at ZeroNine Design was also able to customize my launch control mapping for me, as I’m still a huge boy racer at heart and want to get as close to the feeling of driving a rally car as possible. And the guys at my local McDonalds will love it.

If you drive along with the standard driving mode selected, you’ll hardly notice a difference – but put it in Sport mode and it really comes to life. And most importantly, you can always have fun with reasonable speeds, without the risk of losing your license in a few seconds. With the extra power I’ve decided that the brakes now need to be upgraded, but I’m not sure if I’ll just go with braided lines and upgraded brake pads, or opt for the 09 Design Big Brake Kit.

I doubt it will be long before I’m heading towards a stage two remap with an upgraded intercooler, although for now I’m absolutely loving channeling my inner Elfyn Evans. And the one benefit of this miserable weather we’ve had so far this year is that it makes the Fiesta even more fun to drive, which is exactly why I bought this car to enjoy all year round, while the MX-5 stays in the garage. There are a number of PistonHeads track days coming up this year, so keep an eye out for Fiesta coming to a track near you soon!

Auto: 2021 Ford Fiesta ST-3 Performance Package
Run by: Ben Lowden
On fleet since: November 2025
Mileage: 35,271
Changes: 09 Design stage one remap, carbon induction kit, rear crossover pipe, throttle body elbow, GPF rear exhaust system, roll limiter, cast quickshift, oil filler cap, header fuel cap, master cylinder cap, carbon battery clamp