All new Ford Focus ST revealed with diesel power
Ford has revealed the all-new Focus ST; developed by Ford Performance to deliver nimble hot-hatch thrills in a stylish, comfortable and practical family car.
The regular Focus was awarded Best New Fleet Car at the inaugural The Great British Fleet Awards 2019 for its space, ride, dynamic drive, plus new connectivity and assistance features, which the ST builds on further with a new powertrain line-up.
On hand is 12% more power and 17% more torque compared with the previous generation Focus ST from Ford’s 280hp 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine featuring anti-lag tenchology developed for the Ford GT (producing 420Nm torque), and 190hp 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel (producing 400Nm torque) engines.
The new Focus ST is additionally the first to receive an electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD) in a front-wheel drive vehicle that’s said to further enhance the cornering and stability.
Completing the drivetrain is a choice of either six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmissions, as well as selectable Drive Modes that are newly introduced to the Focus ST for the first time. These enable drivers to adjust the vehicle’s driving character.
Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) – standard for five-door EcoBoost variants – enhances the short long arm (SLA) independent rear suspension configuration for ultimate refinement.
Leo Roeks, Ford Performance director, Europe said: “Intelligent technologies like eLSD and CCD make our all-new Focus ST the most ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ yet, able to switch from refined tourer to focused performance car at the push of a button. We’ve incorporated learnings from programmes including the Ford GT and Focus RS to develop a mid-size performance car with a degree of flexibility that’s unique in its segment.”
The new Focus ST isn’t short of electronic wizardry for safety and convenience either, featuring Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go plus speed sign recognition and Lane-Centring; adaptive front lighting with camera-based predictive curve light; Active Park Assist 2; heads-up display (the first for Ford in Europe); and Evasive Steering Assist (a first for the ST’s segment).
The all-new Focus ST will go on sale across Europe in summer 2019.
Jonathan Musk
Jonathan turned to motoring journalism in 2013 having founded, edited and produced Autovolt - one of the UK's leading electric car publications. He has also written and produced books on both Ferrari and Hispano-Suiza, while working as an international graphic designer for the past 15 years. As the automotive industry moves towards electrification, Jonathan brings a near-unrivalled knowledge of EVs and hybrids to Fleet World Group.
