Álvaro Koke

Ford Focus ST Edition: The oval’s sporting heritage continues

The Focus oriented for track days with the 280-horsepower 2.3 EcoBoost engine

When one thinks about cars to use on track days, the usual thing is to go for Japanese hot hatches such as the Honda Civic Type-R, now with the Toyota GR, be it the GR Yaris, GR86 or GR Supra, other eastern rivals such as the Hyundai N (either i20 N or i30 N, in addition to the Veloster N in the case of the North American market) or, of course, supercars – in addition to some high-power sedans, in particular BMW 3 Series of any generation, very common in these types of events. For these types of environments, without giving up the practicality that an everyday car requires, Ford has launched the Ford Focus ST Edition, a truly interesting hot hatch that recovers a sportiness that seemed to have been diluted in recent years.

We must not ignore the fact that throughout its history Ford has produced very successful cars on circuits and that have been seen on the streets: this was the case of the Ford Capri, particularly the second and third generation, as was also that of the now legendary Sierra RS Cosworth, both the original version with its imposing rear spoiler and the more discreet but also more effective RS Cosworth 4×4 and the later Escort RS Cosworth. In more recent times we have had the vitaminized Focus RS or, for audiences closer to rallying, the Ford Fiesta ST – in fact, the Fiesta ST is the basis for the Fiesta Rally3 while the Fiesta Rally4 was based on the normal Fiesta, in its ST-Line finish.

At a time when brands rarely refer to sportiness as such – a clear object of debate regarding the marketing approach to this type of car or this market niche – Ford releases a car that can be called juicy, a sporty compact on which Ford Performance has clearly left its mark. A car that starts from the Focus ST and makes the chassis, one of Ford’s strong points in the Fiesta and Focus in the last decade, able to perform even more feats when taking corners with a set-up clearly oriented to the circuits, although without going to extremes that are too uncomfortable for everyday life.

Therefore, it is worthy of celebration that these types of cars continue to be seen in our market, always being grateful that there are brands that make risky bets with more passionate models in a world where it seems that technology is subjugating the emotions with which It has always been identified with the motor world. For all those who want to get excited and enjoy driving as much as possible comes this new missile from the oval brand. All this without giving up efficiency and modern equipment, being a step beyond the ST, which is already very interesting.

Ford Focus ST Edition mechanics

Under the hood we find a 2.3 Ecoboost engine with a twin-roll turbocharger that we already knew from the current Mustang, although the power in the case of the Focus is 280 horsepower, instead of the 315 (according to official figures) that the ‘colt’ gives. of the North American brand, going in this case to the front axle. The power is reached at 5,500 revolutions while the maximum torque of 420 Nm is delivered from 3,000. Ford claims that it goes from 0 to 100 in 5.7 seconds and its maximum speed is 250 kilometers per hour, more than enough for track days and for cases where it can be reached on the highway, read Autobahn.

The engine is coupled to the six-speed manual gearbox – although the ST has a seven-speed automatic, it was not going to be the option to follow for a passionate model unless they prepared it as Toyota has done with the new GR Yaris, optimizing it for circuits. Both inside and out it has elements that differentiate it from the normal ST, starting with the Azura Blue body and Motion Blue interior in a similar way to the Focus RS from several years ago, another spectacular track day car – which, thanks Due to its four-wheel drive, it ended up being a car used in the World Rally Championship as a recognition car for M-Sport drivers.

But what is really new about the Ford Focus ST Edition is not so much the engine but the work done on the coilover suspension with two steering adjustments, the work of KW Automotive, with double stainless steel tube casings. Both front and rear it is 10 millimeters lower than the normal ST, in addition to being able to be adjusted with a margin of another 20 millimeters. The hardness of these springs exceeds those of the ST by 50%, with twelve rebound adjustments and up to sixteen position recovery adjustments to adapt to all types of circuits.

Do you want to take it to track days but don’t know what suspension settings to set? No problem. The Ford Focus ST Edition includes a technical document with recommendations for these adjustments so that you can adapt them for different types of driving, being able to personalize your car according to the circuit. As expected, it includes specific settings for the unique Nürburgring Nordschleife, where these suspension settings have been extensively tested – all told, with the pros and cons of adjusting them based on Nordschleife data.

As standard, the Focus ST Edition includes technology equipment packages that include Adaptive Cruise Control with Speed Sign Recognition and Lane Centering, as well as Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert and other on-road amenities. In addition to the fact that some of these ADAS systems are mandatory for registration in Europe, Ford argues that these elements have been chosen as they are the most common optional packages chosen by Focus ST customers. It also has an effective 675 W B&O sound system with ten speakers, heated steering wheel and Quickclear windshield if you choose the winter package, 19-inch alloy wheels, rear spoilers and diffusers and other details that distinguish it from the conventional ST.

“The new Focus ST Edition represents the best of Ford Performance in an everyday package,” said Stefan Muenzinger, director of Ford Performance in Europe. “Sport Technologies means drivers don’t have to give up versatility, and can continue enjoying the excitement of a day on the circuit.”

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