Ford Focus ST 2007 Pictures

Ford Focus ST 2007 Pictures High Res

                 

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Ford Focus ST 2007

At launch just a short year ago, Ford’s Focus ST weaved its magic on the motoring press and buying public alike. Has a glut of feisty new hot hatches pulled the rug from under its pretty 18” 5-spoke feet?

Fans of the hot hatch are experiencing automotive nirvana right now. Seemingly every week another hopeful, souped-up supermarket trolley enters the battle for the hearts and wallets of enthusiasts. Only recently, we’ve said hello to the new MINI Cooper S, Mazda 3 MPS, SEAT Leon Cupra, Clio 197 and Honda’s screaming Civic Type R. Up to now, the charge has been led by Ford’s critically acclaimed and fast selling Focus ST, which, to many, just holds the edge over its arch rival, the iconic VW Golf GTI. The buying public seems to agree, with the ST outselling the GTI in 2006.

At first glance, it’s not difficult to see why; chunky bumpers, side skirts, a WRC inspired rear wing, swollen wheel arches and Lambo-esque 18” 5-spoke alloys combine to give a chunky, purposeful look. This makes it a pretty successful makeover, given the rather timid lines of the stock Focus. However, choose your paint finish carefully as it’s quite a colour sensitive shape: go for red or orange and you’ll look like you’ve got an ASBO, opt for dark grey or blue and it actually looks reasonably sophisticated and stealthy.

Settle into the standard Recaro seats and you’re greeted by the familiar Focus dash: simple, clear, reasonably well constructed, but just a little dull. There has been an attempt to liven it up which runs to a trio of extra dials grafted (a bit too literally) atop of the dash, a meaty leather clad steering wheel, two-tone seats (if you stick with the standard cloth items) and the odd splash of plasti-aluminium. It’s fine in isolation but the ambience it delivers is ultimately more basic than the Taste the Difference served up by the Golf’s intimate, classy cabin. At least it’s big and practical, especially if you select the 5 door version.
But great hot hatches are about delivering hard-edged thrills not soft-feel plastics; pace not space. And here the Focus is on solid ground. Quite literally, as the standard Focus is a great handling car. In their efforts to make it even more of a crowd pleaser, Ford has lowered and firmed up the suspension, added a quicker steering rack and covered those lovely alloys in sticky 225/40 rubber.

However, the real star turn lies under the bonnet: a warbling 2.5-litre turbocharged inline 5-cylinder unit courtesy of the chaps at Volvo, wielding a class competitive 222bhp and a hefty 236lb ft of torque. Even though this powerplant can be found doing duty in a host of Volvo estates, it doesn’t feel remotely out of place. Given its head, this wonderfully sonorous engine will pull the ST past the 60mph mark in 6.8 seconds and won’t stop until an automatic ban inducing 152mph.

On the road, it’s that engine that dominates your senses and endows the ST with a character absent from its rivals’ 4-pot units. Ambling through traffic, it’s smooth, quiet and oh so effortless, wafting you along on its wave of lag free, low down torque. Find yourself on a clear stretch of B-road with your concrete boots on and it changes character: from about 3000rpm upwards it sounds terrific, all raw and muscular, yet never uncouth. Get enough hot gases pumping through the twin exhaust pipes and you’ll also be treated to a delicious crackle on the overrun, for the full on rally effect.
Veer from a straight line and the rally car impersonation continues. Those wide tyres generate bags of grip and allow the ST to hold on as doggedly as a retirement shy Prime Minister. Turn in is sharp, communicative and largely resistant to understeer, although through tighter turns it can feel a tad nose heavy. Body control is excellent and the damping offers a well judged balance between tautness and pliancy. The ride leaves you in no doubt as to the state of the road beneath, but smoothes off the edges enough to remain comfortable.

The Focus ST then is still a brilliant car. It’s fast, handles and best of all, has an engine that oozes power and character. It also remains something of a bargain, with prices for the basic 3-door starting at £17,995 or in other words nearly £3K south of a base Golf GTI. But newer rivals do expose its flaws. A 30.4mpg average (which is optimistic if you so much as look at a town centre) looks mighty thirsty next to a MINI Cooper S that offers similar pace, but returns over 10mpg more.

But the biggest problem becomes apparent when the ST is parked up alongside the new Civic Type R. Here’s a car that also has one of the great engines and is entertaining to drive but, and this is the decider, looks genuinely special. The Honda’s 2020 styling and gloriously bold interior instantly date the Focus and that simply makes you want the Civic more. However, rumours of a stonking, 300bhp Focus RS persist, so Ford may yet be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat and return to being top of the hots.

Verdict

FOR: A gloriously sonorous engine, tight handling, licence risking pace, everyday practicality and good value.

AGAINST: Just doesn’t look special enough against newer rivals, puts a smile on the face of BP shareholders

CONCLUSION: The Focus ST remains a cracking hot hatch, but the cracks in its chunky (and sometimes very orange) armour are beginning to show.

Spec
ENGINE: 2,521cc
Co2 (g/km)/tax: 224g/km
POWER: 225 PS @ 6000rpm
TORQUE (lb/ft): 236 lb ft @ 1600 – 4000rpm
0-60mph (sec): 6.8 seconds
TOP SPEED: 151mph
MPG: / / 30.37 (urban/extra-urban/combined)
TRANSMISSION: 6 speed manual
WHEELS: 18” 5 spoke alloys
TYRES: 225/40 R18
WEIGHT: 1860 kg
PRICE: From £17,995
RIVALS: Audi A3 2.0TFSI and 3.2, Honda Civic Type R, RenaultSport Megane 225, SEAT Leon 2.0TFSI, Skoda Octavia VRS, Toyota Corolla TTE Compressor, Vauxhall Astra VXR, VW Golf GTi 2.0TFSI, Mazda 3 2.0litre sport