New Ford Focus ST Spied: Hey Ford, Please Bring this Hot Hatch to the U.S.
What It Is: The next generation of Ford’s hotted-up Focus ST hatchback spotted on U.S. soil in near-production form. While Ford has said that the only next-gen Focus for sale on our shores will be the crossover-ish Focus Active, seeing the Focus ST in its entirety makes us even more desperate for Ford to change its course on that decision. Hey, we’d even take a Focus Active ST if that is a more feasible prospect.
Why It Matters: Ford established itself as a formidable player in the hot-hatch segment when it concurrently sold the fantastic Focus ST and Fiesta ST in America for the past several years. The Focus ST developed a loyal enthusiast following here in the States and abandoning that seems a shame-especially given how promising this new version looks.
Platform: Based on the newest generation of the global Focus, which is already on sale in Europe, the ST pictured here continues with its four-door hatchback bodystyle. High-performance wheels and tires, a more aggressive body kit, and what we assume to be a stiffer suspension tune are all on the menu.
Powertrain: We’ve heard rumors that the ST will use a turbocharged 1.5-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder with around 275 horsepower, a nice bump over the current Focus ST’s turbo 2.0-liter with 252 hp. That grunt will still be routed through the front wheels through a manual transmission, although an automatic may be added to the options list. In Europe, there will also be a diesel version of the ST.
Competition: Honda Civic Si, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Hyundai Elantra GT Sport, Mini Cooper S
Estimated Arrival and Price: We can’t say when a Focus ST will arrive here because all we have for now is wishful thinking-please hear our cries, Ford.
('You Might Also Like',)
