The 276-HP Ford Focus ST Is Hot Hatch Forbidden Fruit

The Blue Oval will unleash an all-new Ford Focus ST this summer in Europe, and we get nothing. Why, Ford, why? Sure, we love our Mustangs and F-150s, but we also have a hankering for just about any hot hatch, and this one sounds extra-sweet, as it packs a 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-four making 276 horses and 310 lb-ft of torque.

That’s a decent power bump over the last version—and the first and last Focus ST to come to America—that produced 252 hp and 270 lb-ft from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four. In the new car, the engine spins a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional new seven-speed automatic transmission. The manual is our first choice, naturally, but we’d take an automatic if it meant the car could hit our shores. But with Ford cutting most of its car lines from its U.S. lineup, the prospects of any ST hatch here are bleak.

Europeans can also order the ST with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel that delivers 187 horses and a meaty 295 lb-ft of torque, and either engine can be had in five-door hatchback or wagon body styles. The car is offered with a Performance package that brings an electronic limited-slip differential, adaptive dampers, launch control, and a rev-matching function on manual cars. Selectable chassis modes include Slippery/Wet, Normal, and Sport, plus Track mode for models with the Performance bundle.

Compared to the previous car, the fourth-generation ST receives a reshaped grille, a steeper rear roof spoiler, and a set of twin tailpipes (the center-exit exhaust is gone), while the Performance pack also adds red brake calipers. It rolls on 18- or optional 19-inch wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber and can be painted Ford Performance Blue, Orange Fury, Frozen White, Magnetic Gray, Race Red, Ruby Red, or Shadow Black. It looks fantastic, which makes the longing that much more intense.

The cabin has Recaro sport seats, power-assisted steering, an aluminum shift knob and trim, aluminum pedal caps, and a 4.2-inch screen. While the chances of getting one here are slim to none, we’re still going to try our best to drive the thing. In the meantime? Sigh.

Source: Ford

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