These are the first spy shots of the upcoming hotter
derivative of the new Ford Focus, also known as the Focus ST. The test car was
spotted at the Nurburgring during some high-speed testing and wearing a
dizzying wrap in a bid to hide its more aggressive body kit that includes the
traditionally redesigned pair of bumpers, deeper side sills and a more
prominent roof spoiler.
The rear end also features a dual exhaust layout
while the larger alloys fill in nicely the wheel wells and accommodate the
beefier brakes. The most interesting part of the new Ford Focus ST comes under
the engine, as the company is reportedly going to replace the existing
2.0-liter petrol engine with a revised 1.5-liter turbo unit that, get this,
will produce as much as 275 hp in a bid to offer more power than the existing
model.
The petrol engine of the Focus
ST will be one of the most heavily turbocharged engines in the hot hatch
segment and it will be interesting to see what tricks Ford will apply to deal
with issues like turbo lag and throttle response. Ford is also expected to
continue offering the Focus ST with a diesel engine and more bodystyles in
regions like Europe, where the existing diesel variant holds a significant
chunk of the model’s sales.
Ford is also working on the next Focus RS model,
which will reportedly be powered by a new electrified powertrain with around
400 hp. As for when we’re going to see the new Ford Focus ST, chances are that
the model will debut later this year but won’t arrive in the market until late
2019 or early 2020 in the case of the US market.
