Ford Focus ST - Official Pictures

[duglet]

Ford Focus ST - Official Pictures

Official photos of Ford's latest road-rocket emerge ahead of Paris show, muscular hatch will feature 247bhp.

It’s the hottest Focus ST ever! Ford wowed crowds at the Paris Motor Show with this new, VW Golf GTI-rivalling high-performance hatch.

Packing striking looks and a mighty 247bhp turbocharged engine, the ST sits at the very top of the all-new Focus range, which also debuts in France.

It’s the first model developed by Ford’s global Performance Vehicles team, and features a version of the all-new direct-injection 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine. This replaces the old 2.5-litre five-cylinder unit.

"It's great to offer a new engine that not only has more power and torque, but is 25 percent more efficient," said Ford of Europe boss, Stephen Odell.

Ford is remaining tight-lipped over performance figures for now. Yet as the car delivers the same output as Renaultsport’s Mégane 250, and has 40bhp more than the Golf GTI and 25bhp more than the outgoing ST, it’s set to cover 0-60mph in less than six seconds and go on to 155mph.

Sports suspension with a clever traction control system featuring torque vectoring will ensure all that punch reaches the road. But with a six-speed manual box, it should return around 35mpg combined economy and emit 180g/km of CO2.

The ST’s pace is backed up by its looks. The front end is dominated by a huge mesh grille, while the muscular bodykit incorporates low sills, a roof spoiler and low rear bumper, allowing twin exhausts to exit through its centre. This show car is finished in Tangerine Scream – a bright orange colour which is likely to be an option.

The new ST won’t be available as a three-door (sales of the previous version were slow), but an estate could join the five-door for the first time. Both get a racy cabin, with coloured sports seats, a row of gauges on the facia and carbon fibre and piano black trim.

While the new Focus range goes on sale later this year, the ST won’t appear until late 2011. Expect a £24,000 price tag. Also at Paris, Ford will reveal its plug-in hybrid technology for the new C-MAX compact MPV.

By Sam Hardy

September 2010

Source: Autoexpress

Happy Motoring
duglet

[duglet]

Happy Motoring
duglet

[SarcasticOne]

yuck at interior... seats look horrible... and the centre console looks waaaaaaaaaay too cluttered for my liking...
not a fan of the rear tailpipes, front bumper, or rear lights... but would prefer to see one in the metal before finalising decision...

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/29/p...hatches-early/

Here's why our interest is piqued: a turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine with 247 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque;

184kw and 360NM

[Caffeine Fiend]

Not arguing with the specs, they look hawt

But the styling...... I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.......

Not a fan. The grill looks like something that should be tipped horizontally and have steaks thrown on it.......

[CharlieBrown]

I think I just threw up a little.

That is horrid.

[Yeldarb]

My first thought? Spew!

[BradstaMS]

Maybe if it was white, this colour doesnt do it ANY justice at all.

[240MPS]

I don't mine the colour....

[tonks39]

Wow! That is just horrible.

A lot make comments on the so called smiley face on the front of the gen2 3's.
But is with the front of this thing? Looks like a whale shark with its mouth open, ready to glide through the water and collect plankton. Either that or a frog. Tail lights are also awful.

[Nirvandan]

Wow! That is just horrible.

A lot make comments on the so called smiley face on the front of the gen2 3's.

Even funnier that gen2 owners are bagging the new front of the Ford ST