Photo: SB-Medien
When our carparazzi said they captured the interior of the new Focus ST, we weren't all that excited. But a quick look at their shots revealed the shifter for the much-rumored automatic gearbox.
We didn't doubt that the Focus ST would have an auto version but expected it to come in the form of a diesel model with about 190 horsepower. That car wouldn't be a hot hatch; more of a GT-hatch. But to our surprise, the vehicle log describes this as being an automatic with a "gas" engine.
And previous intel pretty much confirmed the "gas" part of the equation links four cylinders to form a big-old 2.3-liter turbo, not the rumored 1.5-liter 3-banger. It's good news for hot hatch fans, but we're not sure the same can be said about the auto.
You see, this is most likely an in-house gearbox, and Ford doesn't roll with the DSG crowd. So Ford Performance probably had to work with the same 8-speed auto with a torque converter as in the base Focus. In normal cars, those things are usually not the fastest units, and even though the Focus ST should have 270 HP or slightly more, the auto model might take close to 7 seconds to 100 km/h.
Most of its rivals have or will have twin-clutch units at their disposal: Golf GTI, Octavia RS, Renault Megane RS, and even the Hyundai i30 N. And while we're on the subject of complaints, a rotary selector and auto handbrake belong in a Range Rover, not a hot hatch. But at least Ford is getting its foot in the door.
The rest of the cabin is as we expected. The Focus ST has always been about affordability, so internal changes are kept to a minimum. Still, those Recaro seats look sporty, even though we struggle to call them "buckets." Yeah, this is about it. From the body kit to the exhaust, everything on this prototype looks ready for production.
And previous intel pretty much confirmed the "gas" part of the equation links four cylinders to form a big-old 2.3-liter turbo, not the rumored 1.5-liter 3-banger. It's good news for hot hatch fans, but we're not sure the same can be said about the auto.
You see, this is most likely an in-house gearbox, and Ford doesn't roll with the DSG crowd. So Ford Performance probably had to work with the same 8-speed auto with a torque converter as in the base Focus. In normal cars, those things are usually not the fastest units, and even though the Focus ST should have 270 HP or slightly more, the auto model might take close to 7 seconds to 100 km/h.
Most of its rivals have or will have twin-clutch units at their disposal: Golf GTI, Octavia RS, Renault Megane RS, and even the Hyundai i30 N. And while we're on the subject of complaints, a rotary selector and auto handbrake belong in a Range Rover, not a hot hatch. But at least Ford is getting its foot in the door.
The rest of the cabin is as we expected. The Focus ST has always been about affordability, so internal changes are kept to a minimum. Still, those Recaro seats look sporty, even though we struggle to call them "buckets." Yeah, this is about it. From the body kit to the exhaust, everything on this prototype looks ready for production.
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