2012 Ford Focus ST

If you couldn't get your hands on one of the few Focus RS rockets that made it Down Under then don't panic, because next year you should be able get a Focus ST with enough grunt to rival VW's Golf GTI and Subaru's WRX.

While marketing down under for the new Ford Focus is hyping the vehicle's technology credentials, a new go-fast version has been unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Focus ST is expected to go on-sale next year (2012) in Europe – there's no word yet on when it will make it down under.

Working together, the Global Performance Vehicles group – made up of Ford Team RS in Europe and the Special Vehicles Team (SVT) in the United States, along with input from Ford experts in the Asia Pacific and Africa region – devised a strategy that all future global performance Ford cars will adhere to.

"Focus ST hasn't come around by chance," said Jost Capito (the man who gave us the Focus RS). "What came first was our global performance strategy, which has been developed with North America, Europe and Asia together. With this, the core DNA attributes like the steering, driving dynamics, the sound quality and the power enhancements for all ST models have all been defined to the extent that our engineers can take that global DNA fingerprint and use it to create the new Focus ST."

Like all future ST models, the new Focus ST has key physical DNA attributes like the aggressively enhanced front and rear bumpers, the addition of a rear spoiler and sideskirts plus a unique signature colour.

In both five-door and wagon form, the scintillating Focus ST delivers the same driving attributes that makes all Ford 'Sports Technologies' models stand out amongst the competition. The chassis, engine, sound and comfort of the vehicle are tuned harmoniously to deliver a truly sporty experience with a level of refinement rarely seen in this sector of vehicle. These same attributes will form the genetic code for future models bearing the ST badge.

The One Ford approach to working together across geographic boundaries has already seen successful global launches of the Fiesta and new Focus for the company. This approach is the great enabler for performance versions to be readily developed for a global market.

"The new Focus is a fantastic car to develop an ST model from," said Matthias Tonn, chief program engineer for the Focus ST. "It's a solid shell with precise handling as standard, as customers around the world have already found out. It doesn't compromise on any area in any region of the world, and Focus ST builds upon that strength to give our global performance customers the car they want, the car they have been asking for."

According to Capito and Tonn, performance vehicle customers around the world desire the same things from a car no matter on what types of road or in what weather conditions they drive. This is the insight that Ford's Global Performance Vehicles group gained and it forms the guiding principles for the company's global performance car strategy.

The Focus ST has made it into production virtually unchanged from the concept seen at last year's Paris show. It will be sold in more than 40 countries on six continents.

Power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine with 180kW and 360Nm, but Ford has yet to confirm performance figures. However, Ford promises a 20 per cent boost in fuel economy over the previous Focus ST's 2.5-litre, five-cylinder engine, along with lower CO2 emissions.

Dynamic features include a new variable-ratio steering rack and an electronic Torque Steer Compensation system that works in conjunction with the electric power steering. The stability control system has three selectable modes that alter the level of its intervention, including a setting that switches it off altogether. Other features include Enhanced Torque Vectoring Control and Cornering Under Steer Control systems, which work together to reduce understeer.

The Focus ST sits 10mm lower than standard Focuses thanks to new dampers and springs. The rear suspension of ST models also has uprated knuckles compared with standard cars and new anti-roll bars.

All STs ride on 18in alloy wheels that feature an evolution of the previous ST's Y-shaped spokes. These are wrapped in 235/40 R18 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 tyres, which will be sold as standard on STs everywhere in the world.