Ford reveals updated Focus ST Edition
Basically the same as the old one - but that's a good thing
Hopefully you’ll recall the old Focus ST Edition. We do, it was a little bit brilliant. Now, presumably off the back of the light refresh the core model received not long ago, the model is back in ‘new’ format. The concept of its newness, it seems, is mostly theoretical - new infotainment screen aside, this seems to us almost exactly the same combination of KW coilovers and flow-formed alloy wheels that is was before. But we’re certainly not complaining: in a decade where hot hatches are dropping like flies, confirmation that you can still buy ‘track-ready’ Focus should be treated as fantastic news.
So to refresh: the crux of the ST Edition is (and always was) to make the Focus ST better on circuit, ‘while delivering the creature comforts of a high-specification family car for the school run or commute’. As before, that means you get the same 280hp 2.3-litre Ecoboost (bless it) with the same six-speed manual ‘box (ditto) which should be good for 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 150mph. It is still exclusively available in Azura Blue, and gets Motion Blue interior highlights to go with a lot of standard kit, including a 10-speaker B&O sound system and Ford Performance seats.
But what you’re really paying for is the two-way adjustable coilover suspension with its twin tube stainless steel damper housings and powder-coated springs. This lowers the car 10mm by default, although there’s an additional 20mm of adjustment available and Ford reckons the spring rates are increased 50 per cent compared to the standard ST. That makes the Edition sound unrelenting, but the KW-supplied kit gives you 12 compression and 16 rebound settings to manually choose from, so the final configuration is left up to you.
Alongside the suspension changes you also get the distinctive flow-formed, black-painted alloys that are claimed to reduce unsprung mass by 10 per cent at each corner, and ‘oversized’ 363mm Brembo front brakes behind them. With Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres on top. Ford also supplies you a technical document with its recommended settings ‘for a variety of driving conditions’, including those it thinks are best suited to the Nordschleife. In other words, it’s right up our street. Which is good because Ford has taken the opportunity to hike up the price: the last ST Edition was priced from £35,785 in 2021. The new one, which is available to order now, is £42,905. That infotainment screen has a lot to answer for.
k up on a fast Ford but probably the most common...As for this car, maybe once I'd have gone for it at least out of habit but right now it isn't tempting me at all.
I wanted an I30N but my wife preferred the ST and its been brilliant. Sounds good, goes fast, amazing seats and does the everyday thing really well.
Taking it to northern Scotland to chase Porsche's, an Exige, an Evo and fast Audi's was real highlight. It didn't miss a beat, was much faster than my old Megane 250 cup had been and was 1000% better on the long drive back home.
It always felt like a Q car because no one really expected it to go like it did and that turned out to be a lot of fun
. Its replacement is much faster but also more obviously fast and I think I will miss that element of surprise (& those seats).The last Focus ST Edition had the coilovers, brakes, alloys and the Azure blue paint, all things that you couldn't option on the standard ST.
AIUI, this time around you can get the coilovers, brakes and alloys as part of the optional 'Track Pack', so all this adds is a different paint job.
Would have been nice if it distinguished itself with something unique. GIven Mountune will add 50bhp with just a remap, it feels particularly tight that they couldn't even find a small power hike for the money.
k up on a fast Ford but probably the most common... 
Found a bit down a scrappy and double side Gorilla taped it in place along with the other loose bits and hasn't budged in 3 years.I've had all the standard mk3 issues though...rear vents needing resealed to stop an interior swimming pool, wheel nuts expanding, radiator leak, all sorted myself as its an easy car to work on. It's honestly one of the most fun cars I've owned though despite the Ford-ness of it and does make me wonder how the mk4 is in comparison.
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