Perhaps the new benchmark in performance compacts.
Once the SVT Focus departed in 2004, we
were left staring across the Atlantic wishing for a hot version of
Ford’s small car. Now, the Focus ST is here. You can walk into a Ford
showroom and plunk down a deposit on 252 horsepower of automotive glee,
with deliveries starting later this summer. Consider the Focus ST less
of Ford’s answer to the Volkswagen GTI and more of a challenge, throwing
down the gauntlet for rights to the sport-compact performance crown.
Fresh and Ready
Our first taste of the Focus ST
came at Ford’s Lommel proving grounds in Belgium, where we sampled the
tail-happy chassis tuning and electronic wizardry of the torque-steer
compensation system from the passenger’s seat. Since then, a few tweaks
have been made to the final product. The active sound symposer, a sound
tube with a separate throttle body that pipes intake noise straight into
the cabin, has been tweaked to offer a deeper tone. On-center steering
response has been tightened up in accordance with the ST’s sporting
mission, as has the shift lever.
The rest
of the details remain unchanged, although the output numbers, now SAE
certified, have seen slight upticks. Ford’s turbocharged 2.0-liter
EcoBoost four-cylinder sits under the hood, with a unique intake and
exhaust. The aforementioned 252 hp comes at 5500 rpm. Maximum torque is
270 lb-ft at 2700 rpm, and an overboost feature helps preserve a nearly
flat torque curve by allowing higher turbo pressures for up to 15
seconds at a time. The front brakes are bigger than on a standard Focus,
the suspension is lowered 0.4 inch, the springs and dampers are
specially tuned, and the rear suspension is revised with a unique mount
for the anti-roll bar.
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What’s more, as Ford promised,
the Focus ST has the same mechanical specification worldwide, right
down to the 235/40-18 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric tires. Which is not
to say our Focus ST is outfitted identically to those in every other
market—most notably, U.S.-market STs do not come standard with the
Recaro seats shown in the model at auto shows. Those come as part of the
$2385 ST2 package, which also includes automatic climate control and an
8.0-inch touch screen. For an extra $4435, the ST3 package adds heat
and full leather to those seats, plus amenities such as HID headlights,
LED daytime running lamps, and navigation.
Consider
the Recaros mandatory—they hug your sides slightly tighter, you sit a
little deeper than in a regular Focus. As such, you can look at the ST’s
base price not as the advertised $24,495 but instead the $26,880
required with the ST2 package included. Even so equipped, the ST matches
up favorably in terms of price and features against the Volkswagen GTI
and Mazdaspeed 3, as well as Subaru’s WRX and BRZ, Ford’s own V-6
Mustang, and the rest of the crowded sub-$30,000 performance segment.
In
the absence of those vehicles for a direct comparison, the Focus ST is,
well, pretty amazing. Our drive route took us through southern France,
and on both highway and two-lane mountain roads, the Focus appears to
fulfill the promise of the affordable daily-driver performance car. When
you first sit down in the driver’s seat, you notice the unique interior
pieces immediately. A trio of gauges—oil temperature, boost pressure,
and oil pressure—sit atop the dashboard. The steering wheel is covered
in soft leather with wax paper–like grippiness and thin, high-density
foam padding underneath. Less obvious is the stability-control switch in
front of the shift lever, absent on lesser Foci, which toggles between
full on, sport mode, and fully off.
Willing and Able
The
ST proves easy to drive in traffic, with plenty of low-end torque and
an easy-to-master clutch and shifter. At higher speeds, the cabin is
quiet, as is the exhaust. Drop from sixth to third gear, though, and a
smooth engine note fills the cabin—almost a refined blat. The
steering—electrically assisted via a rack-mounted motor—is quick at 1.8
turns lock-to-lock. This is partially due to the variable rack, and
partially due to the lack of steering angle; the Focus ST’s biggest
fault may be its appalling 39.4-foot turning radius. The quick steering
feels natural during cornering, and it dials in its substantial heft as
well as any electric system.
Hold your
right foot down long enough, and the ST will rev past redline to a soft
6800-rpm fuel cutoff. Sweeping up through the rev range is smooth and
linear, and feels stronger than the horsepower rating suggests. Ford
claims a 0-to-60 time of 6.2 seconds, which seems conservative—we’re
thinking something more like six flat. The torque-steer compensation
does a decent job, but a tug on the wheel can be provoked with a quick
hit of the throttle. Considering all the twist routed through the front
wheels, though, we find the system effective.
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Equally impressive is the suspension, which
handles bumps with a single up-down motion. It’s stiff enough for some
head toss when the road undulates heavily, but it’s a worthwhile
trade-off for the handling. As we suspected from our preview, this is a
car that goes exactly where you point it, all the more remarkable due to
its front-wheel-drive layout. And the tail-happy nature is still
present, although it’s less prevalent in the dry than during the damp
day in Lommel.
Let’s get back to the ST’s main competitors, the GTI and the Mazdaspeed 3.
Both have powertrains that essentially date back years to previous
generations. That speaks to the essential goodness of both cars,
especially in the case of the 10Best-winning VW, but it also gives the
impression that neither company is much interested in making significant
progress.
The Focus, then, exploits
some of that weakness. Where the GTI can be criticized—a softness in
suspension and brakes when pushed hard, some lack of power—the ST simply
cannot. And where the Mazdaspeed shows its rough edges—wheel-wrestling
torque steer and a harsh ride—the ST is smooth. In terms of feel, the
Ford splits the gap between these two cars, delivering a good deal of
the creamy usability of the VW and much of the balls-out raucousness of
the Mazda. An inevitable comparison test will show where the Ford ranks
in direct competition, but we can say with certainty that the Focus ST
should be on any car enthusiast’s shopping list.By. BY MICHAEL AUSTIN, June 2012
Ford Focus ST 2013 review! Looking the small car is so nice and attractive. I think collect the car with auto insurance will be wistful task for nuclear family.
I like this car it's amazing
For more info about a new cars : http://first-car-info.blogspot.com/
So nice