Ford has shown its new Focus ST, facelifted for 2014. The hot hatch was unveiled at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex – and the big news is the arrival of a diesel Focus ST for the first time.
Taking advantage of the renewed interest in some quarters for fast hatches with lowly appetite for fuel and CO2, Ford is launching the Focus ST diesel.
It has a 183bhp 2.0 TDCI engine and Ford quotes 0-62mph in 8.1sec, 64mpg and 114g/km of carbon dioxide.
Read our new Ford Focus review: we drive the latest hatchback
Will the diesel ST sound like a tractor? The 23% power hike of the oil-burner over the regular 2.0 TDCI is accompanied by a new air intake and exhaust tuning to make sure the ST D sounds responsive.
What else is new on the 2014 Ford Focus ST?
In line with the rest of the Ford Focus family, the ST is bristling with gently retailored bodywork on the five-door and estate models. Ford says it has fettled the suspension settings and steering system to sharpen the Focus’s handling dynamics. How? By fitting new front springs and retuning the dampers at both axles.
Inside the new ST you’ll find Recaro seats, a sports steering wheel and the latest Sync 2 connectivity controlled by an eight-inch colour touchscreen.
Operated by touch or voice control, Sync is designed to pair seamlessly with smartphones, enabling apps and music to be streamed through the car’s multimedia system.
Ford Focus ST: performance, specs
The regular petrol Focus ST sticks with a 2.0-litre Ecoboost engine, tuned to develop 247bhp. Ford claims that’s quick enough to hit 62mph in 6.5sec, putting the ST firmly in the hot hatch premier league.
Crucially, the petrol Focus ST is also 6% cleaner thanks to auto stop-start. Claimed average economy stands at 41.5mpg, while CO2 falls to 158g/km.
Ford has sold more than 140,000 Focus ST models in 40 countries worldwide since the car was first launched in 2002 – and the UK remains the biggest market for Ford’s hot hatch.