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The start point for the best source of fleet information
Ford's spiced up, RS- or ST-badged specials of its run-of-the-mill cars are now much cleaner and more economical than ever before, so can make an appealing perk to the right employee.
Take the Fiesta ST, which features a lower ride height, subtle but sharp styling and a pair of sports bucket seats that differentiate it from the standard car. A consumption figure of 47.9mpg and CO2 of 138g/km is very good given that in terms of performance, it's a riot.
The 1.6-litre turbocharged engine emits a wonderful bellow, the handling is even more direct than the standard Fiesta's (which is exceptional in itself) and there's no shortage of grip. The 0-62mph time of 6.9 seconds proves how rapid it is, too.
The Fiesta's downsides are few, but they are there. The most obvious one is the ride, which, courtesy of lower and firmer sports suspension, is really quite rough. It doesn't have cruise control either, so motorway journeys can become tiresome along with that booming exhaust note and bumpy ride.
Arguably the highlight is that the ST retains the blue-collar element that typified Ford's performance specials in the past in that it doesn't cost much and it's actually quite cheap to run.
Yes, it doesn't make as much economical sense as the same car with an Econetic badge or a clean, cost-effective rival, many of which can be acquired for less than what are now pricey standard Fiestas, but the ST's P11D and running costs stack up extremely well against its direct competitors.
The recently launched Peugeot 208 GTi almost matches the Ford in terms of performance, economy and just about every other crucial figure you can think of, but it costs slightly more, with a P11D of £18,715 and 50.6ppm - not that that's over the top given its equally impressive capabilities. You're looking at even more for the Renaultsport Clio too: £18,800 and 53.5ppm.
Ford Fiesta ST
P11D price
£17,185
Model price range
£9995-£17,815
Residual value
36.1%
Depreciation
£11,390
Fuel
£7648
Service, Maintenance and Repair
£2331
Vehicle Excise Duty
£375
National Insurance
£1500
Cost per mile
49.9p
Fuel consumption
47.9mpg
CO2 (tax)
138g/km (19%)
BIK 20/40% per month
£56/£113
Service interval
12,500mls
Insurance (1-50)
group 26
Warranty
3yrs/60,000mls
Boot space min/max
276/960 litres
Engine size/power
1596cc/182hp
Top speed/0-62mph
139mph/6.9secs
Verdict
Tremendous fun and with good running costs for a hot hatch