07-11-2007 - Ford Focus ST
Fast Focus is Go!
Stunning new look for Ford's ultimate hot hatch.
08-11-2007 - These official images reveal the five-door hot hatch and we
can also show what the revised three-door will offer, too.
It’s the machine that hot hatch fans have been waiting for... so say
hello to the new Ford Focus ST!
Our exclusive images show exactly what’s in store from the blue oval’s
go-faster family car, and we’ve got full details of the newcomer’s
technical specification to back them up.
The revised Focus range hits UK showrooms in January, but while the new
ST has yet to break cover, these pictures – which were compiled using
inside information – reveal the dramatic revisions that aim to keep the
car at the top of the class.
The new car will have a lot to live up to - fast Fords of the past still
have a big following (click here for a few of our favourites)
Mondeo-style headlamps are the most obvious change, yet look closely and
you’ll also see a sporty honeycomb grille. The front bumper has
integrated foglamps and a huge air intake that takes its inspiration
from the Fiesta replacement, the Verve, a concept version of which
debuted at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show.
Ford’s designers have ditched the rubbing strips fitted to the current
Focus for a clean new look. And at the back, there’s a revised tailgate
with a sporty diffuser-style bumper designed to improve high-speed
stability.
The comprehensive changes have been made to bring the best-selling model
into line with Ford’s latest styling. The new Mondeo was the first
production car to preview the firm’s ‘kinetic’ design language when it
arrived earlier this year. Its look will be shared with the hotly
anticipated Kuga compact SUV – due next May – and the forthcoming Verve.
Changes inside the Focus include new instruments and revised controls
for the stereo and ventilation. Buyers will also be able to choose from
a host of fresh extras, with keyless entry available as an option for
the first time. Cars fitted with the handy set-up get a sporty ‘Power’
button on the centre console to start and stop the engine.
Although the ST’s styling has been changed, fans of the current model
needn’t panic about its performance. Engineers are so confident in the
outgoing hot variant that modifications under the skin have been kept to
a minimum. “The Focus isn’t behind the times dynamically, so there’s no
real need to make changes,” explained a spokesman for the company.
The newcomer therefore uses the same 2.5-litre turbocharged engine as
before. With 222bhp on tap, the five-cylinder unit will propel the ST
from 0-60mph in only 6.5 seconds.
Other manufacturers are toying with the idea of
diesel power for their performance models. Only last week (Issue 985),
we reported on Honda’s plans to introduce an oil-burning version of its
Civic Type R. But a blue oval spokesman confirmed that the powerful
2.2-litre TDCi – the most likely engine choice for a hot diesel model –
doesn’t fit under the bonnet of the Focus.
He also ruled out an estate version of the performance flagship.
Although other countries in Europe offer sporty Focus load-luggers,
demand in the UK is not sufficient to justify converting such a variant
to right-hand drive.
The new Focus ST is due in dealers here in March, alongside facelifted
versions of the coupé-cabrio and estate. The existing line-up of ST,
ST-2 and ST-3 models will continue, and while official prices have yet
to be confirmed, they’re expected to show little change. So the
three-door ST will start from £18,000, with the flagship ST-3 costing
£19,995. Five-door cars will command a premium of around £600.
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Text: Ross Pinnock / Photos: Poblete 07th November 2007
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