The Mountune MR200 is a rare groove among the Ford community. And if you want to know what makes them tick, Martyn Lowe is the man to ask…
As with so many things in life, the cult of the Mountune MR200 is all about layers. Complex strata within the Ford ecosystem. Funnelling down from the top, most Ford people know a bit about Fiestas, many Fiesta enthusiasts fancy the Mk6, admirers of the Mk6 will generally know about the ST150, and a niche sector within that group will be versed in the details of what an MR200 is. Very few of these unicorn-like models exist, but their followers are fervent and committed. And there really aren’t many people more emotionally invested in the legend than Martyn Lowe.
Why a Mountune MR200 Fiesta ST Mk6?
“I’ve always had a soft spot for the Mk6 Fiesta,” he assures us. “Since coming across Mountune with my track-focused MP185, and then reading about the MR200, it was always one I wanted to tick off the list. There were apparently only 75 MR200s, in three batches of 25; a number of these ended up abroad, plus some had casting issues, so I knew finding one would prove difficult. Inlets on their own command a premium!
“I’ve now owned four MR200s,” he continues, “as well as various other ‘200 Spec’ ST150s. The noise of the inlet is one of the main things for me, and also how it sits OEM in the engine bay. I purchased a red MR200 in October 2019, but then another came up four weeks later and I ended up buying that one as well… so within the space of a month I owned two, both in red. I later found out that the second one was previously the Paintmodz owner’s demo car, and had a lot of very well painted parts on it. So, the first one was sold, and then Covid hit, and I spent a lot of time during lockdown doing stuff on the red one. And that’s when this white one happened to come up for sale!”
Martyn’s car history
You see, the man’s insatiable. But perhaps this was all inevitable, in the grand scheme of things. After all, much like all the best project car stories, he was set on the righteous path from the very beginning by a father who really knew his stuff. Martyn’s dad was a Rolls-Royce and Bentley mechanic by trade, while in his spare time he was a rally navigator in various Fords, so junior grew up around cars and was a petrolhead from day one. As soon as he turned 17, Martyn got himself a driving licence and a cheaply insurable Peugeot to smoke about in, and very soon moved on to his first Ford – a Mk5 Fiesta Zetec S in silver.
“That’s where I found ZSOC.com, an internet forum that no longer exists,” he recalls. “I then went on to have another two of those after that, with a Puma somewhere in the middle, before the Mk6s started. I’ve owned eleven in total now, and not one of them has ever had less than cams. I’ve never driven a stock-power ST150…”
Car obsession
All in all, it sounds like a bit of a Mk6 Fiesta obsession, doesn’t it? But Martyn is nothing if not thorough, and you could never accuse him of not having done his research. He’s actually owned a grand total of thirty-seven cars in his eighteen years of driving, which all stems from a fundamental ingrained need to try everything he fancies to see what it’s really like. It hasn’t always had to wear a Blue Oval badge.
He’s had an EP3 Honda Civic Type R, Renaultsport Clios of the 172, 182 and 200 varieties, Focus STs, a VW Golf GTI and a SEAT Léon Cupra, plus a couple of Mountune-flavoured Mk7 Fiesta STs. Fair to say that hot hatches are generally the theme, and it speaks volumes that in amongst all of this diverse experimentation, he’s owned this particular white MR200 for a good three years now. It’s a car that’s just stuck. Whatever endeavours and adventures he embarks upon, it always comes back to Fords – and to Fiestas, and particularly Mk6 Fiestas, and specifically Mountune MR200s. Layers beneath layers beneath layers.
Previous owner’s build
“I knew of this white Fiesta through the power of social media, but had never seen it at any shows,” Martyn explains. “The previous owner had spent a lot of time and money on the car turning it into an MR200, and a very clean one at that. He put it up for sale due to wanting to get his bike licence; I wasn’t actively looking to change cars, but I had always wanted a white MR200 and this one had had a lot of work done which I would eventually have wanted to do myself anyway.
I set off on a three-hour journey to look at it, not with any intention of actually buying it… but as the garage door was opened, well, the rest is history! So I was back to owning two MR200s again, and I was lucky that my mate Ash, who I’ve known since we first met through ZSOC.com years ago when forums were still a thing, bought the red one off me – so I still get to see it, and we are able to get to shows, track days and other events together.”
Adding the missing touches to the Mountune MR200
This car was in terrific condition when Martyn got hold of it, the former keeper having fastidiously and painstakingly maintained it; indeed, the neighbour of the seller made a point of coming out to tell him how frequently it got cleaned. Of course, there’s always a to-do list, and we can all relate to that desire to make any car our own in one way or another.
Martyn’s game-plan was to add the final few ingredients from the 2012 Mountune catalogue, as well as fitting a set of Recaro Sportster CS seats, removing the rollcage, and having the rear bench trimmed to match the Recaros – all in the name of keeping it OEM+. A rare set of Alcon/Mountune front brakes were sourced and swapped in, the wheels tastefully repainted, and a whole bunch of custom carbon fibre parts commissioned and fitted. The result is something tasteful and seemingly simple, but increasingly nuanced and complex the more time you spend poring over the details.
It’s all in the details
“With the car having been turned into an MR200 with the previous owner at Mountune, the only significant thing missing was the exhaust,” says Martyn. “I managed to source one a few days before Ford Fair, which was a week after buying the car, and with the help of Ash we set about swapping it over.
All went well apart from the heat wrap getting everywhere upon removing the existing exhaust and itching for days afterwards! The main things that I have changed have been to get the last elusive parts fitted; while the inlet is rare and sought-after, I’ve only ever seen a handful of the carbon induction lids, and you’d be surprised how rare a gear gaiter can be…”
It’s been a protracted exercise in parts-hunting and tapping up the right contacts, and that’s where Martyn’s old-school days on the forums have really paid dividends – in addition to his encyclopaedic knowledge of the Mk6 platform. And after all of these carefully considered and expertly executed manoeuvres, he’s found himself with one of the most desirable Mk6 Fiestas on the scene
Mountune MR200 Verdict
“I’m very much of the mindset that cars are there to be used,” he says, “although admittedly this one is generally only driven through the summer months now, when it’s taken to shows, and for the first time last year I used it on track at Silverstone. I’ve always had a separate car to do track days in, but I’m now contemplating PPF’ing the front end of this one and getting it out more.
It always gets good reactions either at shows or just on the road, filling up at the petrol station and so on. And I’m not big about social media, so it’s great for people to see the car in person, and it still humbles me when others look around it. The best bit is the spotting of little details that people comment on, which you might not always be able to see online, so it’s always nice when things are picked out in person, which then helps to start a conversation.”
Yep, that’s the retro forum user talking. A car build isn’t about showboating and boasting, it’s about engaging people’s enthusiasm and sharing experiences and ideas. This stuff is a two-way street. Complex strata within the Ford ecosystem, layers beneath layers.
Photos: Ade Brannan.
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