Ford dealers are making January 24th Fiesta Day as orders open for the new Fiesta ST hot hatch.

Ford has announced the 180bhp ST starts at £16,995, which it says is some £2,000 below competitors and will make the Fiesta ST the most accessible new hot hatch on the UK market when it launches in March.

The carmaker said the full Fiesta range is now in showrooms, and with orders for the facelifted model already exceeding 15,000 all of Ford’s 530 UK dealers have set aside January 24th as “Fiesta Day”.

In addition to special showroom features and attractions, Ford has also launched a Facebook app which analyses information on profile pages to match users with their ideal Fiesta specification.

The app also encourages the submission of ideas on the perfect 24 hours in a new Fiesta – as already enjoyed by singing star Jessie Ware.

Sprinting from 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds, the sporty ST remains capable of returning 47.9mpg and CO2 emissions of just 138g/km.

Standard UK specification includes 17in alloy wheels, halogen projector headlamps, ST front fog lights, DAB radio, SYNC connectivity, Thatcham CAT 1 alarm, Recaro seats My Key and air conditioning.

The ST2 trim, a £1,000 premium, adds partial leather heated Recaro seats, Sony DAB radio, Ford keyless start, privacy glass and LED daytime running lamps.

“The UK’s renowned love affair with fast Fords is about to get another boost,” said Mark Ovenden, Ford Britain managing director.

"We have had fantastic success with the new Focus ST, and the Fiesta ST will deliver similar thrills to a whole new audience and at a uniquely accessible price.”