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The First Details Of The All-New 2011 Ford Focus ST Have Emerged

An inside source at Ford has confirmed that a hot ST version of the all-new hatchback will break cover at ...

First Details Of The 2011 Ford Focus ST

Posted on 23 July 2010 by Scott

An inside source at Ford has confirmed that a hot ST version of the all-new hatchback will break cover at the Paris Motor Show in October, alongside full production versions of the five-door and estate models.

Rumours have been circulating for some time about when the first new-generation fast Focus would rear its head, but only now do fans of high-performance cars have a date to put in their diary.

Back in March, Ford’s product development boss, Derrick Kuzak, revealed that the all-new Focus ST “will get an EcoBoost turbocharged engine, be exciting to drive, great to look at and certainly worth waiting for”. That suggests the outgoing car’s thirsty 2,5-litre engine is to be replaced by a more efficient 2,0-litre direct-injection turbo unit.

Exact power outputs have yet to be confirmed, but the 2,0-litre EcoBoost – already offered with 147 kW in the S-Max, Galaxy and Mondeo – could easily produce 184 kW and 350 Nm of torque. That would pitch the ST squarely at Renaultsport’s Mégane 250, yet still leave room for a 220 kW-plus RS version later in the car’s life cycle.

The hot Ford is expected to be even faster than the super-quick Mégane, delivering 0 – 100 km/h in around six seconds and a 250 km/h top speed. But the ST’s trump card will be its ability to blend this pace with class-leading efficiency. Likely combined economy of 8.0 l/100km and 187g/km CO2 emissions would eclipse the 9.4 l/100km and 224g/km figures of the current ST by some margin.

In corners, clever torque vectoring software will manage power between the front wheels to exploit every ounce of grip available to the new model. A variety of driving modes will alter throttle response and steering weight, depending on the driver’s personal preferences.

The Focus five-door hatch and estate are scheduled to go on sale in April 2011, with the ST version due later in the year.