First off, let me send out major props to Fiesta Movement Agent 25 (Charlie Brumfield and Nick Malone of Burnout Radio) Burnout Radio - the slightly humorous podcast for everything automotive.
Second, Thanks to Jordan Ford for hosting this event and letting Charlie and Nick leave some tire marks in their front lot. It was a blast!
Third, THANK YOU FORD FOR LETTING THIS CAR SEE PAVEMENT IN THE US!
I am now a total believer in the Fiesta and I believe that this car will revolutionize how America sees compacts provided consumers get to experience this car.
Normally, whenever I drive by Jordan Ford in San Antonio, Texas, I'm riding on my motorcycle doing near 75 MPH. Legal speedlimit, of course.
Even at highway speeds, you really can't miss the large "Jordan" lettering on the face of the building, the large LED sign in the middle of the parking lot, and the rows upon rows of Mustangs and F150's that create a border that separates the access road of Interstate 35 and Jordan Ford's parking lot, but today was a little different.
I didn't see those rows and rows of Mustangs or those rows and rows of F150's. Instead, I see something that makes me much more enthusiastic.
I see bright orange cones.
In the middle of those orange cones was a shape and color that I have only seen on various automotive forums.
Before me was a Grabber Green Ford Fiesta.
I pull into the parking lot and quickly hop off my motorcycle. I take my gloves and helmet off and walk towards a conveniently placed canopy right beside the Fiesta. I immediately introduce myself to everyone and start shaking hands. I am almost as quivery as a school girl who is about to receive her first kiss.
Why?
Quite simply because I cannot believe that I'm standing less than 20 feet away from one of the most anticipated subcompact vehicles of this decade and I might have the opprotunity to actually get behind the wheel and put it through its paces.
I break away from my moment of being in awe and dig out my camera to get some pics. This moment must be documented and documented it will be.
Snapping my first pics, I'm greeted by Charlie Brumfield who is Ford's Fiesta Movement Agent 25. (For more info on this go to Fiesta Movement | The 2011 Ford Fiesta: Live Feed | FiestaMovement.com)
"How are you today?" he asks.
"I'm doing great, how 'bout yourself?"
"Awesome! Do you want to drive?"
"Hell yeah I want to drive it!"
He gives me the waiver form to sign and gives me another form to sign to recieve information about the Fiesta and The Fiesta Movement.
Finally inside the car, my eyes immediately focus on the stereo. It's probably the most standout piece on the whole interior. It begs to be seen, but I'm not here to critique interior design or to describe it. There are enough interior pictures on the internet. I'm here to DRIVE IT!
I reposition the seat and rev the motor up a bit and in traditional auto enthusiast fashion, dump the clutch and spin the wheels a bit to jump out of the starting box of this mini autocross course.
With the engine screaming, I enter the mini sweeper, the inside wheel begins to spin on entry into the turn. It's apparent that I'm pushing this car, but not hard enough to satisfy my naughty bits. I immediately know the car can take more than what I'm throwing at it.
Exiting out of the first turn, I set up for a mini slalom that would throw off the balance of even the sportiest compact vehicle on the market today.
The next gate is a tight shikane that really tests the cars ability to grip when pushed to the max. My first instinct is to get on the brakes and unfortunately I succumb to my insecurities and press the brake then quickly jump back on the gas to make the front tires pull me into the stopping box.
One thing is certain. When you want this car to stop, it will stop, and it will stop quickly. I was shocked to find that this car did not have disk brakes all the way around.
All in all,my first run was decent for someone who had never driven this car before, but I want to push the car a little harder.
We circle back around to the starting box and I get another chance to redeem myself.
My second run is better. I don't hit the brakes as hard on my entry into the shikane, but the cars feedback is telling me that I can still push harder.
At the end of my second run, Charlie asks me about what I thought about the car.
The first thing that pops into my head is that it is very similar to my stock Ford Focus ZX5's handling and that is a very good thing. Most other manufacturers suspensions are soft and boring. You never get responsive feedback from them like you do with a Focus and this car does just that. The Fiesta's suspension, in stock form, is very adequate.
Charlie tells me to let him drive and he'll show me what this car is capable of and that he does.
I realize that I was too soft on the car, even when I thought I was pushing it.
We were able to cause the car to understeer, but most of that was caused by the winter tires that Ford accidentally sent for the car.
(No Ford, South Texas does not have winters like Michigan. We can run summer tires year round.)
I was able to get ahold of a few friends and con....errr.....beg them to come out and test out the Fiesta. They are all Focaljet members so I knew they'd jump at the chance to put the car through the paces. After all, Focaljet has a sister forum called Fiesta Faction (Fiesta Faction: The Ford Fiesta Enthusiast Community), right?
Everyone that drove the Fiesta really loved it. Myself included.....and I drove it a total of 9 times today. That's how much fun I had in this car.
Getting down to the nitty gritty, the Fiesta is amazing for being a subcompact. I've driven a lot of cars and no other subcompact that I've driven feels this nice. The steering is soft and allows you to spin the wheel under hard cornering. The brakes are amazing. The interior is fun. The exterior is flowing. This car is a winner, plain and simple.
People are going to love this car if they give it a chance.
P.S. Ford, please make a ST version with Ecoboost.
David Barnett
VIDEOS:
Second, Thanks to Jordan Ford for hosting this event and letting Charlie and Nick leave some tire marks in their front lot. It was a blast!
Third, THANK YOU FORD FOR LETTING THIS CAR SEE PAVEMENT IN THE US!
I am now a total believer in the Fiesta and I believe that this car will revolutionize how America sees compacts provided consumers get to experience this car.


Normally, whenever I drive by Jordan Ford in San Antonio, Texas, I'm riding on my motorcycle doing near 75 MPH. Legal speedlimit, of course.
Even at highway speeds, you really can't miss the large "Jordan" lettering on the face of the building, the large LED sign in the middle of the parking lot, and the rows upon rows of Mustangs and F150's that create a border that separates the access road of Interstate 35 and Jordan Ford's parking lot, but today was a little different.
I didn't see those rows and rows of Mustangs or those rows and rows of F150's. Instead, I see something that makes me much more enthusiastic.
I see bright orange cones.
In the middle of those orange cones was a shape and color that I have only seen on various automotive forums.
Before me was a Grabber Green Ford Fiesta.



I pull into the parking lot and quickly hop off my motorcycle. I take my gloves and helmet off and walk towards a conveniently placed canopy right beside the Fiesta. I immediately introduce myself to everyone and start shaking hands. I am almost as quivery as a school girl who is about to receive her first kiss.
Why?
Quite simply because I cannot believe that I'm standing less than 20 feet away from one of the most anticipated subcompact vehicles of this decade and I might have the opprotunity to actually get behind the wheel and put it through its paces.
I break away from my moment of being in awe and dig out my camera to get some pics. This moment must be documented and documented it will be.


Snapping my first pics, I'm greeted by Charlie Brumfield who is Ford's Fiesta Movement Agent 25. (For more info on this go to Fiesta Movement | The 2011 Ford Fiesta: Live Feed | FiestaMovement.com)
"How are you today?" he asks.
"I'm doing great, how 'bout yourself?"
"Awesome! Do you want to drive?"
"Hell yeah I want to drive it!"
He gives me the waiver form to sign and gives me another form to sign to recieve information about the Fiesta and The Fiesta Movement.


Finally inside the car, my eyes immediately focus on the stereo. It's probably the most standout piece on the whole interior. It begs to be seen, but I'm not here to critique interior design or to describe it. There are enough interior pictures on the internet. I'm here to DRIVE IT!
I reposition the seat and rev the motor up a bit and in traditional auto enthusiast fashion, dump the clutch and spin the wheels a bit to jump out of the starting box of this mini autocross course.
With the engine screaming, I enter the mini sweeper, the inside wheel begins to spin on entry into the turn. It's apparent that I'm pushing this car, but not hard enough to satisfy my naughty bits. I immediately know the car can take more than what I'm throwing at it.
Exiting out of the first turn, I set up for a mini slalom that would throw off the balance of even the sportiest compact vehicle on the market today.
The next gate is a tight shikane that really tests the cars ability to grip when pushed to the max. My first instinct is to get on the brakes and unfortunately I succumb to my insecurities and press the brake then quickly jump back on the gas to make the front tires pull me into the stopping box.
One thing is certain. When you want this car to stop, it will stop, and it will stop quickly. I was shocked to find that this car did not have disk brakes all the way around.
All in all,my first run was decent for someone who had never driven this car before, but I want to push the car a little harder.
We circle back around to the starting box and I get another chance to redeem myself.
My second run is better. I don't hit the brakes as hard on my entry into the shikane, but the cars feedback is telling me that I can still push harder.
At the end of my second run, Charlie asks me about what I thought about the car.

The first thing that pops into my head is that it is very similar to my stock Ford Focus ZX5's handling and that is a very good thing. Most other manufacturers suspensions are soft and boring. You never get responsive feedback from them like you do with a Focus and this car does just that. The Fiesta's suspension, in stock form, is very adequate.
Charlie tells me to let him drive and he'll show me what this car is capable of and that he does.

I realize that I was too soft on the car, even when I thought I was pushing it.
We were able to cause the car to understeer, but most of that was caused by the winter tires that Ford accidentally sent for the car.
(No Ford, South Texas does not have winters like Michigan. We can run summer tires year round.)
I was able to get ahold of a few friends and con....errr.....beg them to come out and test out the Fiesta. They are all Focaljet members so I knew they'd jump at the chance to put the car through the paces. After all, Focaljet has a sister forum called Fiesta Faction (Fiesta Faction: The Ford Fiesta Enthusiast Community), right?
Everyone that drove the Fiesta really loved it. Myself included.....and I drove it a total of 9 times today. That's how much fun I had in this car.
Getting down to the nitty gritty, the Fiesta is amazing for being a subcompact. I've driven a lot of cars and no other subcompact that I've driven feels this nice. The steering is soft and allows you to spin the wheel under hard cornering. The brakes are amazing. The interior is fun. The exterior is flowing. This car is a winner, plain and simple.
People are going to love this car if they give it a chance.
P.S. Ford, please make a ST version with Ecoboost.



David Barnett
VIDEOS: