Ford Australia has introduced a new flagship variant of the Focus ST hot hatch dubbed the ST-3. Capped at 200 units for the local market, the Focus ST-3 comes loaded with standard features including a panoramic sunroof, heated and electrically-adjustable front Recaro sports seats with lumbar support, a B&O Play 10-speaker audio system with subwoofer, a Head-Up display, and a Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert.
The hot hatch also sports Ford’s Advanced
Front Lighting System that uses a camera to detect curves in the road and turn
the headlights. The system can also adapt the beam shape of the headlights to
suit the road and driving situations. Other standard features include wireless
smartphone charging, keyless entry and push-button engine start, ambient LED
lighting and dual-zone climate control.
No mechanical changes have been made to
the Focus ST-3 from the standard car, although it is available exclusively with
the seven-speed automatic transmission, rather than the six-speed manual that
the standard model is also offered with. Power comes courtesy of an
all-aluminum 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder pumping out 276 HP at 5,500 rpm and 420 Nm of torque between 3,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm.
Prices start at AU$ 47,990 (US$ 37,400).
