Ford Focus ST and estate facelift

By Ben Pulman

Motor Shows

05 December 2007 17:00

A new fast Ford?

Not quite. This is a hot Focus, but it’s only a facelifted version of the current ST. Ford showed the regular Focus at the Frankfurt show back in Septmber, but it’s only now that we get to see the 2.5-litre turbocharged five-pot.

Unfortunately, to these eyes at least, it’s the one facelifted Focus that doesn’t work with Martin Smith’s ‘kinetic design’ nip and tuck.

Dynamically the ST is untouched, but Ford has made efforts to improve the refinement, and the interior quality. It’s largely successful, as you can read in our first drive of the 2.0 TDCi.

The Focus ST will no doubt continue to offer a much more refined and relaxed driving experience than the Civic Type-R, and Ford’s latest tweaks will only aid that. Prices start at £17,995, with the ST-2 available for £1000 more, and the ST-3 at £19,995. Deliveries start in the first quarter of 2008.

By Ben Pulman