2015 Ford Fiesta ST-3 CP3 Performance Pack first drive

It's a chance for fans of the superb Ford Fiesta ST either to wince and shake their heads or sit up straight and take notice, depending on how they like their hot hatches.

We did the latter when Mountune announced it was hiking the ST's power from 180bhp to 212bhp back in 2013, and the results were good. For 2015, Collins Performance has somewhat raised the bar. You see, its ST, in this state, produces 270bhp and 265lb ft.

This actually represents the third and final tier of CP's ST upgrade packages. A new Mongoose exhaust, Airtec intercooler, ITG induction system, CPE turbocharger and revised ECU mapping are your rewards for choosing to laugh in the face of tiers one and two.

The cost for going this big? A full £2965, including fitting and a discount if you let CP keep your old turbo. Our car was also fitted with the firm's Dynamic Chassis upgrade, which swaps the ST's standard front wishbone and rear beam bushes for stiffer ones, and costs a further £440. 

This sort of power from a 1.6 petrol is nothing new - see Peugeot's RCZ R - but that's a car that relies heavily on its limited-slip differential. So how does a similarly potent but slippy diff-less Fiesta ST get on? 

Noticeably more aggressive from the moment you press the Collins Performance-branded starter button and fire it into life. Our car's burbling single-box exhaust can be swapped for a quieter twin-box item for no extra cost, but if standing out is your thing, we'd keep things as they are here.

Pulling away reveals two things. Firstly, CP hasn't messed with the gearbox, which is a very good thing: it's as slick and positive as ever. Secondly, and less appealing, is the amount of vibration sent through the cabin by the exhaust as the car pulls itself out of low revs.

Around town, it's a matter of persevering with them, but once the road opens you'll likely forget them. Flooring the throttle is followed by a second or two of the new turbo whistling to life before the front wheels and traction control begin some serious negotiation.

However, the visions of a tyre-smoking, torque-steering, leafy accident - in that order - never become reality. In gear, power and torque delivery is progressive enough to ensure that traction eventually wins the day, the steering wheel doesn't squirm uncontrollably in your hands and performance is hold-on-tight impressive.

Some of the figures we experienced tell the story. Our CP Fiesta was 1.4sec quicker from 30-50mph and 1.8sec quicker 50-70mph in fifth gear than the standard ST, and with its traction control switched off (and some careful clutch control) we managed to fire it from 0-60mph in 5.9sec - a second quicker than standard. An entry-level Porsche Boxster is just a tenth quicker.

Of course, just like the  standard ST, stamping on the power too early mid-corner causes the front wheels to run wide, only more dramatically so. But this is just as easily remedied by lifting off, listening the turbocharger exhale with a hiss, feeling the back wheels inch out and tucking the front wheels back on course.

Collins Performance found that the CP3 pack made the ST's standard chassis snappier at the rear than usual, but if anything, we think the front end has lost just a hint of its urgency with the Dynamic Chassis upgrade's stiffer bushes.