Three cylinders, a factory Quaife, giant-killer pace

A Stage 1 ECU tune, every time. The 1.5 EcoBoost responds hard to software alone, with no supporting hardware needed, and it's the cheapest way to wake the car up. After that, an intake and a downpipe/sports cat are the usual next steps.

Stage 1 on pump 98 typically lands around 175-185kW and roughly 360-380Nm, so a big jump over the factory 147kW/290Nm, mostly felt as a much fatter mid-range. Add an intake, downpipe and intercooler for Stage 2 and you're into the 190kW-plus range while staying reliable on the stock turbo.

It's genuinely good stock thanks to the Quaife LSD and chassis, so a tune isn't compulsory. But the engine is left with plenty in reserve from the factory, so a remap is the single biggest bang-for-buck change you can make to this car.

The three-cylinder runs hot, so an upgraded intercooler and keeping the cooling system healthy matter once you're tuned. The clutch and dual-mass flywheel can get tired with hard launches and big torque, and stretched timing-related issues are worth keeping an eye on with high kays, so stay on top of servicing and good oil.