Wednesday 3rd November 2010

Focus ST Will Race Around The World

New fast Ford will be a global touring car - starting with the BTCC

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'Focii' in Touring car action this year

Ford will use the next Focus ST as the basis for a new 'global' Touring car, with its race debut planned for the 2011 British Touring Car Championship.

The new Focus ST racer is to be developed with private race teams in cooperation with the company's global motorsport group. Aside from the BTCC, the Focus ST has the potential to run in many national and regional Championships like the China Touring Car Championship, as well as 24-hour endurance races including the classic Nürburgring 24-hour race in Germany, Ford reckons. A common technical specification will be adopted for the race car, which will conform to FIA Super 2000 regulations, and the company has made a commitment to support race teams with data and parts.

The announcement at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas yesterday builds on Ford's reputation for offering race-capable, affordable platforms that can be converted into race cars, the company says. It follows news that the Focus ST road car is also being developed for global markets, although that won't go on sale until 2012.

Focus ST road car arrives in 2013

The ST road car development programme is being undertaken by Ford's global Performance Vehicles group, which comprises Team RS (Europe) and SVT (USA) engineers, who between them have been responsible for products like the Focus RS, Shelby GT500 Mustang and Raptor SVT F150. The new roadgoing hot hatch was previewed at the Paris motor show last month.

[Twincam16]

I'm really looking forward to the 2011 BTCC. Given the sport's commitment to 'get back to the '90s' according to the current Autocar, plus that evil-looking Avensis concept, deliberately lax Super Touring-style rules and the wild DTM-style modifications that seem possible under them (and the fact that all this nearly halves the cost of entry as it no longer has to be homologated part-for-part in the same way), looks set for some thoroughly enjoyable mayhem in the years to come.

Looks like we'll also see some great BTCC-inspired road cars if this ST is anything to go by. The Mondeo ST200 left rather large shoes behind that have never been convincingly filled. I know it sounds 'wrong', but I'd quite like, for the old Mondeo's sake, to see an ST version of the Focus saloon on road and track. Surely the natural anti-roll bar of the metal between the window and the bootlid, and the fact that the boot forms an extra crumple zone, means it'd be ideal for the BTCC?

[matc]

Twincam16 said:

I know it sounds 'wrong', but I'd quite like, for the old Mondeo's sake, to see an ST version of the Focus saloon on road and track. Surely the natural anti-roll bar of the metal between the window and the bootlid, and the fact that the boot forms an extra crumple zone, means it'd be ideal for the BTCC?

I agree with this, hatchbacks just don't look as good as the old saloons racing round the tracks; I know the 4 door Focus is usually an ugly bd of a thing, but with a bit of decent aerodynamic work I reckon it would look stunning. It won't happen though as the manufacturers are viewing this as a marketing exercise and 'hot hatchbacks' are where the market's at at the moment, so that's what we'll see!

[A Scotsman]

Yep - BTCC 2011 should be really good except for one thing and that is that it will transmitted on IT4 HD which is only being carried by Sky not Freeserve HD or Freesat HD

So if you want to watch it in HD you'll have to buy a Sky HD subscription ..... Bummer.

[minimatt1967]

A Scotsman said:

Yep - BTCC 2011 should be really good except for one thing and that is that it will transmitted on IT4 HD which is only being carried by Sky not Freeserve HD or Freesat HD

So if you want to watch it in HD you'll have to buy a Sky HD subscription ..... Bummer.

That's terrible, what a massively limit ITV are imposing upon themselves by only showing it on Sky, I wouldn't have thought Mr Gow would be terribly impressed at that prospect. It's a shame the BBC can't take that over, they've done a decent enough job with F1, it would be great if they could do the same with Touring Cars.

[ukaskew]

I thought the BTCC was moving away from S2000 regs (gradually) and going to the new NGTC regs. If that's correct, it seems slightly odd that a brand new car would be built to an 'old' specification.

[Essex Exile]

I'm surprised Ford aren't building a 3 door MK3 Focus.
It'll distract a bit from the next RS

[Marc W]

A Scotsman said:

Yep - BTCC 2011 should be really good except for one thing and that is that it will transmitted on IT4 HD which is only being carried by Sky not Freeserve HD or Freesat HD

So if you want to watch it in HD you'll have to buy a Sky HD subscription ..... Bummer.

But if you don't mind watching it non HD it's on normal ITV4 too.

[LCR270]

Marc W said:

A Scotsman said:

Yep - BTCC 2011 should be really good except for one thing and that is that it will transmitted on IT4 HD which is only being carried by Sky not Freeserve HD or Freesat HD

So if you want to watch it in HD you'll have to buy a Sky HD subscription ..... Bummer.

But if you don't mind watching it non HD it's on normal ITV4 too.

Seriously, who gives a stuff about HD - racings racing and it will be great.

[EDLT]

ukaskew said:

I thought the BTCC was moving away from S2000 regs (gradually) and going to the new NGTC regs. If that's correct, it seems slightly odd that a brand new car would be built to an 'old' specification.

It will only be old-spec in the UK, the rest of the world are dragging their feet with the S2000 regulations.

I just hope Ford go it alone rather than partner with Team Chilton Aon.

[j123]

"The next RS"
Who said anything about ford making an RS? 50/50 chance at best. And even if they did would it not be a heavy giant weighty thing?


Lets "focus"
instead on just why Ford need another few years to make the st? A car which no doubt will be no better than the current Golf and Megane variants. I mean really the chassis is just about the same as the last- its a bit stiffer yes, but its the same darn thing, re-tune the suspension put the eco-boost engine in and lets go. J

[ColinTomson]

Did anyone watch the new video of Ken Block - Gymkhana 3 ?!
Ford Fiesta - 650 hp.....
http://vbox7.com/play:e5629106
So you can expect everything from Ford

Edited by ColinTomson on Friday 5th November 08:05