The European Ford Performance team has developed the new Ford Focus ST. The compact sports model comes in two body versions, and is powered by a turbo petrol or diesel engine.
Ford Focus ST
Ford
Ford has introduced the new Focus ST. The sporty compact model was developed by the Performance team. Larger air intakes at the front, new side skirts, a roof spoiler, a diffuser and a two-flow exhaust system characterise the exterior of the sporty Focus. The chassis has been lowered by ten millimetres, and the light-alloy wheels are either 18 or 19 inches in size. The Ford Focus ST is available in a five-door variant and as a station wagon, the Turnier.
The 2.3-litre EcoBoost spark-ignition engine with twinscroll turbocharging produces 206 kilowatts (280 hp) at 5,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 420 Newton metres between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm. The four-cylinder aluminium engine has an anti-lag function, which was adapted from the Ford GT. In the"Sport" and "Race Track" modes, it prevents the boost pressure from dropping temporarily when shifting up, by keeping the throttle valve slightly open even when the throttle is removed.
Performance package with race track mode
The Focus ST's 2.0 litre turbo diesel has a power output of 140 kilowatts (190 hp) at 3,500 rpm and provides a maximum torque of 400 Newton metres between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. Both engine versions are equipped with a manual six-speed transmission with intermediate throttle function. The petrol engines are also optionally available with a seven-speed automatic transmission.
Three driving modes are available: "Slippery", "Normal" and "Sports". "Race track" is only available for the models with the Performance package. The electronics regulate the accelerator pedal, steering, ESP, limited-slip differential and damper tuning. The electro-mechanical EPAS power steering with a shorter gear ratio is also intended to increase driving dynamics. In addition, the front discs of the brake system were enlarged to 330 millimetres and at the rear to 302 millimetres.
Front wheel drive with improved traction
The standard BorgWarner electronic eLSD limited-slip differential for the petrol engine version can deliver up to 100 percent of the drive power to the wheel with better traction when needed. In the diesel version, a torque vectoring system for targeted braking interventions on the inner wheel of the bend provides extra traction.
The interior differs from the weaker versions, in that it has Recaro sports seats, additional instruments for boost pressure, oil pressure and oil temperature as well as an electronic engine sound amplifier. The range of driver assistance systems with ACC including jam pilot and lane pilot, traffic sign recognition, adaptive high beam, Parking Assistant Plus or Avoidance Assist is also available for the sports model, as is the Ford Sync 3 connectivity and entertainment system.