There used to be a similar relationship between Ford and Essex ­ back in the XR2's 1980s heyday, the company's European headquarters was in Brentwood, and each year its vast factory in Dagenham churned out hundreds of thousands of cars. The company's UK presence is still substantial ­ it has invested billions in Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land-Rover ­ but it seems to have fallen out of love with Essex. Brentwood and Dagenham are still operating, but the European HQ has gone to Cologne and now only bits of Fords, not fully assembled Fiestas, leave Dagenham's gates.As I made my plans to meet our Essex readers, I was hoping that Constable Country would not turn out to be constable country. After all, 150 horsepower in a small, sporty car would surely present a temptation to break the limit In the event, I needn't have worried. The ST is a rapid and, in many respects, capable vehicle; it clings on well if you push it hard on roundabouts and it rides comfortably and quietly given its enormous alloy wheels and very low-profile tyres, pointing to some impressive development work.

But there is a curious joylessness to the way it goes about its business It doesn't really invite you to explore its limits. Words like "cheeky" or "nippy", which come to mind when you drive some of its competitors, just don't apply. There is a fair amount of shove on offer, for example, but you will rarely find yourself extending the engine in the lower gears purely for aural pleasure.Without the optional roof stripes, the ST looks rather ordinary, and inside it's a similar story. The wife of one reader remarked that the cup-holder would probably be incapable of dealing with those enormous paper containers provided by the chains of fancy coffee shops that have invaded the country in the last decade or so. Back when the XR2 was in its prime, visitors to these shores often sneered at our predilection for instant coffee Not any more. Since then, Essex and the UK have become much more prosperous and our tastes have moved on. I can't help feeling that with the somewhat flavourless ST, what Ford is offering cappuccino Britain is merely a new, improved instant.

Martin Foden, 29, bond analyst from Woodford Green, Essex USUAL CAR: PEUGEOT 406 COUPEWhile the relatively subtle styling of the new Fiesta ST may have widened its general appeal, it may, ironically, also have reduced its appeal to its target market. If I was inclined to spend a few extra grand to drive a souped-up Fiesta (which, despite my address, I'm not), the last thing I'd want is to be anonymous. What is disappointing is that the sheep's clothing masks nothing more than a sprightly sheep. Nippy enough in traffic, laboured on the motorway, just as you'd expect from a hatchback, just as you'd expect from a Fiesta. Probably the most damning criticism of this car is that I'm quite dull...