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Ford Focus ST-2

The Ford Focus ST-2 has a powerful engine with excellent suspension but suffers from mild traction issues

Ford Focus ST-2

Text AUTO 197223 to 88833 to download the Ford Focus ST-2 engine ringtone to your phone. Terms & Conditions below.

14th September 2006

There must be something in the water at Ford’s HQ. How else do you explain the fact that the firm has the ability to produce cracking driver’s cars time and again without apparent effort? From the Puma and Ka to the Fiesta and Mondeo, every Ford drives with verve and dynamism. But the hot hatches are truly special.

 
There’s no faulting the tuneful five-cylinder engine. The turbocharged 222bhp unit excels through the mid-range
Take the latest Focus ST. It’s a world away from the hardcore RS version featured in Greatest Drives 2003, but is no less entertaining. That said, it doesn’t have quite the same motorsport ambience as its predecessor. While that model featured components from a host of rally suppliers, the latest ST is very much Ford’s own work. And it’s all the better for it.

True, after the purposeful exterior, the cabin is slightly disappointing. The driver’s chair needs to be lower, yet the seats are more figure-hugging than the Golf GTI’s. The clutch and gearchange are heavier, but well weighted nonetheless.

There’s no faulting the tuneful five-cylinder engine. The turbocharged 222bhp unit excels through the mid-range, although with 320Nm on tap, traction can be a problem, especially when exiting Croft’s final hairpin.

That aside, the chassis was a real delight. It soaked up bumps, the steering brims with feedback and the Ford coped far better on the track than many supposedly more sporting cars. The ST is tough to split from the GTI in every regard; this pair remain the hot hatches to beat.

Text AUTO 197223 to 88833 to download the Ford Focus ST-2 engine ringtone to your phone.

(Service costs 150p per ringtone. Normal operator charges apply. Users must have a GPRS enabled and compatible handset and be over 16. Support email mobile@dennis.co.uk.)

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For an alternative review of the latest Ford Focus visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

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  • Ford Focus ST-2 Video 4.8MB

    • Pictures

    Ford Focus ST-2
    Ford Focus ST-2
    Ford Focus ST-2

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    Specifications

    On-the-road price: £19,120
    Engine/capacity: 5cyl in-line/2,521cc
    Peak power: 222/6,100 bhp/rpm
    Peak torque: 320/1,600 Nm/rpm
    Kerbweight: 1,317kg
    0-60 claimed/actual: 6.5/6.4secs
    30-70mph/top speed: 5.6secs/150mph
    60-0mph: 35.4 metres
    Noise idle/full revs: 43/74dB
    Lap time/ranking: 1min 47.3secs/15th

    Road rating: 5/5
    Track rating: 4/5
    Feelgood factor: 3/5
    Value rating: 4/5
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