Gardemeister impressed with the new Focus ST

[MAGPIE]

Focus ST wins driver approval


Gardemeister impressed with the new Focus ST

Ford's all-new Focus ST performance model has been put through its paces by the company's 2005 World Rally Championship team drivers – and they have both given it the thumbs up.

New Focus ST prototypes have been driven hard and fast by Roman Kresta and Toni Gardemeister, who both drive Ford Focus WRCs in the FIA World Rally Championship, along with former British Rally Champion Malcolm Wilson, who is in charge of M-Sport (which operates the official works rally effort on behalf of Ford in the World Rally Championship). All three commented that the Focus ST totally lived up to their high expectations.

Their final exclusive test session was held just before the Rallye Deutschland, and under demanding conditions of torrential rain. But they came back with glowing reports on the ST's abilities.

Malcolm Wilson said: "For me it's one of the best Fords that have ever been produced. It's a car that suits all ages of drivers but with cutting edge performance and driveability."

Wilson was clearly impressed with the engine: "One of the main attributes is the torque of the engine, which is just sensational. I couldn't believe how stable the car is and how it oozes quality in terms of ride, suspension dynamics and most of all driveability."



Roman Kresta commented: "Everything about the Focus ST feels impressive and it feels like a big step up from the base Focus. The handling is precise and safe, while the steering feels extremely sharp and positive."

"The brakes are superb and the traction in the wet is highly impressive," Kresta added. "The suspension gives a stable ride on fast roads, which is what you expect from this type of car. It's not too hard or too soft - it feels just right. For me it is a great car - a sporty vehicle that is fun to drive."

Toni Gardemeister echoed these comments, saying: "The overall feeling is very good. The handling is precise - that's one of the great characteristics of all Focus cars. The gearbox has a good feel to it while the brakes perform superbly, especially when braking hard from high speed."

"The Focus ST feels extremely stable at high speed, even in the wet, and it's a car that offers a good driving experience," added Gardemeister.

Volume production of Focus ST has now started at Ford's Saarlouis production plant in Germany . The availability to order the Focus ST depends on individual market launch dates, with the first customer units being shipped from the plant next week.

The Focus ST is equipped with a strong turbocharged Duratec ST , 2.5 litre, 5-cylinder engine delivering 225PS. With its slick-operating six-speed manual gearbox, it is capable of a top speed in excess of 240 km/h (around 150mph), and needs only 6.8 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (6.5 seconds from 0 to 60 mph).

Such performance does not come at the expense of safety. Standard equipment includes an anti-lock braking system, traction control and a full complement of driver and passenger front and side airbags. Distinctive styling cues, low-profile 225/40 R18 tyres mounted on 8x18-inch aluminium wheels, and Recaro seats are among the features that make Focus ST stand out from the crowd.

Press Release