Filed under: Euro, Hatchbacks, Ford
Ford Fiesta and Focus ST get more power
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While Ford keeps on cranking out newer, faster versions of the Mustang for American customers, Ford of Europe is preparing new packages for the Fiesta ST and Focus ST hot-hatches to do the same thing.
The £950 package for the diminutive Fiesta ST pushes power up to 185 hp from its 2-liter four, which is expected to come from upgraded engine management, cylinder heads, a new camshaft and exhaust. All that adds an extra 37 hp to the standard Fiesta ST's 148, dropping a sprint to 60 down half a second to eight flat.
Meanwhile, the larger, more powerful Focus ST gets treated to a similar upgrade, worth about £1,500. This package is tipped to include a new air filter, ECU and exhaust, amounting to a similar 38-horsepower increase in power for a total of 260 that drops the 0-60 blitz down to 5.5 seconds. Thank heavens Ford sells a version of the Focus here that's just as fast. Oh, wait...
Get this: current ST owners in Europe can also get this package retrofitted to currently-owned cars, along with a full-factory warranty on the parts. Europeans, then, will just have to make do with these hot hatch packages a while longer before the 300+ horsepower Focus RS arrives in 2009, at which point Blue Oval fanboys from the U.S. will invade your countries with the intent to drive.[Source: Auto Express]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Chris Vitale 5:46PM (1/02/2008)
185hp and still only an 8 sec 0-60? 185hp ain't too shabby from a 2.0l but that still seems kind of slow to me.
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John R 6:51AM (1/03/2008)
Yeah, I seem to remember Integra GS-Rs and Type Rs making due with 185-190hp and taking at the most 7 seconds to get to 60.
JGN 5:47PM (1/02/2008)
Why doesn't Ford sell cars like this in the domestic market? I was in the UK and saw little Fords everywhere, people love them there.
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C.W. 8:35AM (1/03/2008)
everyone needs to just relax. these vehicles will be in the U.S. within in the next 2 years. You have to understand that traditionally American buyers did not like the "kinetic design" philosophy employed in Europe. Not to mention the retooling that needs to happen in our plants to accomodate a narrower and overall smaller vehicle. this takes time and money. 2 things Ford is short on currently. The plan is to have a "Global Design Language" and you will start seeing this soon. Look for things like the European Focus, Mondeo, etc. It's happening people, so just chill!
fizzandpop 5:50PM (1/02/2008)
Whatever. I plan to retrofit my '85 XR2 with a new set of spots from Halfords using the gift vouchers my Gran gave me for Christmas. Eat that!
Actually I won't, I'll be rushing to my nearest Ford dealer to slap down a deposit on a brand new "old" Focus. Dude it's got 130 horsepower and SYNC from Microsoft. It freakin' talks! That alone will totally hold up my residuals when I trade it in three years from now. Wohooooo!
Obviously I won't do that either.
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Cornholio 5:50PM (1/02/2008)
Sigh. Here we go again. Ford, you suck.
I want a replacemen for my 2004 Focus SVT, but you have NOTHING to offer. WHY?? Why won't you offer these cars here? There's always an excuse, but none of them to date have made much sense.
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fizzandpop 6:01PM (1/02/2008)
If you don't bleed Ford, a Golf GTI my man.
But seriously, there MUST be a gray importer somewhere. Especially for the Focus RS. It's not as if you can't get them in LHD. Anyone?
WetheSheeple 6:06PM (1/02/2008)
My brother told me at Christmas that Ford is going to have the European Focus for N.A. by next year. He is an engineer who works in the dyno labs at Dearborn. He doesn't work for Ford directly, but he works with one of their suppliers for engine testing. I hope this is true.
fizzandpop 6:09PM (1/02/2008)
They sell Volvos over here with "cough" the same 5-cylinder engine (almost). You could probably get most of the servicing done at a decent Volvo dealership. This is making more sense by the minute. Does Ford offer European pick-up? Maybe a trip to Cologne is in your future.
Level 6:10PM (1/02/2008)
yeah there is a way...go to Mexico buy one register it there... then bring it back to the states....then slap a Kit Car title on it so you can drive it in the states and then u are done...
mike 8:19PM (1/02/2008)
If they bring it to North America, will we also see the high mpg diesel? Even better, any chance of an Electric option?
Enrique 5:22PM (1/08/2008)
For the people in the U.S.
You can get the european Focus at México in sedán and ST (special team) versions. www.ford.com.mx
Maybe you could cross to Tijuana, Cd. Juárez or Nvo Laredo to a Ford dealer and meke the paperwork to import it to the U.S.
2004m3driver 6:02PM (1/02/2008)
Funny thing is this is my favorite new model hot hatch and it isn't sold here and its a Ford! I like it better than the A3 and MSmazda3 or even the civic type R we don't get.
Life's a riot.
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Mallory 6:09PM (1/02/2008)
Ditto that. It drives me crazy how Ford will cry you a river about falling sales, new higher CAFE standards, etc, then refuse to sell some of their best designs in their own country. At some point you just want to give them the bird and buy something Japanese.
xspeedy 6:05PM (1/02/2008)
I won't buy a Ford until the European products are offered here in the US. Anything Ford makes/sells here isn't worth five minutes of my time in a dealership.
Seriously, what does it take? Save the money from engineering multiple products for multiple markets and bring us the S-Max and Focus.
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Hamud 6:27PM (1/02/2008)
Dudes, it's that hard to understand that us (enthusiast) don't make the big money for Ford?
Take that, we have the Focus MK1 and the Fiesta here in Brazil, they cost a lot and don't have any sport package...
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Cornholio 7:35PM (1/02/2008)
Do you understand that enthusiast purchases often lead to other purchases? Example - the Focus SVT I noted above had made me consider an Explorer for towing and snow duties. If you've got nothing to draw me into the dealership, I'm a lot less likely to consider _any_ of your products....
Besides, this car would appeal to more than just the hard-core enthusiasts. Witness the strong sales of other "premium" small cars like the Mazda 3, Mini, and Audi A3. The current Focus is only appealing to rental car companies, fleet operators, and those looking for cheap transportation. Bring it in, position it as a Mazda 3 competitor, and the buyers will come.
DS 7:42PM (1/02/2008)
@cornholio
Ford owns a controlling share of mazda... They dont need a competitor because they pretty much own it anyway
Cornholio 7:59PM (1/02/2008)
"Ford owns a controlling share of mazda... They dont need a competitor because they pretty much own it anyway"
Completely aware of that. They still compete for buyers.
Besides, my point was to position the Focus as a nice small car. Don't turn it into a Korean competitor bottom feeder, stripped of all that makes it compelling. You know, like the current Focus....
Owain Ozymandias Buck 11:29PM (1/02/2008)
Hell, I'm not thinking enthusiast here. With a busy job and kids to raise, anything approaching "enthusiast" level will have to wait at least a decade or two.
I just want a new decent compact wagon from friggin' ford. Not a two ton CUV. Or a cool minivan C-Max, S-Max, WTF Ever-Max. Not a flex, edge, etc.
But I would love to see the kids tearin' it up in new gen SVT focuses, even if I'll probably be too old to shift gears by the time I can consider one! They need a DSG--I hope the put light springs on those paddle shifters for arthritic hands. ;)