Wait on the edge of your seats no more, car nuts of Ireland: Ford has confirmed which versions of the revamped Focus ST range it will offer to Irish buyers and the good news is that the Volkswagen Golf GTD rivalling diesel model is among those that are available to order right now.
In fact, Ford is going one better than Volkswagen by offering a diesel-powered Focus ST in both five-door hatchback and Wagon estate body styles. Sadly for those buyers that might want the estate car practicality with a powerful petrol engine (admittedly very few), that's reserved for the hatchback only.
Mechanicals
By way of reminder, there are two distinct powertrains for the Focus ST. As before the facelift, there's a 2.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, producing 250hp and 360Nm of torque. Ford quotes a 0-100km/h time of 6.5 seconds, economy of 41.5mpg (6.8 litres/100km) and emissions of 159g/km. The 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine produces 185hp, 400Nm of torque and takes 8.1 seconds to reach 100km/h from rest. However, it also returns 67.3mpg (4.2 litres/100km) and emits just 110g/km, so it's the sensible model for anyone planning to commute in their Focus ST. All versions feature a slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox.
Anything else?
Pricing and specification details would be handy, wouldn't they? Oddly, the petrol-powered hatch is the cheapest version of the new Focus ST, at €39,100. Next up is the diesel hatch, priced at €39,800. The sole estate, the ST Wagon powered by the diesel engine, is €41,050. Ford Ireland specifies all cars as ST2, which, along with the considerable aesthetic upgrades inside and out that differentiate the ST from the rest of the Focus line-up, features auto lights and wipers, keyless start, heated Recaro sports seats and 18-inch alloy wheels.