Ford Fiesta XR4: Focussed Power

Motoring Channel Staff - 7/June/2007

Melbourne, Australia — Ford's XR performance car range has a new addition, and priced at less than $25,000 it's the most cost effective way to join the XR club in Australia. 

Powered by a tuned version of the Ford Focus 2.0-litre engine with a 7000rpm rev limit, it also undercuts many of its turbocharged rivals such as the VW Polo GTI, Peugeot 207 GT, and Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart, and Ford is predicting big things for this little car.

The 2007 Ford Fiesta XR4 made its debut at Melbourne International Motor Show earlier this year and since then interest in the vehicle has soared. And it's not surprising, considering the vehicle has been modified by the same crew, TeamRS, who put together the stunning Ford Focus XR5 Turbo, which we road tested in 2006 and promptly awarded four out of five wombats (XR5 Turbo review).

"Such anticipation is not surprising as Fiesta XR4 is engineered by Ford's TeamRS, the same organisation responsible for the stunning Focus XR5 Turbo," noted Ford Australia's president, Tom Gorman.

"Fiesta XR4 is a vehicle designed with the passionate driving enthusiast in mind and delivers another performance offering to Ford customers. The eagerly awaited new model is sure to become a showroom sell-out," Mr Gorman predicted.

Based on the Ford Fiesta, the XR4 model has a number of features that boost its performance credentials, including a 110kW 2.0-litre engine that outputs significantly more power than the standard 1.6-litre Fiesta models. As well as an increase in raw power, the new Ford XR4 gets a sports suspension package with large alloy wheels, a modified 5-speed manual gearbox, low-slung body work and a performance oriented interior fit out.

It's also one of the safest compact cars on the market, featuring six airbags (including side curtain airbags), plus dynamic stability control (DSC), ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), traction control, and an anti-theft security system.

XR4 Engine

The photos for the new model highlight the Ford XR4's performance intent, a street machine that's not to be confused with your average runabout - especially with the sports GT stripes and 17-inch alloy wheels. But the new car is not just all show. It comes packed with the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine from the larger Ford Focus, and it's been tuned for even better response.

The group behind the new go-fast model, TeamRS, has worked on all aspects of the new car to make it a true hot hatch, but started with the XR4's heart and soul as Jost Capito, the head honcho at Team RS explained: "The 2.0-litre Duratec engine characteristics are ideally suited to the performance Fiesta as it combines free-revving performance and impressive low-end torque for excellent all-round driveability."

With 190Nm of torque driving the car's light weight 1090kg mass, the new model is expected to deliver high levels of acceleration, and as follows are the engine's vital statistics:

Power:   110kW @ 6000rpm
Torque: 190Nm @ 4500rpm

TeamRS took the 16-valve 2.0-litre Ford Focus engine as a base, and upgraded it with a new 'VIS' intake manifold that uses butterfly valves to improve gas flow, and combined with a tailor-made sports exhaust plumbing system helped improve the engine's response and power levels - not to mention adding a sportier sound when the engine's revving.

Jost Capito said the engine "...delivers a wide spread of torque for flexibility and pulling power." And he's not lying: the wide spread of torque generation, or mid-range, has been enhanced for better rolling acceleration, and roughly 80 per cent of the engine's maximum torque of 190Nm is on tap from as low as 1500rpm.

Another interesting XR4 factoid is the engine's installation - it has been inclined backwards at an angle of 6° to more effectively couple it to the 5-speed manual gearboxes clutch housing, and as a result the belt driven auxiliaries have been re-positioned.

The Ford Fiesta XR4 is offered with a 5-speed manual only, and features a low inertia flywheel that further improves throttle response. Ford says the 5-speed transmission features a short-throw gearshift and that all the gear ratios have been altered to improve acceleration, and Ford Australia claims an average fuel consumption figure of 7.4L/100km.

XR4 Exterior

The new Fiesta XR4 couldn't have joined Ford's XR family without being able to communicate its performance pedigree, so thankfully the new model gets a range of upgrades that guarantee the car won't mistaken for a simple runabout. 

Firstly the XR4 is dropped closer to the ground on a lowered suspension system, and at the front end the go-fast Fiesta gets a huge XR5 Turbo-inspired front apron with mesh-covered lower air dam (to keep the debris out) which is flanked by a pair of smartly integrated chrome front fog lamps. Side skirts align with the front and rear aprons to give the car a 'road-hugging' stance and a new rear apron again mimics the XR5 Turbo's tail end. 

A roof spoiler is also part of the package, as is the new exhaust pipe outlet that hints at the upgraded exhaust system. Finally the car gets a pair of expensive shoes in the form of 17-inch 11-spoke alloy wheels with high grip and high fashion Italian rubber: Pirelli P Zero tyres.

Based on the sporty 3-door model, the XR4 comes in six different colours, all of which can be optioned with the special overhead GT stripe combination, adding even more visual impact. Red, white, silver, black, grey, and blue are the colour options, overhead stripe decal colours are available in silver, blue or white, and as the TeamRS's Jost Capito suggested, "Fiesta XR4 in Frozen White with the overhead blue stripes delivers the classic sports appearance, very reminiscent of the famous original Ford GT."

XR4 Chassis

Matched to the baby XR's retooled engine is a tweaked chassis that comprises of suspension updates, stronger anchors and high traction tyres. As well as improving the Fiesta's ability to carve up the corners, TeamRS also ensured that the $24,990 pocket rocket retains a level of everyday functionality: "What I am particularly proud of is that we have achieved its high standards of handling and grip while keeping a really good ride quality," enthused Jost Capito.

He said nearly two years of development time went into crafting the Fiesta XR4's sports chassis, and it was tested on everything from winding country lanes to the mother-of-all-race-tracks, the 20 kilometre long Nürbürgring Nordschleife. Ensuring the new Ford Fiesta XR4 lives up to the XR namesake, the car was first lowered to improve its centre of gravity and then the suspension specifics were tackled. 

The front springs' stiffness was increased to improve steering response, and the dampers were also tuned to reduce body roll through corners, plus a new front suspension knuckle adds negative camber to the front end, which theoretically generates more grip. The rear springs have also been made stiffer (but not to the extend of the fronts), as have the dampers, while the steering wheels requires less effort to instigate a reaction as the steering rack ratio has been shortened by 10 per cent.

One of most important changes to the XR4's chassis are the low profile 205/40 ZR17 tyres. Not only are they wider than other Fiesta models', but being Pirelli P Zero stock they will likely provide the XR4 with exceedingly high levels of grip.

Larger front brake calipers and different brake pads have been added to the front end, which improve the car braking capabilities, and for the first time in the Fiesta's life disc brakes have been added at the rear. We're not sure if that's something to be proud of, but regardless they reduce the cars stopping distance. DSC is also added, which is essentially another name for ESP and can apply the brakes to individual wheels to prevent the car skidding out of control.

XR4 Interior

As befits all XR models - from the muscle-car XR8 to the highly capable Focus XR5 Turbo - the new XR4 has been given the performance treatment inside with the main upgrades being drilled metal pedals, and new sports seats with leather side-bolsters and cloth spines that are either red or blue depending on the paint scheme you choose. The new three-spoke leather steering wheel can absorb sweat better than a plastic one, there's also a leather gear shifter, and metal 'XR4' door sills add a custom feel when getting in and out of the car.  

The instrument display has been updated as well, showing off a matte finish round the dials, and if you choose the blue or white exterior paint schemes, the instrument panel is coloured blue, while the other colours get white on black graphics. Standard features include things like air conditioning and a 6-disc CD stereo with steering wheel controls.a s

XR4 Safety

With features such as DSC, ABS, and EBD, the Ford Fiesta XR4 ticks all the boxes in terms of modern safety aids, and with a strong complement of airbags - driver and front passenger airbags, side curtain airbags and side thorax airbags - it represents decent value at around $25k. 

Ford explains that the DSC has been tuned to 'complement' the XR4's dynamic ability, where the engineers from TeamRS recalibrated the DSC so that owners are able to exploit "the fun to drive nature of XR4 within the safety net of the system parameters, without the feeling of being restricted by the system".

According to Ford, if the DSC system detects understeer it sends a braking impulse to the inside rear wheel to stabilise the car, and if oversteer occurs it slows the offside front wheel to bring things back in line.

The latest addition to the XR performance car club will be on sale from June 2007 in Australia, priced at $24,990. Ford Australia's president, Tom Gorman, issued his belief that the Fiesta will be the best compact hot hatches: "Fiesta XR4 will become the benchmark in the light car hot-hatch segment, as it boasts a specially modified 2.0-litre engine, numerous safety and sports enhancements and an eye-catching appearance. It is a sexy, new and fun to drive car deserving of Ford Australia's XR nomenclature, a badge which promises to deliver a special performance orientated vehicle."

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