RE: Ford Focus ST170: Spotted
Discussion
I test drove a Fiesta when looking at my first ST170. The engine in standard tune felt worse than the Focus’, and the handling while fun to fling about, didn’t feel as assured or mature as the Focus. Depends what you’re after really, I guess.
Both cars come alive with modifications, by all accounts.
Both cars come alive with modifications, by all accounts.
Steve93 said:
NGK210 said:
From the same era, the Fiesta ST had the same engine but developed only 150bhp. Why? Because the Focus had a different airbox / filter, which pumped up the BHPs to 170. Yeah, right, absoluuuuutely! That's all it takes to 'find' 20bhp - a different air filter 
Completely different engine 
Not surprising though as the power to weight is similar - just the gearing hampers the Focus off the mark
The issue with the box is if you had driven a mk5 zetec s fiesta or a puma the boxes are sensational you then jump into a st and it felt more like a Vauxhall box!
Also if I remember rightly you couldnt skip gears. For example wouldn’t go from 4th to 6th??? Seems silly but just annoying.
Brakes were awesome though 300mm upfront and 280mm on the back stopped very well and great feel!
Also if I remember rightly you couldnt skip gears. For example wouldn’t go from 4th to 6th??? Seems silly but just annoying.
Brakes were awesome though 300mm upfront and 280mm on the back stopped very well and great feel!
eddietiv1 said:
I owned an St 170 last year for approximately 1 month, just no soul, was trying it alongside my Ford Puma, the Puma is so so much more fun than the focus , still got the Puma which is simply a joy to drive, how I wish Ford still made them, it would be a corker.
The Puma is a modern classic in waiting-I’m stunned prices haven’t gone through the roof being honest. I loved mine and would love another.I was never really a fan of these, made worse that many didn't even see near the 170 bhp, some were near 20 hp down from new.
They also looked a bit boring, the only one that looked good was the imperial blue ones. Even the 6 speed gearbox wasn't all that, ratios were all in the wrong place.
I'm a Ford fan, but would have gone for the type R over this.
They also looked a bit boring, the only one that looked good was the imperial blue ones. Even the 6 speed gearbox wasn't all that, ratios were all in the wrong place.
I'm a Ford fan, but would have gone for the type R over this.
The focus ST 170 and the sport Ka 1600 are two examples of a manufacturer taking a dynamicaly superb base car and completely ballsing it up when trying to doing a sports version.
Shame on you Ford how did you get it so wrong?
The price for the car shown here is complete lunacy no one is going to pay that for an St170 unless it’s got some gold bars hidden in the glove box!
Shame on you Ford how did you get it so wrong?
The price for the car shown here is complete lunacy no one is going to pay that for an St170 unless it’s got some gold bars hidden in the glove box!
These may not be as fast as some hot hatches but I do like them very much,
the engine is strictly speaking not a Zetec engine but a 'Duratec' 2.0.
It was originally designed by Ford with Yamaha and Mazda with an emphasis on refinement,
but is now used to good effect in sports cars such as Caterhams,
with different air intakes or throttle bodies.
the engine is strictly speaking not a Zetec engine but a 'Duratec' 2.0.
It was originally designed by Ford with Yamaha and Mazda with an emphasis on refinement,
but is now used to good effect in sports cars such as Caterhams,
with different air intakes or throttle bodies.
No, the ST170 engine is definitely a Zetec with a fancy cylinder head. Like the RS it may have been badged Duratec but it has nothing in common with the Duratec we know today.
The ST170 was developed by Cosworth actually and I think it was a bit of a struggle to meet the EU-3 emissions standards with that long exhaust manifold.
The ST170 was developed by Cosworth actually and I think it was a bit of a struggle to meet the EU-3 emissions standards with that long exhaust manifold.
DickP said:
Hi,
I have often wondered what one of these would be like if turbocharged and would that make it the car it should have been.
It was held back because they didn't wanna steal the light away from the RS. The ST170 had a better steering rack than the RS, wouldn't wanna turbo one without an LSD though, and even then I'd go down the supercharger route. I have often wondered what one of these would be like if turbocharged and would that make it the car it should have been.
Had mine for 6+ years. In Aus all we got was the 3 door in Imperial Blue, with Ford Australia bodykit dressed it up nicely. Now that's the collector spec. 100% a chassis car, but the engine note from stock is very pleasing for a 4pot. My mate in his Boxster 987 was shocked at the ST170 ability to genuinely keep up on the twisty roads that suits the powerband. Losses were all made up into the corners
AER said:
No, the ST170 engine is definitely a Zetec with a fancy cylinder head. Like the RS it may have been badged Duratec but it has nothing in common with the Duratec we know today.
The ST170 was developed by Cosworth actually and I think it was a bit of a struggle to meet the EU-3 emissions standards with that long exhaust manifold.
Thanks for the clarification, I have seen that the ST170 engine is badged Duratec on top but the engine design underneath that seems just like the Zetec S engine and so it is not a Duratec HE.The ST170 was developed by Cosworth actually and I think it was a bit of a struggle to meet the EU-3 emissions standards with that long exhaust manifold.
mondeomk4 said:
Thanks for the clarification, I have seen that the ST170 engine is badged Duratec on top but the engine design underneath that seems just like the Zetec S engine and so it is not a Duratec HE.
It's the Zetec E engine with an iron block and alloy head, Zetec S is all aluminium itcaptainslow said:
I’ve got one at the moment-featured in Modern Classics a year or so ago. It’s a 62k mile minter.
As said, the chassis is sublime, the engine out of the box isn’t. A remap, K&N Typhoon, Scorpion exhaust and exhaust cam vernier pulley to alter the timing slightly (retard by 6-8 degrees) changes the character of the engine-the flat spot has gone totally and it pulls sweetly all the way through to the (raised) limiter now. Dyno’d at 180bhp.
It’s never going to be the quickest thing in the world, but as a subtle, grown up hot hatch of the early 00’s I love it-I bought it as a nostalgia trip as I had one back in 2006 as my first “performance” car, aged 19.
I did consider selling it but prices are pretty low at the moment so I think I’m going to hold onto it, certainly for a year or two.
Seems like the fwd GT86 almost As said, the chassis is sublime, the engine out of the box isn’t. A remap, K&N Typhoon, Scorpion exhaust and exhaust cam vernier pulley to alter the timing slightly (retard by 6-8 degrees) changes the character of the engine-the flat spot has gone totally and it pulls sweetly all the way through to the (raised) limiter now. Dyno’d at 180bhp.
It’s never going to be the quickest thing in the world, but as a subtle, grown up hot hatch of the early 00’s I love it-I bought it as a nostalgia trip as I had one back in 2006 as my first “performance” car, aged 19.
I did consider selling it but prices are pretty low at the moment so I think I’m going to hold onto it, certainly for a year or two.
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