How do you keep a car which has been one of the most common sights on the roads since the mid-70s fresh and appealing? Well, a slick body kit and the world’s most powerful 1.0-litre engine is probably a good start.
On the face of it, you might be tempted to think that the Red Edition version is just a Fiesta. But take a closer look and you’ll realise that it’s just a Fiesta in the same way that Ali is just a boxer or that a great white shark is just a fish.
Based on the Zetec S model, the Red Edition, along with its sister Black Edition, gets the same black hexagonal grille mesh, front bumper aerofoils and side skirts, plus a rear roof spoiler for a more aggressive appearance than your everyday run-of-the-mill version.
Add that to an arresting two-tone paint scheme with contrasting black mirror caps, a black roof and a gorgeous set of gloss black 17-inch alloys as standard, and this sexy supermini turns more heads than you might expect.
Inside, the red and black theme continues, with the steering wheel and gearbox cover both upholstered in black leather with red stitching. Floor mats get the same contrasting colour treatment, along with the charcoal grey sports seats.
For your money you also get air conditioning, Bluetooth and DAB digital radio, plus a 12v connection and USB slot for your mobile. Options include cruise control for an extra £150, plus auto wipers and lights, so there’s a decent amount of kit to choose from.
But enough about that, the main talking point on this model is the engine, and it’s a doozy at that.
It’s ridiculous when you think about it; the Red Edition is powered by the tiny 1.0-litre petrol EcoBoost, which is literally dinky enough that the engine block can fit comfortably on an A4 piece of paper.
Despite having a swept capacity no bigger than two cans of beer, Ford manages to wring a total output of 138bhp from the tiny three-banger, meaning that the engine in this car has more power per litre than a Bugatti Veyron or a Ferrari 458. Seriously.
As a result, the car’s able to zip from 0-62mph in just nine seconds, before going on to a top speed of 125mph or so. It’s plenty fast, sure, but it’s a subtle kind of fast – think crossbow bolt as opposed to a howitzer shell.
Smooth power delivery courtesy of a well-engineered turbocharger means that it pulls well all the way up to the rev limiter, while specially-tuned sports suspension and revised steering means that you can almost feel the car twitch with anticipation when you put your foot down.
Like an excitable puppy, it’s just itching to be let off its lead and allowed to run as fast and as far as it can possibly go, and if you had to sum up the Red Edition’s attitude in a word it would simply be: “awesome”.
While it’s not as rapid or as shouty as its bigger brother, the much-acclaimed Fiesta ST, its suspension is also a lot less likely to crack your vertebrae and it’s all-round more liveable on a day-to-day basis. Plus, because it’s a 1.0-litre engine, it’ll even return up to nearly 63mpg with only 104g/km’s worth of CO2 emissions.
So what’s not so great? Well, the rear seats are hard to get in and out of, the trip computer looks like an old digital watch and the dated infotainment system just flat-out sucks, but in truth none of this matters in the slightest. The whole point of a car like this is a little three letter word spelled F-U-N.
Sure, something like an F12 Berlinetta is technically more fun, but for its price point and accessibility, the Red Edition is in a class of its own. Even at half speed, every scoot up the road feels like you’re on a racetrack, while plenty of grip on the front end and laser-precise steering means it can dive into every B-road twist and turn with enthusiasm and confidence.
Maybe some of its rivals are faster, maybe some are better equipped and maybe some are more practical. But for the sheer fun factor alone, without the expense of usability, the Red Edition Fiesta offers perhaps the best value for money on the market.
