We review the Ford Fiesta ST200 from price to economy and all its features

DANCING Queen, Rocky, Concorde, Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, Bohemian Rhapsody.

You’ve just been transported back to 1976 when “catch-up TV” meant new-fangled video recorders. And we had a proper scorchio summer.

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It was also the year Britain’s favourite car was born. The Ford Fiesta.

It was the first front-wheel-drive Ford and it had a tiny 957cc engine with four-speed manual that could knock on the door of 80mph. It was a peach.

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It was pretty. It was simple. And, most importantly, it was affordable at £1,856. It was also made in Dagenham for 25 years.

I borrowed this time-warp Mk1 from the Ford Heritage Collection and fell in love immediately. Even with that Tango orange interior.

Manual choke (ask your grandad), wind-up windows and just four buttons on the dash.

Compare that to the rash of buttons in most cars today.

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The door pockets can swallow a 15in MacBook pro, let alone a smartphone. And it has a SPARE WHEEL. I know, crazy, huh. Not a space saver or a can of foam, an actual wheel.

It will happily sit at 55mph all day long and it is soft and surprisingly comfy. As for all-round visibility, it’s like a greenhouse on wheels.

Reversing camera? No, mate. There’s no need.

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Ford nailed the supermini first time. Forty years on, the Fiesta has chalked up an incredible 4.34million UK sales, long since overtaking the Escort as the all-time best-selling car. It has been top dog in the sales charts every month for seven years and nothing is going to catch it anytime soon. Why? For the simple reason that nothing drives as sweetly for the money. Or looks as tidy.

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The big 4-0 was the perfect excuse for Ford to build the fastest production Fiesta yet.

Step forward the £22,745 ST200. The 1.6-litre EcoBoost is light switch fast with the 200 bit meaning 200hp — although it’s actually 215hp with a cheeky 20-second overboost. It’s a future classic. Too rich for your blood? How about the 1-litre 140hp ST-Line at £15,445? That has more power- per-litre than a Bugatti Veyron. The entry Fiesta Studio is £10,345.

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Now, promise me you’ll keep this last bit to yourself. There’s a new eighth-generation Fiesta coming in 2017. It’s moving upmarket — in price and quality — to allow room for the cheaper Ka+.

Expect the tiny display to be replaced by a touchscreen for starters. Expect more big-car tech.

You’ll love it.