Ford has released details and prices of the new Focus ST, effective successor to the dynamically strong but weakly performing ST170 -- Ford canned the RS in June (see link below). The TeamRS-developed ST laps the Nurbürgring 10 seconds faster than the old RS, reckoned Ford.
It's the punchiest Focus to date and costs from £17,495. You can buy one from 1 October in three specifications, and in Performance Blue, Panther Black, Colorado Red, Sea Grey and Electric Orange body colours.
Top speed is 150mph, and 0-60mph is achieved in a creditable 6.5 seconds. In the chassis department, Ford has tweaked the Focus' well-received suspension setup to add stiffness at the front via an extra cross-member between the MacPherson struts by the bulkhead.
The springs have been stiffened by 30 per cent front and rear, and the dampers recalibrated to match. The rear anti-roll bar diameter goes up by five per cent, and ride height is down 25mm.
The brakes have been upgraded with 320mm diameter front ventilated discs shrouded by bigger calipers and high-performance pads for extra bite, heat management and endurance.
Safety features include a rigid passenger safety cell, footwell reinforcement, collapsible steering column and pedals and side impact protection door beams, along with the usual complement of airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners.
The ST distinguishes itself from the 20 billion other Foci on the road with a deeper front bumper, brushed aluminium trims for the fog lamp apertures front and rear, and a venturi-style rear bumper and chrome-tipped dual exhausts.
Standard spec includes the familiar 2.5-litre Duratec five-cylinder 20-valve lump, turbocharged to develop 222bhp at 6,100rpm and 236lb-ft of torque at 1,600rpm. External sporty bits include 18-inch alloys, special ST body styling and a large rear spoiler. Inside, it gets a leather-clad steering wheel, Recaro sports seats, black headliner, 'submarine' lighting, a six-speed close-ratio gearbox, and an additional instrument pod containing a turbo boost pressure gauge, and oil temperature and pressure dials as standard.
Additional kit over the base model includes an MP3-compatible Sony CD/radio system, xenon headlamps, heated front windscreen and ESP traction and stability management. It's got more toys than an Astra VXR, and £500 cheaper; it's also £1,500 less the Golf GTI.
Focus ST 3 adds electric 10-way adjustable Recaro front seats, full leather trim and a Sony six-CD autochanger to the Focus ST 2's specification.
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