Motor Australia – September 2019

32 september 2019 whichcar.com.au/motor

thinkweweretalkingaboutthelatest
Porsche 911 Turbo.
Despiteallitstech,though,the
front-driveFocusSTremainsa familiar
device,witha transversefour-cylinder
turbomatedtoa six-speedmanual
(oroptionalseven-speedauto).It has
beenengineeredtobeanenjoyable
everydayperformancecar,with
track-daypotentialbutexcellent
roadmanners.
Doesfamiliarmeanpredictable?Not
in thiscase.
Inanindustryobsessedwith
reducingcubiccentimetres,thatengine
is anoverhauledversionofthe2.3-litre
fromtheentry-levelMustanganduses
a version of the anti-lag system first
seen on the Ford GT supercar. The
206kW it develops is competitive if
unexceptional, but 420Nm is almost a
fifth up on the old 2.0-litre Focus ST
and the highest output in this class.
Through the mid-range, Ford says,
the ST is quick enough to see off the
old Focus RS – with closer gear ratios

andsomuchtorquepushingagainst

lessweight,that’scertainlyplausible–

andthesprintto100km/his doneand

dustedin 5.7sec,animprovementof

0.8secoverthepreviousST.

Topspeedis lessimportantand

cappedat250km/h.However,thefact

thatSTprototypesregularlynudged

275 ontheautobahnshintsatexcellent

aerodynamicefficiency,whichmatters

if youcareaboutrollingrefinementand

fueleconomy.

Yetif thiscarneedstoexcelin

onesinglearea,it’schassisdynamics.

WeknowtheFocus’slightweightC2

platformprovidesa basisforstellar

handlingtraits,buttheSTsits10mm

closer to the ground and has unique

steering knuckles, firmer bushes, new

spring and damper units (20/13 per

cent stiffer front/rear), thicker anti-roll

bars and bigger brakes. During our

short test drive, the new ST proves

immensely good fun, with a possibly

class-leading blend of everyday

manners and mischievous handling.

The engine may be a bit ordinary

in the Mustang, but exerts its full

personality in a humble Focus, spinning

with an offbeat heave. With no active

exhaust, there’s a generous degree of

sound ‘enhancement’ for the cabin that

may irk purists, but it’s well judged.

As with many European fast Fords,

there’s quite a bit of flywheel effect

when you lift off the accelerator, but

response is otherwise good, hitting like

a sledgehammer from 2500-4500rpm

and revving freely to the redline. The

powertrain gets a big tick.

At 11.3:1, the steering is very quick

and takes some getting used to. In

terms of feel, it doesn’t have quite the

grit of a Renault Sport Megane or the

gloriously natural heft of the Type R,

but it’s similarly involving and allows

you to explore the Focus ST’s handling,

which you’ll want to do often.

Track mode untethers a playful side,

but disable the stability control and

the ST becomes as wildly flamboyant

as you can handle. The grip generated

M

MAIN

Ford’sLommelproving

groundinBelgium

provideda sterntest

ofthenewFocus

ST’scapabilities

OPPOSITE

RIGHT

Testcaratlaunch

camewitha six-

speedmanualand

threepedals,but

willalsocomewith a

seven-speedtorque-

converterauto

➜