Ford has launched a seven-speed automatic
transmission option for the Focus ST, with deliveries starting next month.
Offered solely with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost petrol engine with the hatchback and
estate body styles, it starts at £ 34,710 (US$ 43,798) and £ 36,110 (US$ 45,565),
respectively, in the UK. That represents a £ 1,450 (US$ 1,830) premium over the
six-speed manual variants.
In this spec, the 0-100 km/h acceleration
takes 6.0 seconds in the hot hatch, 0.3 seconds slower than the stick shift
version, while the top speed remains electronically capped at 250
km/h. The wagon adds 0.1 seconds to the sprint and has an identical top speed.
The 2.3-liter turbo-four still develops 276 HP and 420 Nm of torque.
Ford claims that choosing this version
over the six-speed manual won’t affect the fuel consumption, which is
WLTP-rated at 34.4 mpg UK (28.6 mpg US / 8.2 l/100 km) in both cars. The CO2
emissions increase from 187 to 188 g/km though.
The 7-speed auto ‘box comes with a rotary
gear selector, instead of the conventional stick, and paddle shifters mounted
on the steering wheel. Like the six-speed manual versions, it features a
dedicated ‘Sport’ button on the flat-bottomed steering wheel, which is used to
access the Sport mode. There’s also a ‘Mode’ button that allows drivers to
scroll through other modes.
Customers who put more miles on the clock
can still get the 2.0-liter EcoBlue diesel engine, which produces 187 HP and 400 Nm of torque, and is matched to a six-speed
manual transmission. The five-door hatchback takes 7.6 seconds to sprint to 100 km/h and the estate is 0.1 slower, whereas top speed stands at 219 km/h.
