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14 Aug 2009

Five for Fighting: Ford Focus ST

Facelifted Ford Focus ST questions the $30K premium a Volkswagen Golf GTi asks for. 

 

Make: Ford

Model: Focus ST

Release Date: July 2009

Price: S$101,999

 

Latest news is that Ford has just been pushed down to the fifth spot among automotive manufacturers as the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group has produced 8000 more vehicles than Ford in the first half of 2009. A feat unimaginable prior to the current turbulent economic climate. 

And it was only five years ago, Toyota sent tremors across the automotive world by displacing Ford as the world’s second largest automaker. Here’s hoping that Ford can stop the rot soon.
 
It’s hard to believe that the Ford Focus is already five years old; perhaps the (initial) bland styling did help withstand the impact of time. Visually, this week’s featured car, the revised Focus ST features a much freshened up fascia. 

The headlights and sculpted nose is sharper and more dynamic and the overall look remains cohesive. By removing the tacky platinum-esque surrounds of the front and rear fog lights: the Focus ST’s facelift is quite simply a job well-done.

Clearly Ford had most of the money and resources poured into freshening up the visuals as they have left the chassis and engine alone - and justifiably so, because there was really no need to. 

Start the Focus ST, via the new transmission tunnel-mounted ‘Ford Power’ button and you will immediately be treated with a deep bassy woofle note from the characterful turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine, sourced from Volvo.  Should the 222bhp be not enough, the patient ones can wait for the Focus RS with a higher tuned version of the same five-cylinder engine. 

“Muscular” is how you would describe the turbocharged engine as it gets into a big, linear surge into driving license revoking speeds via the chunky sweet shifting six-speed manual gearbox. The century sprint certainly feels swifter than the 6.8 secs claimed by the manufacturer. 

However the five-cylinder engine is a huge drinker for premium unleaded despite the 9.3 litres per 100 km which the manufacturer has lay claims to. In the real world, it would be hard to resist flooring the throttle when the opportunities arise; you burble along with a quiet whistle from under the bonnet when you put your foot down or an occasional pop from the exhaust when you lift, you just don’t care.

It's for certain that everyone will enjoy the hallmark Ford school of dynamics: supple damping with weighty and communicative steering. Granted that the Focus ST allows too much road noise into the car over rough roads and road imperfections, but this is quite simply the best riding sports-orientated hatchback on sale. 

The Ford Focus is already 5 years old and we should be “kind” to the Focus ST’s interior, but it is simply quite desperate in here compared to newer rivals.  The main moulding for the dash top is soft-ish to touch but the rest of plastics are hard and insubstantial feeling. 

However, there are three extra dash-top dials which are a nice touch, the six-speed manual is slick and the Recaro seats are excellent. Not forgetting the bassy factory fitted sound system. Crucially, this is a well thought-through interior design; hence it covers all the practical aspects life can throw at you.  

Perhaps the biggest problem could be the “baggage” that the colour choices the Focus ST comes with. Only four to choose from; “electric orange”, “colorado red”, “performance blue” and “panther black”. Seemingly, it’s either loud or black. 

Would you wake up the following Monday thinking what the f..K were you thinking when you choose to go “electric orange”, while you attempt to match your wardrobe with your new striking to look at Focus ST ?    

Priced at a completive S$101,999, the Ford Focus ST is a steal if you can overlook the slightly iffy interior and potentially high running costs. With cars as good as the new Fiesta and the Focus, how on earth did the Koreans get ahead of Ford?

Engine 2521 cc, 5-cyl DOHC, 20 valves turbocharged
Transmission 6-speed manual
Wheels Driven front
Max. Power 225 bhp @ 6000rpm
Max. Torque 320 Nm @ 1600-4000rpm
0-100 km/h 6.8 secs
Top speed 241 km/h
Fuel Economy 9.3 litres per 100 km
CO2 Emissions 244 g/km
Dimensions (L x W x H) / Weight 4357 X 1839 X 1497 / 1408kg
Price with COE* S$101,999


讀者回應

1. 2009-08-15 00:39  
The Focus RS is the one to get !
2. 2009-08-15 08:18  
Because Ford has long been called American thrash, been too long since they came out with something relatively nice. The Focus is nice, but looks dated after a whille, I have seen two of my neighbours turn over their Focus in less than three years. But the engine should be nice, since it is the same engine that powers the Volvo C30, pretty quick and powerful, but agree, very thirsty, tried flooring it, you can almost literally see the needle go down! And btw, I used to detest Korean cars, but am now convinced by their quality and design, for the price you pay. The Koreans make pretty awesome cars these days at a different price point from Ford or your typical German variety. Heck, they are looking and feeling better than some Japanese now, read Toyota!
3. 2009-08-15 15:06  
100 K for a Ford Focus? wow, too expensive for a car in Singapore, in the USA you can buy it for 12 USD max...

Ford is doing much better in the USA these days

Anyway, trying to call u cause I can't go to the Peugeot launch party tonight due to my Polo Team playing tonight (game starts at 4:30 pm), then party afterwards... all my straight friends/ players won't let me out by myself and we are having dinner and party later.. so sorry but I will make it up to you... then I leave at midnight to fly to Sydney for two weeks of Polo Camp in Queensland

keep up the great work Linus and see you soon...
4. 2009-08-16 23:36  
Most of the Toyotas.. or should I say Thai-yotas certainly need to do some serious thinking about the pricing, performance, trimmings of their cars. Korean cars are doing some real impact in this low end segment.
5. 2009-08-17 16:15  
100K SGD for a sh***y Ford??? wtf!!! a Ford looks dated the week after it comes out, its interior is low quality and deteriorates faster than that of any toymota or renault! and that means something really! and what 'great work' should be kept up by the editor of this colomn??
6. 2009-08-20 08:04  
Actually SGD100k is not expensive for Spore standard for a car that is not considered a staple. One must always be able to understand local market conditions before passing judgement. While some of us, myself included might have been judging a Ford based on previous experiences and mine dates back to Laser days circa 1980s/90s, and those were the days when Ford looks suspiciously like any other Mazdas on the road (actually there are a few twin-looking models now too). I think the latest generation of Ford cars are actually not bad, and in any case, Singaporeans don't usually keep our cars more than five years. I have had a Renault and Citroen in the past, and I remember the 19 and AX were absolutely horrid cars, very poorly put together, and simply not designed for Asia. But again, the latest generations of Renaults and Citroens have advanced so much and I must say that French cars are now more appealing in this part of the world than before. Even my family's 1988 Alfa 33Ti was a love-hate thing, used to die on us every other month! But still I would consider an Alfa if I was looking for a car again :)
7. 2009-08-20 15:13  
I know SG market conditions and I stick to my words! True, Asians really dont have a clue about cars and a lot dont even care... the problem is that some, esp. ppl in Msia and SG love to pretend that they do know abt cars...
8. 2009-08-20 19:26  
HAHAHAHA! So define "know about cars". In any case, cars are cars, there are many social, political, and economical factors at play in every market in the world. How we see cars comes in many layers and are affected by many factors, and at the end of the day for what purpose. To make sweeping statement that Asians have no clue about cars means that you do not know much about the world at all. I will only say that there are many perspectives to every story, and I do not deny every individual's rights to their own opinion, but since the advent of the WWW, the digital platform has increasingly become a very accessible and effective platform for global exchange of ideas. Happy Motoring!
9. 2009-08-21 16:15  
i have to agree with gqcraze..
10. 2010-05-20 05:47  

This is a wonderful opinion. The things mentioned are great and
needs to be appreciated by everyone.

Ford Focus ST

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