Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2022 i Fast Ford

How much power is enough in a road car? Back when I first started driving 130-to-150bhp was a lot in any road car. A 300bhp Cossie was seen as crazy power, and the biggest of big dogs were running around 400bhp. Anything approaching 500bhp was only fit for the track. Fast forward a few years, and these days 500bhp road cars are commonplace, direct from manufacturers complete with warranty. And there are plenty of modified machines, many of which drive even better than they did when stock too. So, if you want ‘big power’ these days, you need a dyno graph that shows a figure starting with at least a six. Ideally, a seven or an eight. Like Andy Bicknell, who has doubled the power output of his V8 Mustang…

The new Electric Mustang from London-based Charge Cars wowed crowds at the recent Salon Privé event at the Royal Hospital Chelsea when it made its global premier. The Electric Mustang is a hand-built, zero emissions version of the iconic 1967 Fastback Mustang adored by car fans all over the world. Using cuttingedge technology, coupled to a new steel bodyshell and composite body panels to minimise weight, the Electric Mustang’s quad-motor configuration provides 536bhp, which serves up a 0-62mph time of just 3.9 seconds. The project even comes complete with the blessing of Ford. Originally shown as a prototype in 2019, the production-intent version of the Electric Mustang is the culmination of six years’ work for Charge Cars, and the Salon Privé London event at the end of April was the first…

MOUNTUNE FIESTA ST & PUMA ST INDUCTION KIT £399 This beautiful new carbon fibre induction kit from Mountune is available for the Mk8 Fiesta ST and the new Puma ST models. More than just looking good, the kit includes a dual-entry performance filter and much improved airflow to help unlock the performance potential of the 1.5-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost engine. They are available with either an aluminium or carbon fibre sold air feed – both of which are fed from the factory air duct. Furthermore, a lower hose mounted to the lower cold air entry point can either be placed in a low pressure area behind the bumper, or for the ultimate installation coupled to Mountune’s auxiliary cold air intake (Mountune says an updated version for the Puma is in development).…

EVENT REPORT THE CLASSIC CAR AND RESTORATION SHOW A classic car and restoration show may not sound like something the average Fast Ford reader would have much interest in… Or would they? Yes, the slightly dry name may conjure up images of MGB owners talking grease nipples, but thankfully that’s only a fraction of the event. Over the three days, Birmingham’s NEC is crammed with a wide variety of cars and related activities. And for Ford fans, the selection was quite substantial. One of the first stands to catch our eye was the RS500 Owners’ display. Here you’d find an impressive selection of road and race cars on show, along with expertly remanufactured period Group A parts from friend of the mag Paul Linfoot. There was even a new and…

Ever wanted to see your car appear in all its glory in the printed pages of a Ford tuning magazine? Well, if so, all you need to do is ask! Simply email us, or post a picture of your car on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages and add the hashtag ‘#printmyford’, and each month we’ll choose our favourites and print them in this aptly named feature. Alternatively, drop us an email with a couple of pics, a full spec list of any mods and upgrades, and a few details about your time with the car to fastford.ed@kelsey.co.uk with the subject heading ‘print my ford’ and we’ll pick our favourites for a slightly more detailed review each month too. In order for us to print your Ford please ensure all…

Words and photos Matthew Hirst has clearly got to grips with his new Fiesta R5 as he scored an impressive double-win on the gravel tracks of Wales. Hirst is chasing both the BTRDA and the Welsh championship titles in a busy season and won Rally North Wales in late March against modest opposition. But it was his win two weeks later against the cream of the BTRDA field on the Rallynuts Stages that really showed his form. Hirst said: “I’m still learning the Fiesta after four years in the Mitsubishi Evo but winning the Rallynuts was a good step forward.” Unfortunately, he will miss round four of the BTRDA season – the Kielder Rally on 19 June – due to a clash with the wedding of his co-driver Declan Dear.…

WHY YOU WANT ONE… ■ RS Turbos are a cornerstone of the fast Ford scene – as iconic today as in their 1980s’ heyday. It’s a badge that garners great respect from proper petrolheads throughout the land. ■ Sinking your cash into any RS is a sensible investment, but in the Series Two’s case, its time to hit record prices is yet to come. ■ Tuning an RS Turbo can bring big power and massive grins. It won’t help the value, but fighting for grip and laughing at lag is an unmissable experience. WHY YOU DON’T… ■ Under that RS badge, it’s just a humble Mk4 Escort, and it’s far from sophisticated. There’s no power steering, the interior loves to rattle, and 130bhp won’t set the tarmac alight. ■ Rust…

Regular show-goers and Fast Ford readers may be familiar with the name of Matt Davis. Last year we featured his stunning Performance Blue Mk2 Focus RS on anthracite OZ rims. Along with an enviable selection of mods. Matt’s impeccably high standards and meticulous attention to detail really stood out. And he’s done it all over again with his latest creation, this stunning OEM-plus Series One Escort RS Turbo. Matt’s connection with the Blue Oval stems back to his teenage years, although he’d always taken notice of cars that wore the RS badge. Matt says, “When I passed my driving test, aged 17, I bought a Mk3 Escort 1.6 Ghia in Strato Silver. It wasn’t quite an RS Turbo, but at the time it was the next best thing.” The Mk3…

Ford has developed something of a habit of releasing limitednumber special editions of its sporty machines, usually as a final swansong before the next version or facelifted model is due to arrive. In the case of the Mk4 Focus ST Edition, it was as a last hurrah before the new-look Mk4.5 (as it’s already been dubbed by fans) arrives this year. We’ve always been partial to a fast Focus, and we’ve been able to enjoy each incarnation of the ST as it’s got better and quicker. So when photographer Jason had a brand-new Focus ST Edition at his disposal – courtesy of Haynes of Maidstone – we were keen to see what it’s like. The regular Mk4 ST was a noticeable step on from the Mk3. The ride was much…

Photos There’s no replacement for displacement, as the old saying goes in the world of American cars. Although some might be quick to point out that a highly tuned four-cylinder can make most things on the planet look shameful, a big-capacity V8 will always come out on top, especially when boost is added. Andy Bicknell knows that’s a winning combination, as his Whipple supercharged Mustang is a tarmac-slaying road car that looks, sounds and drives every bit as an 800bhp-plus muscle car should. This isn’t Andy’s first Ford, but he admits he hasn’t owned a Blue Oval for quite some time. Back in the 1980s he could be found behind the wheel of many notable Fords, including a Mk1 Escort 1300E, Mk2 Escort 1600 Sport, three Mk2 Escort RS2000s, a…

WRC Photos M-Sport fought hard in Croatia recently, as three of the four Puma Rally1 crews finished the punishing event, in what proved to be incredibly difficult conditions. Not only did the team clearly demonstrate the Puma Rally1’s raw pace on asphalt events, but Craig Breen narrowly missed out on a second visit to the podium this season. The Irishman had been consistently quick since the start, ending Friday’s running in fourth place. A penalty for Thierry Neuville then elevated Breen into third place by a margin of 28.8 seconds going into Saturday. Breen and co-driver Paul Nagle expertly navigated their way through the poor visibility and slippery conditions to hold onto third spot at the end of the day, although the gap to fourth had been reduced to 4.9…

Photos Of all the circuits in the UK that have been converted from airfields, Croft is one of the very best. What it lacks in elevation it makes up for with character, with some slightly oddball sections, providing some real challenges that are huge fun when you get them right. 1 - CLERVAUX Clervaux is a fun corner to kick off the lap; it’s a turn that really encourages you to attack it. The braking zone for Hawthorne follows immediately after the corner, and the positioning of the car for the next turn flows quite naturally too. Instead of worrying about your exit speed and placement of the car, you just have to carry as much speed as you can through the corner. On approach to the corner there are…

Everyone loves a horror film, don’t they? Surely even those who proclaim their hatred for the gore-soaked genre can admit they get a little bit of a kick from a well-timed jump scare or the nail-biting suspense of supernatural thriller. But whether it’s the sight of blood splattering across the screen or the thought of a knife-fingered madman lying in wait under your bed that makes you cower behind your popcorn, there’s always a piece of us that enjoys peeking into somewhere we realistically know we shouldn’t. It’s an age-old horror-flick tactic. We’re all screaming at the character on the screen to not go down into the basement, but they just have to do it anyway, often resulting in them meeting a rather sticky, if obvious, end. This kind of…

Ford is no stranger to releasing a special-edition model to commemorate motorsport success, and it’s been at it again with the release of yet another special Ford GT. The new Holman Moody Edition pays tribute to the legendary 1-2-3 success at Le Mans in 1966. While the history books and films tend to focus on the input from the Shelby American team, engineers at Holman Moody played a crucial part in the success of the original GT40 race cars too. Alongside Shelby American, Holman Moody was tasked with reworking the car into what became the Le Mans-winning Mk2, and Holman Moody’s chassis P/1016 became a test lab on wheels, helping to develop redesigned brakes, suspension and tyre setups that would eventually help take Ford to victory at the famous 24-hour…

We all modify our fast Fords to stand out from the crowd, whether in terms of looks, performance or both. Seb Thornton is no different, and what started with a simple induction kit evolved into a two-year mod-fest with the aim of creating one of the most unique, attentiongrabbing Fiesta STs in the land. Seb bought the car completely standard after trying out a Mk3 Focus ST at a local dealership. He explains, “The Focus felt big and heavy, and I was completely underwhelmed. The sales guy then threw me the keys to a Fiesta ST and it was such an enjoyable test drive that I put an order in the same day.” It was love at first drive; the Fiesta felt light, agile and, in Seb’s words: “Like a…

EVENT REPORT FORDMEET AT SQUIRES In late March we were all basking in warm sunshine, hoping the unseasonably fine weather would continue into April. Sadly, this is the UK, and that wasn’t to be. The Start of Season Fordmeet at Squires Cafe near Leeds will be remembered for being a cold one, but the sun did come out occasionally. Still, unlike previous years that had been affected by Covid restrictions and waterlogged fields, at least the April meet of 2022 was going ahead. Besides, Squires attendees are a hardy bunch, and low temperatures weren’t going to spoil anyone’s fun, resulting in the show field being packed as usual by 11am. We don’t envy those that camped over the night before, though. Several clubs arranged convoys from far and wide, making…

Photos It’s been three years since the traditional season opening on Easter Monday at Oulton Park for the British GT Championship. A 31-car entry consisting of 18 GT3 and 13 GT4 cars assembled for two hour-long sprint races on Bank Holiday Monday. Academy Motorsport was back with the Mustang GT4 to complete some unfinished business, having finished second overall in 2021. Matt Cowley has multiple Mustang wins in the championship and was joined by Canadian Marco Signoretti (no stranger to the GT4 Mustang, having won the 2021 Sports Car Championship Canada in a similar car) as the second driver. The pair instantly gelled, with their similar driving styles and preferred car setup. Among the changes for the 2022 season, Pirelli introduced an all-new GT racing tyre. The teams confirmed that…

CLUB RALLYING Neil Roskell has clinched the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship for the 2021/2022 winter season in his Fiesta R5. The Lancashire driver overcame a relative lack of rallying experience and a family tragedy to claim the title when the season ended at Cadwell Park in early April. Roskell needed a third place at the Lincolnshire track to claim the crown after seven events and drove a measured rally to take the final podium place. Victory at Cadwell Park was all that Barry Morris could do in his potent Darrian T90GTR but it left him just one point adrift of Roskell. Roskell, who only started rallying in 2019, suffered a family tragedy last November with the death of his 22-year-old son Nathan. It took an incredible effort to go to…

Photos Using a fast Ford as it’s meant to be used is no doubt great fun, but all that excitement can quickly start to take its toll on the underpinnings. Not necessarily on performance, but certainly on the visual appearance of all those vital components found underneath the car. And while we’ll religiously clean and protect the topside (c’mon, who doesn’t have an arsenal of cleaning products in their garage?), we never give the underside a second thought. In many cases, the only time anyone gets to see under there is at service time or when we’re having upgrades fitted. We’re not suggesting that you get the axle stands out after every single drive and lay on your back armed with a multi-pack of toothbrushes blinging it all back up…

W e’ve seen a few highly modified Kas to grace these pages over the years, from race cars to bonkers Cossie YB-powered hoon machines. But it’s not just men in sheds with crazy ideas of building one-off and unique versions of Ford’s mini-hatch; Ford itself even had a go back in 1998 when this Ghia Turing Ka concept car was unveiled at the Turin motor show. The Turing was designed as a sophisticated sports wagon and was to be used not only for urban driving but also comfortable enough for long distance cruises. But one look at its stance, and it is very clear that ford focused on sporty appeal with the Turing. The underpinnings may have been stretched but were still heavily based on the Mk4/5 Fiesta and Puma,…